From the tower to the square : Transforming Post-Industrial Historical sites into community Cores

The pannelists present their cases shortly, namely the Aalto Silo (Oulu), the House of Knowledge (Bochum), the Val Benoît (reconversion of an emblematic site in Liège) and the ProGIreg project (Productive Green Infrastructure Regeneration in Zagreb). Three of these infrastructures are concretely implemented, while the House of Knowledge's opening is planned for 2026.

The location of these buildings are strategic (The Silo's location, just below the Artic Circle and proposed content, can draw attention on the climate change, the House of Knowledge is located in the middle of Bochum'city center), the Val Benoît is located among the (future) tramway line, right by the river, easily accessible by train or by road, etc.

Through these examples, the following points were higlighted :

• Sustainability, climate change (the Silo's location, just below the Artic Circle and proposed content, can draw attention on it) and the mix between science and art have a role to play.
• The lack of transformation practice and insuffisent research on models of transformation.
• The link between these building and universities (ULiège in the Val Benoît case and UniverCity in Bochum's one) in the urban factory,
• The well-discussed and thin border between the decision to destroy a building and the desire to keep it (and assuming the - high- costs inherent in its reassignment) and to integrate the city's global strategy. Futhermore, the complexity of the procedure of rehabilitation were highlighted (particularly regarding post-industrial sites protected as cultural heritage).