| Renovation and extension |
| of the Aldenhoven Community Centre |
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| 2nd Prize 2025 competition |
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| CLIENT: |
City of Aldenhoven |
| ARCHITECT: |
inFABric |
| PROGRAM: |
community centre, council chamber, training centre, youth centre |
| SURFACE: |
4 200 m2 |
| YEAR: |
2025 |
| BUDGET: |
13 Mio EUR |
| CONSULTANTS: |
SFN Landscape, KLETT Ingenieur , Imagine Structure |
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The new Aldenhoven community centre is being developed on the site of the former town hall, transforming it into a modern, multifunctional meeting place for local residents. The existing administrative wing will be thoroughly refurbished and reorganised according to contemporary workplace concepts, creating citizen-focused and flexible working environments.
The extension offers generous, flexibly usable spaces for education, events and dialogue formats. The various zones – youth centre, adult education centre, meeting rooms for political groups and the council chamber – are arranged by floor and connected to the existing building via a transparent link structure, which serves as the central entrance and social hub.
From an urban planning perspective, the project is characterised by the distinctive orientation of the new building, which creates a new, traffic-calmed town hall square and provides an open, accessible entrance area. The buildings are embedded within the town hall park and offer spacious outdoor areas that are actively incorporated into the centre’s use.
The preservation and further development of the existing building are central to the concept – the original character is retained and enhanced architecturally and energetically by a new sustainable timber façade and rooflights. The new building stands out with a brick façade and transparent glass surfaces, establishing a dialogue with the existing structure.
The interior of the administrative areas is designed flexibly and in a team-oriented manner, following the New Work principle. The youth centre on the ground floor and the adult education centre on the first floor each offer their own age-appropriate areas with direct access to the park. The political meeting rooms and council chamber are located on the upper floors, with the council chamber being bright and offering space for up to 199 people.
The safety concept includes clearly assigned escape routes and modern fire protection. Facade and construction materials are regionally sourced and sustainable – wood and recycled brick dominate, enabling a flexible, efficient construction method.
The technical concept for the building aims for passive house standards: triple glazing, high-quality insulation, geothermal energy, photovoltaics and natural ventilation ensure energy efficiency and a healthy indoor climate. Rainwater management following the sponge city principle and generous green spaces support the microclimate and biodiversity.
In summary: The Aldenhoven community centre preserves the qualities of the existing structure and combines them with modern, sustainable solutions. The result is an inclusive, forward-thinking place for all generations, which is both ecologically and socially sustainable.