Oude Vismijn

Project Name
Oude Vismijn
Function
Hospitality (event hall + brasserie) + tourist board offices
Surface
Site: 2.750 m² | ground-floor level: 2.400 m² | upper levels: 970 m² | existing cellar: 925 m² | new cellar: 800 m²
Location
Ghent, Rekelingestraat – Sint-Veerleplein
Visit

concept

The Oude Vismijn [Old Fish Market] is being functionally redesignated and modified to meet modern-day standards while respecting its historic authenticity. The site is still home to the remains of the former St. Pharaildis church and the Wenemaers hospital.

Project Description

In 1872, two covered fish markets designed by town architect A. Pauli were erected following a fire in the gatehouse. The outer walls were hidden away behind romanticized, neo-traditional crow-stepped gables ahead of the 1913 World Expo.

The Baroque gatehouse on Sint-Veerleplein dating back to 1689 serves as the entranceway to the inner square and the Oude Vismijn market halls – the ideal location in the historic city centre for hospitality and tourism with views of the Castle of the Counts, the Lieve canal and the river Lys.

The smaller market hall in the new fish market is being transformed into a brasserie and a multi-purpose space exiting onto the Rekelingestraat, and the larger market hall with its monumental Polonceau trusses is being converted into an event hall with a capacity of maximum 600 guests. The smaller hall rounds the bend between the river Lys and the Lieve canal over a length of 116 m.

An information kiosk belonging to the tourist board will be located under the open roof, and its offices, back office and meeting rooms will be accommodated in the gatehouse.

The open inner square welcomes visitors and forms a focal point along a pedestrian route from the Sint-Veerleplein to the Appelbrugparkje along the new towpath and the new Veerlebrug. This ensures that the development project will be fully and easily accessible on foot, by tram, car, bicycle and even by boat.

EVENT

Dag van de Architectuur 2011