The fine arts department is the product of 50 years of arts education in Limburg. The liberal arts department is
located in a separate building (the 'long corridor'), situated along the outer ring road around Hasselt. It is
surrounded by other buildings on a campus that will soon be made into a pedestrian zone. This building is the
last in the complex to be renovated. Next to it is the graphic design building (the second main subject in the fine
arts department). Both buildings are part of the fine arts department. The administrative offices, teachers'
offices and student rooms are located in the main building.
In the building concerned, the studios are located at right angles to a long corridor and for the most part each
functions autonomously. The ateliers are used for mixed and new media, sculpture, graphic art, glass and
ceramics, painting, jewellery design and metalworking. The building no longer meets the department's current
needs. Structurally, the roof and windows are a problem. The sanitary facilities are also an issue. The building
is deficient in terms of environmental design. Furthermore, insufficient space is available. Currently, the
activities of the studios are separated from one another. A physical connection should be created between
them. Furthermore, there is a need for specific workshops (woodworking, bronze casting, plaster casting, kilns,
etc.). Some of the studios have grown considerably (jewellery design) or have developed their own dynamics
(new media), necessitating extra space.
The existing building could undergo a partial renovation. The original concept includes various interior spaces.
These could be integrated into the overall concept. It is also expected that the building will become an eyecatcher.
Given the campus' location near the ring road, a limited amount of new construction could provide
additional space, while at the same time creating a recognizable symbol of the school for the outside world. It is
anticipated that a designer will be appointed in 2006. The first half of 2007 will be devoted to drawing up a plan.
A call for tenders will be held in the second half of 2007. The work is planned for 2008.