The town of Lokeren, between Antwerp and Ghent, has approximately 38,000 inhabitants. It is easily accessible from Antwerp, Ghent and Brussels both by public transport and the E17 motorway. Partly because of its favourable location, good connections and the expansion of employment, Lokeren is a town that attracts new residents from the wide surroundings. But even more attractive is the green open spaces that abound in and around the town. The River Durme flows through the town centre in the shadow of the church tower adjacent to the market square.

The brief is for the extension of the Municipal Academy of Music and Drama and the Drawing Academy by means of a new building with a floor area of about 1300 sq. m. The project site is in Groendreef and is part of the 'Park ter Beuken'. This green setting is both restful and inspiring for the students and teachers.

The present music academy classrooms are in the 'Villa ter Beuken' and in prefab buildings near the 'Villa Geurts'. These prefab classrooms no longer comply with present energy and acoustic requirements and are in addition no longer in good condition. They have to be demolished and replaced by a new building behind 'Villa ter Beuken'.

The present Drawing Academy classrooms, in Kazernestraat, are in poor condition and have to be urgently replaced. It has been decided to house these classrooms in the same building as the Municipal Academy of Music and Drama, thereby clustering the 'arts education courses'.

The design for this building must take account of specific acoustic and sound insulation requirements. The integration of the buildings into the park is also important.