The ruins of an old flax retting factory on the Leieoevers near Kortrijk are being repurposed into a bicycle hotel.

The design puts maximum effort into preserving the brutalist appeal of the foundry: the outer shell therefore undergoes only a limited set of subtle and also less subtle interventions – a little kitsch can (and should) never be far away in this region.

Inside, this heritage is treated just a little less reverently. Because despite the high central spaces, the double retting space feels claustrophobic – like a bunker. In the first one , interior walls are therefore selectively demolished to create a quality living space. In the second one, retting rooms are rearranged and cleverly connected into pleasant places to stay, surrounding the monumental bicycle hall where bikes are literally placed on an altar.

The design also attempts to provide a link to the original function of the retting factory – not through a misplaced hankering for the past, but by resolutely opting for the future: designers have been working their way into the unique properties of flax for some time. The brutal scenography of the smokehouse is subtly complemented by warm ‘flax-based’ designer chairs and carpets. The designs for the sofas, sanitary cubicles, walk-in closets and the central staircase are made of flaxwood.