Memorial Museum in Mons
- Burkhard Franke
A former water works in this Belgian town has been renovated and expanded to accommodate a museum of military history. New wings were added on both ends of the old 3-bay brick structure. The gable ends of the main hall are completely glazed. The foyer within is bathed in daylight; it provides access to the artificially lit exhibitions. The path through the museum leads, via stairs and ramps, to the upper level, where the visitor is taken through the foyer on a catwalk to the temporary exhibitions. From here he or she returns to the foyer, whose brick masonry walls are visible. The water works’ steel vats are painted dark grey, and the floor is of concrete screed, but otherwise white surfaces dominate the space.
