A theatre in the Belgium city of Mechelen by Import Export Architecture is clad with ‘creased’ copper alloy panels

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Filip Dujardin

For the past 50 years De Mann (The Moon) has been a major centre for children’s performing arts in Mechelen, Belgium. But with up to 400 performances a year and as many as 40,000 visitors, it had become outdated both spatially and technically. Following a competition, architects Karel Beeck and Oostpool were chosen to jointly renovate the existing buildings, while Import Export Architecture (IEA) was charged with designing a new small-scale theatre located close to St Rombout’s cathedral tower.

Reportedly inspired by the Apollo 11 lunar module, ­IEA’s copper-alloy-clad building comprises a raised 80-seat hall with a fully-glazed cafe below. The latter is intended to serve as a link to the neighbouring arts buildings.

The facade and cafe ceiling are clad with Nordic Royal copper alloy panels. The surface is designed to retain its golden colour rather than developing a blue or green patina.

“From the start, the centre’s name conjured up images for us of the Apollo 11 lunar module and its crumpled golden metal underside”, says IEA principal Oscar Rommens. “We wanted to apply this look to the new cube extension, mirroring in a modern way the richness and handmade bespoke character of the cathedral tower stonework. The challenge was to achieve this within a modest building budget.”

Describing the detail design process Rommens says,“In several early trials we experimented with pressing and folding flat metal over a blade. Final trials were carried out by a specialist fabricator to develop a series of gentle creases – almost, but not quite, three-dimensional. Then, seven different designs of panels were produced using press moulds, each with folds running across at various angles and intensities. By rotating and intermingling different panels, a random effect was created. Although the verticality of the overlapping panels is retained, giving structure to the facades, most transverse joints are not horizontal, further fragmenting the surface.

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