The iconic Le Grand Hôtel Nieuwpoort will be ready to celebrate its centenary
the iconic Le Grand Hotel , in Nieuwpoort (Belgium) later known as the White Residence, **will be totally renovated by David Chipperfield's studio, becoming The Grand.
It is expected that this emblematic building will have recovered all its grandeur in 2024, the year in which it will celebrate its centenary, and will then rise as the new architectural pearl of the North Sea.
Commissioned by VDD Project Development and designed by David Chipperfield Architects, The Grand will house 70 apartments, a brasserie and various retail spaces.
Le Grand Hôtel will rise from its ashes
FROM SPLENDOR TO DETERIORATION...
The history of this emblematic building on the Belgian coast dates back to 1924 , in which the Societé Anonyme de Nieuport-Bains hired the architect Apollon Lagache to create two prestigious leisure buildings: Le Grand Hotel and Le Petit Casino.
The construction of Le Grand Hôtel was not completed until 1929, while Le Petit Casino remained unfinished during the Interwar period.
During World War II, the hotel, which was used as a hospital, was badly damaged, The iconic tower, domes, flag poles, the wing of the Hendrikaplein loggia, the canopy and the terrace were all destroyed.
Between 1958 and 1963, the building became a vacation home and was renamed the White House. The old hotel was partially redesigned and reorganized, merging existing rooms and installing additional bathrooms and new kitchens.
Old postcard of Le Grand Hôtel
...AND FROM DETERIORATION TO SPLENDOR
Beginning in the 1960s, the building fell into disrepair and the lack of structural maintenance made it gradually lose its characteristic silhouette and notoriety, while the new surrounding buildings monopolized all the attention.
In the summer of 2018, the property was closed due to security issues and fire risk, currently in ruins. VDD Project Development, a developer of historic projects, purchased the property with the intention of transform the old Grand Hôtel into The Grand and return it to the grandeur of yesteryear.
The ambitious renovation plan has been carried out in collaboration with David Chipperfield Architects, Origin Architecture & Engineering, the Flanders Heritage Agency and the City of Nieuwpoort. Plans for the unique restoration have already been submitted.
Le Grand Hôtel Nieuwpoort
THE GRAND: THE RISE OF THE PHOENIX BIRD
Nieuwpoort's crown jewel will shine again in all its splendor and will be transformed into a building with 70 apartments of up to 265 square meters.
In addition, the ground floor will be opened to the public. On the one hand, it will house the brasserie restaurant and the historic bar , both refurbished, and on the Albert I-Iaan side there will be several commercial spaces.
David Chipperfield Architects will restore the existing structure of the old building and add a four-story extension: “The project seeks recover the former grandeur of the building through its restoration and vertical extension. The upper levels of the building will house apartments, while a restaurant, bar and shops will reconnect it with the surrounding public realm at ground level.
The golden age of the hotel has been taken into account at all times: "The project looks at the history of Le Grand Hôtel, taking care of its distinctive qualities while understanding the needs for it to survive in the future."
The building dates back to 1924
“The surviving historic fabric will be carefully restored, as well as the original entrance and façade features. The elegant terraces that were an extension of public space will be restored along with the great public rooms that were destroyed and filled in during the 1950s”, David Chipperfield Architects continue to explain.
The apartments, located on the upper floors, will respect the original structure of the hotel while lost elements such as the tower and domes will be restored, drawing inspiration from the original design.
The building, which retains much of its decorative façade (which was granted protected status in 1981), will grow in scale with four stories to regain its status as a Nieuwpoort beachfront landmark: “The extension requires a sensitive understanding of heritage value and entails reinterpretation and invention as well as restoration. The new design does not seek to impose a style or signature on the building, nor does it attempt to create a contrast between the historic fabric and its new additions”, they say from the studio.
In this sense, what the study intends when carrying out the task of adapting and expanding this historic building, is "interact directly with the original fabric to allow a nuanced reading of the building's history."
Let's go to the (Belgian) beach!
SUSTAINABILITY
The act of renovating an empty building already entails a social and environmental responsibility, since To the extent possible, existing materials will be reused, using only new elements when the above is not possible.
Sustainability and green energy played a fundamental role in the development of the project, that foresees the use of several systems to achieve efficient consumption. To do this, geothermal energy and hot plates and fossil fuels will be used.
The Grand will also have, in addition to underground parking and a shed with the capacity to house up to 346 bicycles.
Welcome!
EVERYTHING READY FOR THE CENTENARY
Located in the province of West Flanders, Nieuwpoort has an area of 31 square kilometers and a population of almost 12,000 inhabitants.
If all goes according to plan, renovation work on The Grand will begin in the fall of this year, and three years later in 2024, on the occasion of the centenary of Le Gran Hôtel, the first residents will be able to settle.
"This building lives in the memory of many people, countless families spent a good time by the sea here. It is, so to speak, a memory machine with an undeniable value. In a poetic tone, I think this is a victory over the transience and loss inherent in our human existence. The story of The White Residence is now being woven into a new story: The Grand is the beginning of a new story," said Mattias Diependaele, Flemish Minister for Finance, Budget, Housing and Real Estate.
One of the last historic buildings on the Belgian coast will soon rise from the ashes like a phoenix. And we will be waiting to see the show.
view of the boardwalk