31
TRANSFO CLIMBING
ZwevegemClimbing in Industrial Heritage
Along the former Transfo site in Zwevegem, an iconic industrial heritage site that once served as a fossil-fired power plant, Markland Architects realized a new climbing gym, cafeteria and covered outdoor bouldering area. The site is being repurposed as a vibrant socio-cultural hub, bringing together sports, recreation and meeting, without losing sight of its valuable industrial past.
Project information
| Project |
Project
Transfo Climbing Zwevegem |
|---|---|
| Location |
Location
Transfostraat 30, 8550 ZWEVEGEM |
| Builder |
Builder
Demuynck BVBA |
| Architect |
Architect
Markland (member of Link Lab) |
| Stability, EPB, Veico |
Stability, EPB, Veico
REBAR (MVE) - United Experts Group |
| Program |
Program Length climbing gym with cafeteria and an outdoor bouldering area |
| Site area |
Site area
5.852m2 |
| Ground intake |
Ground intake
934m2 |
| Status |
Status
Delivered 2025 |
Embedding in the Transfo site
The design starts from the existing heritage elements: the walled transformer park and the former transformer building are tangible witnesses of the industrial history. The positioning of the new volumes is closely linked to these elements and to the overhead and underground high-voltage power lines that run across the site. For example, the cafeteria, along with the indoor bouldering area, lies entirely within the contours of the heritage wall and uses the original access to the transformer park, while the climbing gym is positioned outside the heritage wall to ensure safety and functionality. The transformer building itself will be redesigned as a multi-purpose space with studios and offices, in accordance with the Transfo site master plan.
Access to the site is through the historic gate on the northeast side, after which visitors enter the reception plaza and cafeteria. This low-rise volume houses bar, kitchen, sanitary facilities and storage, and forms an intimate link between the different building parts. The roof of the cafeteria is designed as an intensive green roof, visible from the surrounding buildings, and reinforces the sustainable ambition of the project. The facades are transparent and light, with slim concrete-gray joinery, so that inside and outside flow into each other.
The covered outdoor boulder, with a trapezoidal steel structure, provides a safe and weatherproof space for recreational climbing. Again, the roof is designed as a green roof, so that the visible roof surface is experienced as a full-fledged "fifth facade. Between the climbing gym and the transformer building is a multipurpose outdoor space for sports and recreation, from yoga to slackline and small events. Technical functions, parking spaces and bicycle storage are discreetly concealed on the west side behind a wall with walkway, which at the same time visually connects the climbing gym with the transformer building.
The climbing gym as a central volume
At the heart of the project is the climbing hall, an elongated hexagonal volume that was defined by the route of the high-voltage power lines. With a height of 17.5 meters, the hall offers space for more than 60 climbing routes, a speed wall and an artificial rock. Underneath the mezzanine are dressing rooms, while an additional 12-meter climbing wall is provided above. The north facade, featuring vertical glass and the Transfo Climbing logo, provides natural light and recognition. The functional facade side includes openings for storage, ventilation and access with aerial platforms.
Architecture and materialization
Materialization plays a key role in the design: concrete panels, concrete gray aluminum eaves, white painted steel structures and transparent façade elements provide an austere and sustainable palette that respects the industrial context while giving it a contemporary look. The design of the outdoor space is consistent with the overall vision of the site: revegetation is reduced, biodiversity is enhanced and paving is done in a uniform material palette.
