TRIAGE LAVOIR DE PERONNES
[COAL WASHING FACTORY]

NOVEMBER 2001 - 9 PHOTOS
RECONSTRUCTION IS STARTED

This Escher like building is a exceptional architectonic concrete skeleton. In 1954 the huge construction went in production. In the few years that the factory was in production, it was used for sorting and washing coals. The factory was constructed and build with help of the USA Marshall plan, which stands for a program to recover Europe after World War II. Around 1969 the production has stopped and the concrete skeleton was left abandoned, empty and cold. All of the technical engines and machines where removed, everything else that has some value [USA dollars] was quickly stolen. By removing the machines, dangerous holes and unsecured openings were left behind in the concrete construction, leaving no trace of history to find. All most every window has smashed. And over the floor levels there is broken glass spread wide out. The glass is covered with a thick layer of coal dust.

Due to the impressive architecture with it's giant front full of windows the Traige Lavoir de Peronnes has the alias "Cathedral of concrete and glass".

At some moments it sounds like the wind is screaming at you and the chaotic stairs starts to look like a labyrinth. On the top floor the holes in the concrete and open structure makes you dazzle. It's giving me the creeps. After all most 40 years of abandonment and decay the concrete structure is cleaned up. The concrete structure is currently being rebuild for use as a archive for the Wallonie region and as a exposing space for art made in Wallonie. The city of Binche sold the concrete structure for a symbolic one Euro. The planned demolition have been redesignated to renovate this unique concrete coal washing factory..