This academic project explores the adaptive reuse of the former Schellens textile factory, an industrial complex located along the Vestdijk in Eindhoven. The design investigation began with a close study of the site's history and the processes that once defined it. Throughout the factory, water played a fundamental role in textile production—from washing and treating fabrics to supporting the various manufacturing stages housed within the different buildings. Beyond the factory itself, the nearby Dommel River further reinforces the area's long-standing relationship with water and industry.
Rather than approaching the project through a conventional programme-driven methodology, the design process sought inspiration from the behaviour of liquids themselves. The former water treatment room, once responsible for supplying the factory's operations, became the conceptual starting point for the project. Using paraffin poured into a physical model of the existing building, a series of experiments were conducted to observe how liquids naturally move, accumulate and occupy space within the architectural constraints of the factory. These resulting flow patterns formed the basis for the spatial organisation of the proposal.
The generated geometries informed a new public programme centred around recreation, reflection and social interaction. At the heart of the proposal lies the former dye house, transformed into a central gathering space from which all major functions are accessed. Existing ventilation shafts and service voids are opened up, allowing light, movement and visual connections to flow through the building in a manner that reflects the original fluid-based design concept.
The project introduces a sequence of interconnected spaces including areas for reflection, meditation, recreation and dining. By selectively removing physical and thermal boundaries between certain functions, the proposal encourages intuitive movement and interaction, creating a spatial experience that feels both open and continuously connected.
The former burling room is reimagined as a restaurant, providing a more intimate environment while maintaining a visual relationship with the surrounding public spaces. A dining area on the upper floor offers panoramic views across the Schellens factory complex, the Dommel River and the city of Eindhoven, reconnecting visitors with the industrial landscape that inspired the project.
While primarily an academic exploration, the proposal investigates how the history of a place can inform contemporary architectural interventions. By translating the behaviour of water into a spatial design strategy, the project establishes a direct relationship between the site's industrial heritage, its environmental context and its future potential as a public destination.
location eindhoven, the netherlands
tutors ir. jan schevers, ir. raplph brodruck
type academic project
program office and retail
size 1.640sqm
recognition displayed at the dutch design week 2011
