Photo Credit: Halles du Boulingrin, Reims © Antoine Mercusot pour Chatillon Architectes

Brussels to Host Final Event Celebrating the Success of the REcube Project
Brussels, September 2024 — The REcube project, an ambitious Erasmus+ cooperation partnership in Higher Education, will mark its completion on September 6th with a milestone event at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) Faculty of Architecture. This event, the third and final in a series of multiplier events, will spotlight the remarkable achievements and far-reaching impact of the project, which has redefined the sustainable conservation and renovation of Modern European concrete architectural heritage.

A Journey of Collaboration and Innovation
Launched in 2022, the REcube project has been a beacon of transnational cooperation, bringing together 94 master’s students from 11 prestigious Architecture and Engineering schools across Europe. The REcube project, which will lasted 36 months, was conceived and implemented by a large scale European university partnership, led by the Politecnico di Milano with the Laboratorio Nervi on the Lecco Campus. Members of the partnership are: Budapest University of Technology and Economics (Hungary), Delft University of Technology (Netherlands), Hafencity University Hamburg (Germany), Middle East Technical University (Turkey), Politecnico di Torino (Italy), Technical University of Madrid (Spain), University of Naples Federico II (Italy), Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium), University of Minho (Portugal) and University of Rome La Sapienza (Italy).
Also participating: the Pier Luigi Nervi Project Foundation in Brussels, which for over 10 years has been engaged in the study and dissemination of the work by the great Italian designer and builder, as well as ICOMOS Italia, the Italian chapter of the UNESCO advisor non-governmental international organisation, whose mission is the conservation of the world’s monuments and sites.
United by a common vision, these future leaders have been equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to embrace a sustainable, integrated, and holistic approach to preserving our Modern Concrete Heritage.
The project’s overarching goals—to rethink, revive, and reuse—have inspired students to embark on a journey of innovation and sustainability. Over the past three years, they have worked on the green regeneration of three iconic buildings by the renowned concrete masterbuilder Pier Luigi Nervi: the Piscina Mincio in Milan, the Torino Esposizioni hall in Turin, and the Artemio Franchi Stadium in Florence. Their work represents a new mindset in modern heritage regeneration, one that emphasizes the urgent need for cultural transformation in the building sector—a shift further highlighted by the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Celebrating Success: The Third Multiplier Event
To celebrate the successful conclusion of this transformative project, a one-day seminar titled “Building the European Identity: Concrete Architecture Between Legacy and Re-Invention” will be held at the ULB Faculty of Architecture. The event will delve into various aspects of the heritagization and conservation of modern and contemporary concrete architecture. Attendees will gain insights from expert presentations on European heritage policies, case studies, and cutting-edge research initiatives.
A highlight of the day will be the keynote lecture by François Chatillon, scheduled for 18:30. Titled “Concrete Cases,” this lecture will offer a deep dive into the practical applications of sustainable conservation in modern concrete architecture by one of its leading practitioners. Both the seminar and the keynote lecture are open to the general public, providing an invaluable opportunity for community engagement and learning.

A Lasting Legacy
As the REcube project draws to a close, it leaves behind a lasting legacy—a new generation of professionals dedicated to the sustainable development and preservation of Europe’s architectural heritage. The sustainability of the project will be guaranteed by the REcube MOOC available on the POLIMI Learning Platform and by the publication of the REcube Guidelines as a special fib bulletin, ensuring continued access to cutting-edge knowledge and practices.
This project stands as a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation, and education in shaping a greener, more resilient future for Europe’s built environment.