DE GROOTSTE RESTAURATIE IN DE GESCHIEDENIS VAN DE VOORUIT
About heritage, sustainability, UNESCO, and how a building from 1913 serves as a modern arts center.
RESTORATION OF DE VOORUIT (2020-2035)
The restoration of our gigantic building is a long-term project, in which different parts of the building are addressed sequentially. After urgent restorations to the rear facade and the southern tower during the pandemic, the second phase of the restoration is now complete: the total renovation of the front section on Sint-Pietetersnieuwstraat.
The Ghent people's house from 1913 is back in all its glory. Started in August 2024, work was carried out for 17 months on the entire front section: the facade was thoroughly restored and cleaned, the Ballroom, the Dom Hall, the café, the central staircase, and three rehearsal studios for artists received a significant refresh.
Focus on heritage, accessibility, safety, and sustainability
The building has been significantly restored to the original plans of architect Ferdinand Dierkens. After historical color research, the original colors were reinstated. A color had to be determined for no less than 226 elements and places. Wallpaper and historical ceilings were reconstructed based on archival material. Wood imitation paintings were executed, parquet floors were restored, chandeliers were polished and restored, historical tiles were replaced and supplemented, wooden joinery was repaired, older invasive interventions were removed, and everything was returned to its original state.
Everywhere where new additions were necessary, these stand separate from the monumental building: the elevator shaft is completely detached from the historical facades, and modern lighting and sound installations were executed in stylish black.
The largest intervention is the integration of a large new elevator that brings the public and sets from the entrance area to the Ballroom and the Dom Hall. Previously, these were only accessible via two separate and smaller elevators. VIERNULVIER has been a pioneer in the field of accessibility for years. Significant accessibility interventions were also carried out in the Theater Hall and the Concert Hall. During this restoration, much attention was paid to the accessibility of sanitary facilities for the public and boxes for artists. The ticket counter has been renewed.
To maximize the safety of visitors, the ventilation capacity in the halls has been significantly increased. An additional emergency exit has been built via a new impressive walkway for the evacuation of the Dom Hall, and in the stairwell, the stair railings have been raised as fall protection. In the same Dom Hall, there has been an investment in motor-controlled trusses, which drastically facilitates the technical conversion of the hall and increases safety for the technicians.
In terms of energy efficiency, diluted double glazing has been installed, heat recovery from air units and high-voltage cabins has been implemented, and massive investments have been made in LED lighting.
During the restoration of De Vooruit, sustainability, audience comfort, safety, and accessibility are continuously taken into account. A highlight will be the brand-new elevator, located in a new standalone shaft, which will transport artists and visitors from the entrance area directly to the Ballroom and Dome Hall in one go.
Additionally, new ventilation units will be installed, along with a heat pump boiler. We will raise the handrail of the central staircase and replace plastic skylights with triple-glazed ones. Furthermore, we will install a theater technical lifting system with self-traveling trusses (a suspension system for lights, speakers, and curtains).
Om de veiligheid van bezoekers te maximaliseren is de ventilatiecapaciteit in de zalen gevoelig uitgebreid. Er is een bijkomende nooduitgang gebouwd via een nieuwe indrukwekkende passerelle voor evacuatie van de Domzaal en in de trappenhal werden als valbescherming de trapleuningen verhoogd. In dezelfde Domzaal werd geïnvesteerd in motorisch gestuurde trussen, wat de technische ombouw van de zaal drastisch vergemakkelijkt en de veiligheid voor de technici verhoogt.
Op vlak van energiezuinigheid werden verdund dubbel glas aangebracht, warmterecuperatie van luchtgroepen en hoogspanningscabine geïnstalleerd en massaal geïnvesteerd in LED verlichting.
Nieuw spectaculair glas-in-loodraam
VIERNULVIER is een huis voor podiumkunsten, muziek, debat en nightlife, maar integreert waar kan, ook werk van beeldend kunstenaars. Denk aan de 343m² grote tegelvloer van kunstenaar Christophe Hefti uit 2019 in de inkomzone, die nu terug te bekijken is. Dit keer vroegen we na een beperkte oproep aan kunstenaar Sanderjan Cornelis om een glasraam van 22 m² te ontwerpen voor de Brugzaal. Hij maakte een spectaculair werk met 3500 stukjes glas, dat de interactie toont tussen de 330.000 mensen die jaarlijks naar De Vooruit komen en het huis zelf.
On the way to becoming UNESCO World Heritage
On Friday, January 23, 2026, Flemish Minister of Immovable Heritage Ben Weyts, Danish Minister of Culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt, and Australian Minister for the Environment Hon Murray Watt nominated De Vooruit as UNESCO World Heritage at the headquarters in Paris. This was also done for and together with Broken Hill Trades Hall in Broken Hill, Australia, Victorian Trades Hall in Melbourne, Australia, and the Workers' Museum in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Cost
“The total cost of this restoration phase amounts to € 10,370,000. Of this, 44% was paid by the Flemish Community (Agency for Immovable Heritage and Department of Culture), 26% by the city of Ghent, and 30% by VIERNULVIER. The highly appreciated and necessary support from the city and the Flemish Community shows that VIERNULVIER and its main location De Vooruit are significant for the city and Flanders.” - Franky Devos, general coordinator VIERNULVIER
Entrance Area and Elevator
The entrance area on Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat has been thoroughly renovated: the old elevator has been removed and where the ticket counter used to be, you now enter the new elevator, which connects all levels up to the Domzaal and can transport up to 30 people at a time. To the left of the elevator is a brand new reception and ticket counter.
Ballroom
The Ballroom also received a thorough makeover. The ceiling was restored, and the original colors were reapplied in the center of the hall, while the woodwork and wallpaper regained their former glory.
The technical installation was updated with black truss, including cable tracks to tidy up the wiring, and a large new ventilation unit now ensures the correct temperature.
The old - too small and perpetually clogged - sanitary block was removed and relocated to a brand new restroom (with double capacity) in the bridge hall, where a spacious cloakroom/locker area was also set up. The freed-up space was filled with more room behind the scenes: a fully equipped catering kitchen with a cold storage room and additional storage space.
Dance Studio, Music Studio, and Central Staircase
On the floor just below the Domzaal, the focus was primarily on renovation and safety: after extensive color research, the original colors - including wood imitation - were reapplied. The sanitary block at the central staircase was completely renovated, and additional smoke detection and sprinklers were installed to further ensure safety.
Domzaal and foyer
The Domzaal has been thoroughly renovated: a motorized rigging system, a new ventilation unit, a curtain rail that transforms the hall into a black box, redesigned boxes, new smoke detection, and above all, daylight again through the skylights on the sides.
The foyer of the Domzaal has also been redesigned: additional passages to the new elevator and the hall, new furniture (including lockers), and a strikingly restored historical light fixture.