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Grundriss Untergeschoss • Basement floor plan

Grundriss Erdgeschoss • Ground floor plan

Grundriss 1. Obergeschoss • Floor plan level +1

Besuchertribünen wurden zu Arbeitsplätzen und Hörsälen. • Visitor stands became workplaces and lecture halls.

among locals. In 1920, a devastating fire nearly destroyed the building, but it was rebuilt
three years later. After World War II, Ghislain Mahy repurposed the structure into a car
workshop, radically altering its interior and erasing its circus-like features. The workshop
remained active until 1978, after which the building was transformed into a storage faci-
lity for classic cars. By 2005, recognising its historical and architectural value, Sogent, a
Ghent-based urban development group, acquired Wintercircus with the intention of pre-
serving and repurposing it. The structural renovation was carried out by the architectural
firms BARO and SUMproject, integrating the building into the evolving De Krook district.
Ghent’s cultural significance continued to grow, and in 2009, UNESCO recognized the city
as a Creative City of Music. The turning point for Wintercircus came in 2020 when TENT
secured a 75-year lease, setting in motion a vision for the space as a beacon of innovation, Grundriss 2. Obergeschoss • Floor plan level +2
entrepreneurship, and creativity. OYO Architects‘ project revitalises this historic building
and celebrates the dynamic interaction between past and present, where architectural
heritage and contemporary design intertwine in perfect harmony. Wintercircus becomes
an integral space, with a diversity of occupants, visitors and programmes that unite inno-
vation and culture under one roof, bringing a new vibrancy to Ghent‘s cultural and creative
life. The turning point for Wintercircus came in 2020 when TENT secured a 75-year lease,
setting in motion a vision for the space as a beacon of innovation, entrepreneurship, and
creativity in Ghent. OYO Architects‘ project revitalises this historic building and celebrates
the dynamic interaction between past and present, where architectural heritage and con-
temporary design intertwine in perfect harmony. Wintercircus becomes an integral space,
with a diversity of occupants, visitors and programmes that unite innovation and culture
under one roof, bringing a new vibrancy to Ghent‘s cultural and creative life.

AIT 4.2025 • 123