Liège Expo
Liège Expo extends the workings of a typical Halles des Foires to the immediate urban environment, as a project that is closely knitted into the city’s dense and diverse fabric. A new public institute for Liège, and the beating heart of its event industry, Liège Expo holds a capacity of up to 10.000 people, with 5 expo halls and a multi-purpose hall, covering more than 16.500 sqm for international and local events such as fairs, exhibitions and sport or cultural events. The project aims to put Liège back on the map of European cities capable of attracting large-scale events.
A new public square
Liège Expo is a public project that connects to the city. Both an urban landmark and a gathering space for the Liège community and its visitors, with a public programme that takes place inside and outside the building.
Due to its location close to the Meuse River and at the heart of Liège's communications network, the building blends harmoniously into the urban structure and contributes to the continuity of the city's public spaces. It is positioned as a strategic element, both an end point and a starting point for the tramway, and contributes to the city's emblematic squares, while adding a new reference space, linked to regional and international routes. Situated right at the crossroads of the regional and European scale, the venue is ideally located for major events.
A flexible and multi-purpose space
The project is designed for functional flexibility: different spaces can accommodate a wide variety of events. The interior layout allows for multiple configurations, with the possibility of combining or separating halls. The circulation zones around the halls provide independent access to each space, facilitating the organisation of simultaneous events.
The exhibition hall, placed at the southern edge of the public square, stands out with its enormous floor surface of over 1.000 sqm. This hall connects to the square and gives shape to the main entrance of the Liège Expo. When the exhibition hall opens up towards the square, the outdoor space becomes part of the building, creating a continuous urban event space.
Transforming an industrial district
The Liège Expo site, in the Bressoux-Droixhe district, a former industrial area, is undergoing a major transformation. By de-polluting the land and gradually redeveloping the site, the image of the district is gently changing, giving way to projects that combine urban planning, mobility, architecture and economics to reach a sustainable future.
In Liège Expo, the choice for sustainable materials and energy efficiency bear witness to the commitment for low environmental impact. Rainwater harvesting, temperature management systems and automated lighting are a few of the ecological solutions we built into the project. Furthermore, the roof structure is designed to maximise natural light and thus minimising the need for artificial lighting.
The surrounding green spaces and vehicle manoeuvring areas are also designed to limit environmental impact, while meeting logistical requirements. Infiltration swales ensure the greening of parking and logistics traffic areas.
