FOS
Date: December 2018 Location: Kortrijk, Belgium Area: 780m2 Function: Spatial installation Status: Built Collaborator: Future of Space, Jaenan Lim, Jasna Dimitrovska Sponsor: City of Kortrijk, UNESCO Creative City Organizer: Designregio Kortrijk
Like many post-industrial cities in Europe, Kortrijk faces the challenge of reactivating disused industrial heritage. Following the decline of its once-thriving textile industry in the 20th century, numerous sites have remained vacant for decades. These structures are often constrained by safety concerns and the financial burden of redevelopment. FOS is conceived as a spatial tool that temporarily inhabits these buildings, enabling public access while ensuring a controlled and protected environment. A continuous envelope made from 2,700 square metres of scaffolding tarpaulin is assembled to shield visitors from potential hazards such as falling debris, while simultaneously creating an immersive spatial atmosphere within the abandoned structure. The project was developed in collaboration with Future of Kortrijk, interaction designer Jasna Dimitrovska, and spatial designer Jaenam Lim. It was organised by Designregio Kortrijk, a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.
A common challenge faced by abandoned industrial buildings in the region is the combination of financial constraints and safety concerns. FOS addresses this condition through the use of a low-cost, adaptable material: scaffolding tarpaulin. Its flexibility and durability allow disused structures to be temporarily transformed and reactivated. A continuous surface of 2,700 square metres of tarpaulin is sewn together to form a protective enclosure, shielding the interior from potential hazards such as falling debris from deteriorating ceilings. The system is designed for rapid deployment, using multiple hoisting points that connect to existing steel structures, a common feature across these industrial buildings. This enables installation within a single day, without requiring invasive interventions. The project is located in Vlaspark, in the municipality of Kuurne, a site that once played a significant role in the Kortrijk region’s economic development through flax production and trade in the 19th century. With shifts in the economic landscape, these infrastructures have become obsolete, leaving behind residual spaces that are no longer in use. Vlaspark exemplifies this broader condition, shared by many similar sites across the region that remain in transition. FOS proposes a framework for reusing these spaces as temporary public environments. By enabling safe access and introducing spatial continuity, the project creates conditions for new forms of occupation. It invites citizens and organisations to initiate activities and events, encouraging engagement with these overlooked sites. To demonstrate this potential, the project included a projection mapping installation developed in collaboration with Berlin-based artist Omar Elkammar. Through such interventions, FOS reveals the latent possibilities of abandoned industrial heritage and supports a gradual process of rediscovery and reuse.
