CircuS trajectory: Retie has the floor

Today we speak to Tinne Van Looy, staff member for local government Retie. Here the focus is on a new town hall.

What were the main reasons for Retie to opt for a new town hall?

Our current town hall is a patchwork of different building periods. The original front building is already very old, and several annexes have been added over the years, the last one in 2005. Although that does not seem so long ago, we notice that the building no longer meets contemporary needs. The reception area is dark, citizens can just walk into staff offices, some offices are too big and meeting rooms too small.

In addition, several municipal services are spread over several locations. The Social House is 500 metres away, while we believe that shared accommodation makes services more efficient and promotes internal cooperation. The library has to move out of its current location by 2030 and would like to integrate into the new building. The district police is also looking for a new location, as their current building will be repurposed.

These are all different needs that we can bring together in a new town hall.

Have you considered residents' preferences in this project?

Definitely. We went through a Service Design Thinking process with Studio Dott to explore how to make the best use of the building. Which services should come together? How much space is needed? What do residents expect from the service? We translated this into concrete design principles, which we tested among residents via a digital survey. Around a hundred people responded.

We also conducted an entry-exit survey among visitors to the town hall. We asked them what they thought of the current service and how it could be improved. This helped us to develop a well-founded concept. In the following phases too, we want to regularly inform residents about the process.

Why do you think circularity is so important in this project?

When you construct a new building, you have to look beyond today and think about it very carefully. We need to handle materials consciously and make building choices that respect the future. The climate issue is more topical than ever and, as a local government, we have an exemplary role. By participating in the CircuS trajectory with Kamp C, we have an additional incentive to apply circular principles concretely in our design.

How do you intend to integrate circularity?

We want to preserve as many existing structures as possible, such as the protected façade, the basement and possibly even the structure of the recent extension. The CircuS trajectory is helping us explore how feasible that is.

Today, I have already gained many new insights. For example, we were already thinking about flexible construction so that the building can accommodate other functions in the future. Talks about modular construction and demountable internal walls have made us think more concretely about how to apply this effectively.

Retie is a smaller municipality, but still takes a leading role. What do you hope other municipalities can learn from you?

We always say, "Just because we are small doesn't mean we can't be progressive." Even a smaller municipality can participate in pilot projects and take up an exemplary role. We are currently working on our municipal values and 'agility' is one of them. We want to show that even as a small council, you can pursue climate ambitions and be innovative in them.

We listened to Zoersel's presentation of the EHHUR project today. What insights did you gain here?

An important lesson is that you have to weigh up all options carefully. Circular projects often have a higher initial cost, but the long-term benefits are great. It is crucial to communicate this well to the board and residents so that everyone understands why these choices are valuable.

The ambition maps we worked with today helped us to think concretely about our goals. For example, we came to new insights about flexible use of space and bio-based materials. We first thought using hemp from our own agriculture was a 'crazy' idea, but now we see it as a real possibility.

Can you tell a bit more about that?

Retie is a real agricultural community, with about 75% open space, most of which is farmland. Due to climate change, farmers are facing soils that are too wet for traditional farming. But crops like hemp do thrive here and can serve as a raw material for bio-based building materials. If our farmers can introduce these crops, which will then be processed into building materials for the new town hall, we have come full circle. Both for us, as an agricultural municipality, and for our farmers, this would be wonderful. Perhaps we will then inspire other councils to do the same.

Has the first session of the CircuS process already helped?

Absolutely. We are actually quite far along in the process with the Flemish Master Builder for the selection of an architect. But this session inspired me to emphasise the circularity aspect even more strongly in the plans.

In addition, it was enriching to hear that other local authorities are facing the same challenges. We could not only share insights, but also learn from each other.

What challenges do you expect when implementing the project?

The three biggest challenges are:

• Timing: The library has to move in 2030, so we have a tight schedule.
• Budget: We know roughly what the construction will cost, but the additional cost of implemented circular principles still needs to be investigated.
• Change path: Employees will get used to a new way of working with a separate front and back office.

We think it is important that everyone, including politicians, remains well informed. During the process with Studio Dott, we therefore regularly fed back to the municipal council, and we will continue to do so.

How do you take the lessons learned to other projects?

Our colleagues from the Environment and Technical Services Department are running this project. They often come into contact with construction and renovation projects, so their knowledge will come in handy again later.

Moreover, we can learn a lot from the other participating municipalities. For instance, two municipalities want to renovate their technical workshop. Within a few years, we might also renew our workshop, and then we can build on their experiences.