Concrete buildings from the 1970s are often dismissed as gray, dreary structures, to be demolished as soon as possible. Lightweight extensions in wood, steel, and glass frequently amplify this perception further. The design for De Felix—a multifunctional cluster that welcomes schoolchildren, users of the academy, the library, the police, and city administration—consciously chooses to ‘build on’ its concrete past. The concrete is not ‘cleaned up,’ but rather its weathering is embraced.

By viewing the various hues of the concrete, the varied surface treatments and the many forms that the structure takes on as a rich set of tools, we can reverse the negative perception. Variations of the concrete columns, façade panels, and beams are thoughtfully added. The old and new are unmistakably related.  The new elements revisit the rhythm of the existing structures while introducing softer edges and lines. The buildings are topped up and extended, as if the original design is being further developed. A new theater hall, featuring a load-bearing concrete façade, is seamlessly woven into the site.

The transformation follows a strong circular approach, preserving and reusing as much of the existing as possible. The result is a building that not only respects the value of the original architecture, but is also prepared for the needs of the future.