KANAL, Centre Pompidou Brussels

KANAL, Centre Pompidou Brussels is a redevelopment of the former Citroën car factory and showroom, an iconic example of early 20th-century industrial modernism. Located adjacent to the Brussels–Charleroi Canal, the project reimagines this historic structure as a major cultural institution housing contemporary art, architecture, design, and performance spaces.

Jensen Hughes has been engaged from the conceptual phase as the fire safety consultant, delivering an integrated fire engineering strategy aligned with local code requirements and performance-based solutions. Our involvement included a full regulatory conformity review, with analysis against Belgian fire code. Given the complexity and scale of the site, several code deviations were proposed and successfully proposed through technical justifications and stakeholder engagement with municipal and federal authorities and federal.

Advanced computational modelling formed a core part of our methodology. Smoke and heat control systems were validated using Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS), addressing the challenges presented by large open volumes and interconnected zones. Our team conducted evacuation modelling using Pathfinder to evaluate egress times, flow rates, and occupant safety across mixed-use occupancies, including galleries, public assembly areas, and an internal auditorium. We maintained active involvement through the construction phase, supporting the design team and contractors in addressing site-specific issues, system coordination, and regulatory liaison.

The project required careful reconciliation between heritage preservation and modern fire safety objectives. Preserving the architectural character and structural fabric of the existing building imposed limitations on conventional solutions, necessitating a performance-based design approach throughout. In particular, the integration of smoke control systems across large internal volumes was critical in shaping the final strategy. 

Jensen Hughes delivered a robust, performance-based fire safety strategy that enabled the preservation of the site’s historic character while ensuring occupant safety and regulatory compliance. The client’s ongoing engagement reflects their confidence in our methodology and service quality. With completion targeted for 2027, KANAL is set to become a benchmark in adaptive reuse of industrial heritage for public cultural infrastructure.