Tiles on the roof of the Concertgebouw must be removed as quickly as possible: “They can break off and fall in strong winds” (Bruges)

Even more bad luck for the Concertgebouw on ‘t Zand: after the tiles on the west facade, those on the roof also have to be removed as quickly as possible. “The situation is worse than expected. In strong winds they can break off and fall down,” says mayor Dirk De fauw.

One facade of the Concertgebouw has been in scaffolding since October, but it doesn’t stop there. Mayor of Bruges Dirk De fauw (CD&V) has given the order to also dismantle the northern, eastern and southern roof surfaces as quickly as possible. The decision came after serious damage was discovered to the tiles.

“The scaffolding on the west side was used to inspect other parts of the building. Research showed that the condition of the sloping roof surfaces is also worse than first thought,” says De fauw.

READ ALSO. Facade tiles are in danger of falling off the Concertgebouw and must all be removed: “Wait at least a year for new facade cladding”

The tiles of the west facade were in danger of falling down because the underlying wooden structure was rotting, but there is a different problem with the roof surfaces. “The inspection team noticed that the tiles were flaking off. When you hold them, they break in two. In strong winds, pieces of the tiles are in danger of loosening and falling down. The engineers’ advice was very clear: remove it.” (Read more below the photo)

And that must also happen in the short term. “Partly because the Meifoor will start soon (on April 19, ed.) there is urgency behind it, we cannot take any risks. The works should certainly start next week.”

Solar energy

Urgent and major works are once again needed at the Concertgebouw, barely 22 years after its opening. To be clear: the institution was going to have all tiles replaced anyway. (Read more below the box)

After the questionable state of the facade and roof cladding came to light, the organization decided to make a virtue of necessity and announced in September 2023 that it would replace all tiles with photovoltaic cells to generate solar energy. An ambitious operation – the material still needs to be developed – with a cost estimated at around 10 million euros.

READ ALSO. Boudewijn Seapark must demolish dilapidated Upper Bavarian hall: “The restaurant and indoor playground must also be closed temporarily”

The tiles on the west facade were in the worst condition and were therefore immediately removed. “The intention was to leave the tiles on the roof surfaces until there was more clarity about the new cladding, but given the poor condition, they should be removed earlier,” De fauw concludes.