CIVA - Rue de l’Ermitage

Located on Rue de l’Ermitage in Ixelles, CIVA occupies two buildings totalling 6,600 m2 owned by the SAU: an old power station and a more recent building in a contemporary style. CIVA is a unique resources, knowledge and expertise centre for several Brussels cultural organisations active in the fields of architecture, urban planning, landscape design and the study of ecosystems.

The older of the two buildings was constructed in an eclectic style in 1895, its original purpose being to house the secondary power station. It was converted into offices for a water company, the Compagnie intercommunale bruxelloise des eaux (CIBE), in 1983, and is currently occupied by CIVA.

The second, contemporary building was the product of an international architecture competition and is connected to the earlier structure. It was opened in 2000 to accommodate CIVA’s exhibition rooms, archive, offices, library and conference room.

The role of the Urban Development Corporation (SAU)

The Urban Development Corporation (SAU) is the site's owner.

With a view to CIVA’s planned relocation by 2024, it is studying possibilities for the conversion (without demolition) of the two buildings, which will continue to be used for public purposes.

CIVA’s temporary and permanent exhibitions, lectures and debates, educational activities and events and exceptional archive collection of nearly 40,000 books and journals on architecture, urban planning, urban history, landscapes, gardens and urban ecology will be transferred to the future Kanal – Centre Pompidou museum. This museum in the old Citroën Yser garage which is currently being converted is scheduled for permanent opening in 2024.

Updated: 22.08.2022

Project managers