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Solar energy hidden in plain sight — balustrades that generate power behind a 1914 façade
A miners’ community hall from 1914 — 22 homes, one restored façade, solar energy no one can see
Built for the miners of André Dumont — restored for the next century
De Kring was built in 1914 as the social heart of Waterschei’s mining community — a place for gathering, reflection and solidarity for the workers of the André Dumont mine. Over the decades it served as chapel, school, cinema and convent before falling into disrepair. A century later, the Bormans-Colson family commissioned Cocoon Architecten to give it new life: 22 contemporary homes built behind the lovingly restored historic façade.
Every detail of the restoration was handled with the same care the original builders had shown. When original bricks could no longer be sourced, a traditional brickyard in Maaseik was commissioned to handcraft exact replicas of the 1914 originals. A ceramic statue of local priest Van der Donck, long hidden in shadow, was repositioned to catch the light once more. The date 1914–2024 was carved into the new frontage — a permanent link between past and present.
Clean energy that doesn’t show — anywhere it shouldn’t
- The restored historic façade set absolute limits: no solar installation could be visible from the street or alter the reading of the 1914 elevation in any way
- ISSOL® developed a bespoke BIPV solution integrated into the balustrades of the new housing blocks, positioned just behind the preserved façade — invisible from outside
- The balustrade modules combine two complementary cell geometries in a single custom hybrid: stripe-pattern sections introduce transparency and visual lightness; square-cell sections provide a consistent grid and optimise yield
- The result balances three objectives simultaneously: energy generation, architectural discretion and comfortable natural light for residents
- Low-energy building standard; project developed in close collaboration with Cocoon Architecten to ensure the BIPV language matched the calm restraint of the interior volumes
Square monocrystalline cell matrix delivers a consistent, sleek grid pattern across the balustrade face — maximising energy yield while reading as a deliberate architectural element.
Linear cell spacing introduces controlled transparency into the balustrade panel — natural light filters through to residents while the solar cell rhythm remains calm and unobtrusive. The stripe format is engineered specifically for this project.
The two geometries are combined within a single glass-glass laminated element, sized and detailed by ISSOL® in close coordination with Cocoon Architecten. The module language was calibrated to the scale of the new-build volumes and their relationship to the protected 1914 frontage — energy generation that blends in, not out.
Parameters for rapid evaluation
| Parameter | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Application | BIPV balustrade | Integrated into new-build volumes behind preserved 1914 façade |
| ISSOL® solution | Custom hybrid modules | Bespoke combination of square-cell and stripe-cell geometries in a single glass-glass laminate |
| Building type | Heritage renovation — residential | 22 contemporary homes within restored historic shell; Waterschei (Genk) |
| Heritage context | 1914 community building | Former social hub of the André Dumont mine; façade faithfully restored using handmade Maaseik bricks |
| BIPV visibility | Not visible from street | Balustrades positioned behind the historic façade plane — zero visual impact on protected elevation |
| Cell geometry | Square + stripe (hybrid) | Square sections: yield + grid rhythm. Stripe sections: transparency + visual lightness for residents |
| Panel construction | Glass-glass laminate | Balustrade-grade structural requirement; bespoke dimensions per module position |
| Energy standard | Low-energy building | |
| Architect | Cocoon Architecten | |
| Client | Descendants of the Bormans-Colson family | Private heritage renovation |
| Completed | 2024 | 1914 · 2024 — 110 years |
“Clean energy without visual noise. Because good design doesn’t shout — it blends in.”
Bas van de Kreeke — CEO, ISSOL® & SOLTECH
Memory preserved — energy embedded
