Triage Lavoir de Péronnes, Binche

Pictures taken in spring 2001

 

 

 

 

 

This hallucinating building was built with help of the Marshall plan (a recovery program for Europe sponsored by the USA after World War II).
Construction was finished in 1954. Most factories in the region started small and grew big over some years, resulting in structures with many extensions and additions (like the triage lavoir of Farciennes).
This factory was conceived and built, showing an exceptional architectonic uniformity. It's huge, it's original, it's beautiful and you can (but are not allowed) walk right into it. Péronnes, halfway Mons and Charleroi, is in the French speaking part of Belgium. This area was traditionally the home for heavy industry but has been spiraling into economical decline since many years.

So what's the story of this coal- sorting and washing factory ? I don't know, but I do have an opinion : it was finished in 1954, and it was closed down in 1969, it was sponsored with dollars ... some people must have filled up their pockets !

The building has been empty now for more than 40 years. Many windows are smashed, the machines have gone but the concrete structure is still solid and the roof doesn't leak. Be careful this is a very dangerous building : there are many holes in the floors where machines used to be : you can kill yourself if you don't watch your step.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

rainy September days

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