Journées européennes du Patrimoine | Industrial Heritage at Risk: Challenges and Future Prospects – Round Table & Exhibition – 16 October 2026

As part of the European Heritage Days 2026, this event will explore the preservation, adaptive reuse and transmission of industrial heritage, drawing on experiences from Luxembourg and across Europe.

The Gebléishal in Belval, included in Europa Nostra’s 7 Most Endangered Programme, will serve as the central thread of the event. Its future will provide a starting point for examining the different stages in the transformation of an industrial site, from preservation to adaptive reuse, as well as key issues such as new uses, funding, governance and the integration of these projects into their wider territory.

Bringing together Luxembourgish and European experts in heritage, architecture and spatial planning, the event will combine case studies, a round-table discussion and an exhibition. The exhibition will notably present projects, models and research related to the Gebléishal.

The event will conclude with a broader reflection on territorial cooperation and the networking of industrial heritage transformation initiatives.

Programm

14:00-14:20 – Opening

City of Esch-sur-Alzette & CNCI

Welcome and introduction: the role of industrial heritage in a city and territory undergoing transformation.

14:20–15:00 – International perspectives on industrial heritage

  • Bartosz M. Walczak, architect and heritage conservation specialist, Professor at Łódź University of Technology and Vice-President of TICCIH Poland
  • Florence Hachez-Leroy, Professor of Contemporary History and Industrial Heritage at the University of Artois, Honorary President of CILAC

Experiences and approaches to the safeguarding, protection, transformation, adaptive reuse and transmission of industrial heritage.

15:00–15:45 – Transformation experiences: Île-de-France and Nantes

  • Nicolas Pierrot, Chief Heritage Curator at the Île-de-France Region, specialist in industrial heritage
  • Olivier Absalon, Director of Heritage and Archaeology for the City of Nantes and Nantes Métropole

Industrial heritage, territorial transformation, and the creation or preservation of identity in changing urban areas.

15:45–16:15 – Break & Exhibition

Projects, models and research on the Gebléishal, including work resulting from the feasibility study conducted by the University of Luxembourg.

16:15–17:15 – Round table “Preserve, transform, repurpose”

  • Daisy Wagner, urban planning engineer at the City of Esch-sur-Alzette and stakeholders involved in industrial sites
  • Yannick Quevedo, Managing Director of Agora
  • Aline Picard – Urban Planning & Infrastructure Director
  • Florence Hachez-Leroy, Professor of Contemporary History and Industrial Heritage at the University of Artois, Honorary President of CILAC
  • Olivier Absalon, Director of Heritage and Archaeology for the City of Nantes and Nantes Métropole

Discussion on the practical conditions for transforming and repurposing industrial heritage: uses, constraints, funding, project leadership and governance.

17:15–17:45 – The Gebléishal: an industrial heritage site in transition

  • David Castrillo, architect and lead architect, expert volunteer of the 7 Most Endangered Programme 
  • Maria Costi de Castrillo, Design Advisor on Architecture, expert volunteer of the 7 Most Endangered Programme 
  • Paul Dujardin, Europa Nostra Council Member, expert volunteer of the 7 Most Endangered Programme

From safeguarding to a new perspective for the Gebléishal, included in Europa Nostra’s “7 Most Endangered” programme, and reflection on its role within a territory undergoing transformation.

17:45–18:00 – Conclusion and broader perspectives 

  • Tom Becker, Research and Development Specialist at the Department of Geography and Spatial Planning of the University of Luxembourg and Scientific Coordinator of the LATI – Laboratory for Territorial Intelligence project

Practical information
Friday, 16 October 2026
14:00–18:00

Luxembourg Learning Centre
7, Ënnert den Héichiewen
L-4362 Esch-Belval

Free admission, registration required. Photographs and/or videos may be taken during this event for communication purposes. If you do not wish to be photographed or filmed, please inform the organising team.

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