1. The Urban Challenge: Confronting the Medieval Skyline
Since the Middle Ages, the city of Ghent was defined by its iconic "Three Towers" aligned along a single axis: the Romanesque tower of Saint Nicholas Church, the municipal Belfry of Ghent, and the Gothic spire of Saint Bavo’s Cathedral.
When Ghent University—which had become the first Dutch-language university in Belgium in 1930—decided to construct a monumental new library, traditionalist academics demanded a neo-Gothic or brick Flemish Renaissance design.
Van de Velde, who had been appointed professor of architecture at Ghent in 1926, fought vehemently against historical mimicry. He proposed a soaring, unadorned vertical tower of exposed reinforced concrete:
"A modern university library must not disguise itself as a medieval monastery. It is a vertical factory of knowledge, an instrument of truth where books are stored efficiently and retrieved rapidly. It shall be the Fourth Tower of Ghent—the tower of science, enlightenment, and secular thought."
“The Boekentoren is the cathedral of modern Flemish intellect. It proved that reinforced concrete, when treated with classical dignity and mathematical purity, possesses a noble poetry equal to medieval granite.”
— Paul Robbrecht, lead restoration architect (Ghent, 2021)
2. Engineering Anatomy: The Greek Cross & Concrete Chemistry
The Boekentoren is a masterpiece of early modern structural engineering:
The Greek Cross Floor Plan
The tower’s cross-section is shaped like a Greek cross (+), composed of a central core and four projecting wings. This geometry maximized daylight penetration to book stacks on all sides while providing massive torsional resistance against gale-force North Sea winds.
Pioneering Exposed Concrete
Van de Velde refused to plaster or paint the exterior concrete. He formulated a custom mix containing crushed Rhine gravel and yellow sand, poured into narrow horizontal wooden board forms to give the monolithic concrete surface a subtle, tactile wood-grain relief.
The 20th-Floor Belvedere
Perched above the 20 levels of book stacks, the Belvedere is an ethereal, cantilevered glass pavilion supported on slender pilotis, providing sweeping vistas across the roofs of Ghent to the North Sea ports.
3. Total Interior Design: Black Marble, Brass & Linoleum
Even at the age of seventy, Van de Velde maintained his uncompromising dedication to the Gesamtkunstwerk:
- The Grand Reading Room: Flooded with natural daylight from a monumental glass-brick ceiling vault; furnished with custom oak and steel reading desks fitted with green linoleum writing surfaces and integrated bronze reading lamps.
- Belgian Black Marble (Noir Belge): The monumental entry vestibule is lined with polished deep black marble quarried in Golzinne, contrasting with polished bronze door handles shaped into ergonomic curved levers.
- Automated Book Conveyors: Van de Velde integrated pneumatic tube dispatch systems and electric vertical book elevators, allowing librarians to deliver any volume from the 24th floor to a student’s desk in under five minutes.
4. The Monumental €60 Million Scientific Restoration
Over seven decades of exposure to damp maritime weather, the Boekentoren suffered from severe "concrete rot" (carbonation causing internal steel rebar to rust and spall the concrete facade).
Between 2012 and 2021, the Flemish Government and Ghent University financed a comprehensive €60 million restoration executed by Robbrecht en Daem architecten:
- The entire concrete envelope was forensically treated and stabilized using electrochemical re-alkalization.
- A vast new underground robotic archive was excavated beneath the courtyard, freeing the upper tower to house fragile rare manuscripts and research institutes.
- The Belvedere and original Van de Velde reading room furniture were restored to their pristine 1939 perfection.
Frequently Asked Questions on the Boekentoren
Where is the Boekentoren located in Ghent?
The Boekentoren is located at Rozier 9, 9000 Ghent, on the Blandijnberg hill in the central university quarter, a ten-minute walk south of the medieval Belfry and Saint Bavo’s Cathedral.
Was the Boekentoren used during World War II?
Yes. During the German occupation of Belgium (1940–1944), the German Luftwaffe utilized the top-floor Belvedere as an anti-aircraft observation post due to its commanding view over Flanders and the English Channel.