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01-386
TOTALFINA
SERVICE STATION
/ HELLEBECQ (HAINAUT PROVINCE)
/ 1999–2000
/ 2001–2002
The Hellebecq complex, designed as a light, transpar-
ent structure, is very different from Philippe Samyn’s
other service stations. The roofs are formed from an
ensemble of discontinuous canopies that play with light
and air. As at Orival
(01-365)
, the metal mesh facades
of the restaurant-bridge provide both natural light and
a feeling of security. The easy accessibility of the
various parts of the complex allow for multiple uses,
ranging from leisure activities to informal meetings. The
screens of vegetation and the way in which Samyn has
cleverly used the sloping terrain to advantage confer
an agreeable scale on a layout that would otherwise
have seemed fragmented. The restaurant is decorated
with large-scale reproductions of paintings from various
periods, selected with the help of the curator of the
Fine Arts Museum in Tournai. The images are placed
on screens that break up and identify the interior space,
inviting the user to visit the gallery. At night, the station
has an almost otherworldly appearance.