Lille Study Trip Report

19 - 23 March 2009

 

 

The Cockburn tour of Lille began with an appetiser: a tour of the British Library in London (designed by Colin St John Wilson). Only a third of the originally planned library has been built. The magnificent King George III library occupies central space originally intended for catalogue cards, but liberated due to computerised catalogues being developed during funding and building delays.

 

An internal viewing platform provides an excellent overview of the layout and an external terrace affords an overview of the St Pancras development site. Exhibitions ranged from early manuscripts to the first sound recordings of The Beatles. A link with Edinburgh was found with a tapestry made by the Dovecot Studios hanging in the entrance hall. Dovecot Studios now occupy the former Infirmary Street Swimming Baths – the first of three swimming baths to feature in the study tour.

 

The tour proper began with a look round St Pancras, from the William Henry Barlow train shed of the International Railway Station and George Gilbert Scott’s Midland Grand (outside only) to Old St Pancras churchyard, the burial place of Sir John Soane, Mary Wollstonecraft, CPE Bach, John Flaxman and site of the Hardy Tree.

 

Taxis were taken to the Freemasons’ Hall at Holborn for a guided tour of this untouched Art Deco masterpiece led by Michael Beare. We were privileged to be allowed access to three of the Chapels : Chapel 10’s decor reflects the colour and lights of morning, afternoon and evening; the Grand Chapel is well-named; and bridge players enjoyed Chapel no. 9 - the Yarborough.

 

The library and museum boast exhibits of freemasonry from all round the world. The importance of dining to this fraternity is reflected in the quantity and beauty of the porcelain on display. There is even a freemason’s toast-rack. The Hall is in great demand as a screen location, but Hercule Poirot was absent on this occasion!

 

The Eurostar then smoothly transported the group to Lille. Supper and comfortable seats were appreciated by weary limbs and brains. Humour was provided by wine appearing, as if by magic, from the midst of carefully-packed frilly undies.

Our hotel was only a short walk from the station, and in an excellent central location. 

 

The first day in Lille began with a guided tour of Lille Old Town led by Agnès Pascal of Renaissance du Lille Ancien. This area was designed in the main after the conquest of Lille by Louis XIV in 1667.  Parisian influence comes in the shape of Gare Lille Flandres (pictured left), the former Gare du Nord of Paris which was taken down stone by stone and reconstructed in Lille in 1867.

   

 

As the photos show, there is a large variety of architectural styles and materials.

 

 

Without a guide it would have been easy to pass by the cathedral, Notre Dame de la Treille. Its alabaster west wall belies the huge scale and magnificence of the interior. That same alabaster gives a unique quality of light to the interior.

 

The afternoon began with an overview of Lille Métropole by Thierry Baert, Head of International Relations & Culture, Agence de Lille Métropole, whose office commands a magnificent view of the city. We were impressed by his understanding of the role of culture and people in the modern development of a city with a rich industrial heritage. Lille styles itself “The metropolis at the heart of Europe” , and glories in its link to the world via Eurostar. Currently, Lille is the world leader in flag-making.

 

The day ended with a guided tour of Euralille led by ex-pat Duncan Geddes. It was interesting that in this large shopping and office centre, space is reserved for a mini city farm.

  

The original plan was for a series of buildings crossing the Eurostar station … but costs prevailed.

 

Saturday morning was given over to a visit to the Organic Recovery Centre at Sequedin where food and organic waste from homes and public buildings is digested and methane fuel recovered which is used to power some of the city’s buses. The presentation was given by Gildas Le Saux, Chef de Projet Biogasmax and Pierre Hirtzberger, Head of Development, Waste Management.

 

 

Our lunch venue was les 3 Brasseurs where the beer lovers were able to sample four of Lille’s best brews (pictured left). The menu also included flammekueche - an Alsacian speciality, similar to pizza.

   

After lunch the die-hards went on a circular tour of Lille Metro, including the elevated section around the Moulins district, to look at the design of and public art in the stations and to see some of the conversions of the former textile mills.

 

Close examination of tuck pointing* became a near obsession, not least as Friday evening’s restaurant included a must-have opportunity for a photograph [*tuck-pointing: mortar the same colour as the brick set flush in the joints, and a groove formed along the centre of each joint into which is tucked a precise band of lime-putty to which a small amount of silver sand is added ... Oxford Dictionary of Architecture]

 

Other highlights included Lars Spuybroek’s “Maison Folie” at Wazemmes.

 

With trains every minute during rush hours, the Metro offers public transport par excellence.

 

 

Early risers enjoyed further exploring the old town and Sunday markets before that day’s programme began.

 

On Sunday morning the tram (first built in 1908 and endearingly called “The Mongy” after its designer) took the group to Tourcoing for a walk to see public realm improvements.

 

The group also viewed a conversion of the former fire station into a new and well-patronised swimming pool (pictured right).

 

A short ride on the Metro then brought the group to Roubiax for a visit to La Piscine Museum of Art & Industry, a splendid conversion of the 1920s Art Deco municipal swimming pool (pictured left).

 

 

The custodian at the Jacquard Museum was unfazed by an unheralded group arriving one hour before closing and they responded with an immaculate presentation of the development of tapestry weaving from handloom to computer-control.

 

Lille is a culturally diverse French town. Its history as a border town, and its various occupiers, have left a fascinating legacy of architecture, art, industry and food.

 

On Monday the Eurostar brought the group back to St Pancras for a visit to the former German Gymnasium for a talk and a view of the 6m x 3m architectural model of the redevelopment by Argent Group of the site at King’s Cross.

 

The site will be home to the University of the Arts and the King’s Cross Construction Skills Centre. This last will train c.150 local residents each year, with practical work on-site at King’s Cross Central. The tour finished with a walk round the perimeter of the Argent site led by Michael Beare.

Thanks are due to Thierry Baert of the Agence de Lille Métropole and to Michael Beare of AKS Ward Lister Beare for their assistance with the arrangements of the Study Tour and for their contributions. 

Rosemary Mann again proved a wonderful organiser: programme content, speakers, central accommodation, meal venues, travel arrangements were all superb.

Report: Moyra Forrest
Photographs: Peter Ranson