It's finally happening, the renovation has started!

For years, the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel and the Conservatoire royal de Bruxelles have advocated for the much-needed renovation of this extensive complex. The buildings are not only in urgent need of renewal but also no longer provide sufficient space for the two music schools’ activities. The upcoming renovation will not only ensure the necessary infrastructure for both conservatoires - such as three concert halls - but will also restore the prestigious music library.

You can find all the details on Beliris' renovation plans here (in Dutch), but in short, these major transformations are on the horizon:

• The historic interiors on the ground floor will be restored to their former glory and repurposed for the library and knowledge center. A new underground storage facility will be created for the extensive collection of historical scores and artifacts. The new reading room will offer a view of a winter garden.

• The monumental concert hall, home to the Aristide Cavaillé-Coll organ—one of the greatest organ builders of all time—will be returned to its original splendor, along with its grand foyers. A new patio will be added next to the foyer.

• The renovated building will house two new concert halls: a chamber music hall with seating for 150 and a rehearsal hall, nestled between the historic concert hall and the artists’ dressing rooms. A public rooftop terrace will crown the new extension.

• The adjacent buildings will be repurposed to accommodate administrative offices, musicians’ dressing rooms, and a guest residence.

• To improve accessibility, a new passageway will be created: from the courtyard on Regentschapsstraat, visitors will be able to walk directly through the inner garden to the houses on Wolstraat.

• The open spaces will be transformed into six gardens, peaceful green oases that promote biodiversity and allow rainwater to infiltrate naturally.

The ambitious renovation of the Conservatoire is backed by NV-SA Conservatorium and its three shareholders (FWB, Régie des Bâtiments, and NV School Invest), alongside its delegated project manager, Beliris, and various engineering firms (Origin-A2RC-FVWW).

Since 2007, Conservamus has been committed to restoring the buildings to their former historic splendor. The organization has overseen feasibility studies, business planning, the legal and institutional framework of the site, awareness campaigns, and the restoration of the exterior woodwork. Additionally, Conservamus is funding the storage of the Aristide Cavaillé-Coll organ, which is set to undergo restoration. Throughout the renovation, the association remains actively involved, primarily serving as a platform for dialogue between all stakeholders and institutions engaged in the Conservatoire’s restoration, as well as a fundraising instrument for the project. In the long term, Conservamus will act as a bridge between the two conservatoires and as an artistic platform to foster the creative energy of the entire site.

Curious to see what the emptied Conservatoire building looks like at the moment? Take a look at this photo gallery.

The Conservatoire’s rich library collection—managed by CrB and EhB, with support from Belspo—remains accessible for consultation and lending. This invaluable collection includes scores, musicians' correspondence, printed works, concert programmes, posters, photographs, sound recordings, archival materials, and historical objects spanning from the Middle Ages to today.

Exciting new collaborative projects with KBR are also in development to make these collections even more accessible. One concrete example is the permanent loan of the sculpture Irma Sèthe by Belgian sculptor Paul Du Bois (part of the Conservatoire’s art collection) to KBR’s Music Department. The statue is now displayed in the Concert Hall and was specially highlighted during the KBR concert “Hommage to Irma Sèthe” on October 18, 2024.

Want to learn more about the collaboration with KBR? Click here.

To reserve sheet music or books, visit the Library’s website or contact bib.kcb@ehb.be directly.

The Conservatoire’s library services will continue throughout the renovation period. To ensure ongoing accessibility, all sheet music, archival materials, and musical works from the Conservatoire’s library will be temporarily integrated into the collections of:

• The Royal Library of Belgium (KBR)
• The Musical Instrument Museum (MIM)
• The State Archives in Leuven

Additionally, library staff will be temporarily assigned to KBR to maintain smooth operations.

Even without its beloved concert hall on Regentschapsstraat, the Conservatoire’s students and faculty will continue to present a diverse concert programme in collaboration with partners across Brussels:

The Kleine Concertzaal, Tempel, and lecture halls at Kleine Zavel 5 will remain the primary venues for masterclasses, Kaleidoscope concerts, and smaller student productions.

Large-scale student productions with orchestra will take the stage at venues such as Studio 4 in Flagey, Heilig-Kruisplein.

The Concert Hall of the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) on the Kunstberg in Brussels will temporarily host the Conservatoire’s Sunday student and alumni concerts, including the Matinée and Binnenskamers concerts.