Campine workers colonies: vernacular inspired brick structures

The Campine colonies are characterised by simple buildings for the workers that emulate known types of rural dwelling and reference cottages and small farms. These single storey brick structures have few ornaments except for the use of banding (in natural stone or lighter brick). The pitched roofs are covered with roofing tiles. The housing for engineers is more decorative, with some embellishments. Like the housing for directors and upper management these houses are more eclectic often referencing historic examples. The communal facilities (schools, casino, etcetera) can be design in a separate idiom and are often very decorative and light in colour - as opposed to the earth tones of the workers housing.

Overpelt-Fabriek was the first Campine colony to be built and has a church at a pivotal position in the layout. It is a rather small building in brick with a small bell tower. The church was placed at the end of a short avenue of trees and was surrounded by a public garden. The white building next to the church is a later addition from the 1960.  

The old factory is still in use here. The large electricity plant next to this zinc works results in a web of power lines (left). The housing for engineers is two storeys with decorative brickwork and other decorative features (right).

The workers housing is in contrast much simpler. Here an example of a double cottage with banding in natural stone, a low pitched roof and a lean-to that housed the kitchen. The toilets used to be outside. There was also a single type of half the size.

The Casino in Overpelt-Fabriek is a striking building in white with a large veranda on the front. This building housed a community hall and was used by clubs set up for or by the workers. The name Casino  referrers to the cards and music pavilion of Italian gardens (with the meaning "small house"), it was never intended as a gambling venue.

The workers housing built in Lommel-Werkplaatsen is very similar to that of Overpelt-Fabriek. These two factories were owned by the same family, so this makes sense. Here an example of a single cottage with banding in brick and squared off window openings. The double type was also built in this colony.  

The housing for engineers (left) is higher -again to denote the higher status- and is more elaborate. These houses also have a large private garden. A small church is part of the overall scheme. Again a formal approach is employed to make it a more distinct place within the colony. Next to this church a large religious park dedicated to the Holy Virgin was built to attract pilgrims. Churches are absent in comparable German examples.

The convent was built as a free-standing mansion with a statue of Mary over the entrance. The decorative window shutters and stone window frames are used as decorative device in an otherwise austere facade. This building -now a private residence- stands opposite the single story former school for girls.

The workers housing is slightly different in the CitéWezel. Here the lean-to is a proper extension and some of the houses are bigger with full use of the space underneath the roof by creating a 1,5 storey building. There are however also the typical low cottages and double cottages in this colony. This much larger colony also has small farm-like buildings on large plots giving some streets an almost rural appearance.

The Casino in Wezel stands empty now, but is  a lovely neoclassical temple of theatre, film, music and relaxation. The contrast between this light structure and the darker workers housing is again intentional as this building was aimed at lifting the workers spirits.

The church in Wezel is more elaborate with banding in natural stone and a proper tower (left). The villas in the northern section of this colony are set in large gardens and are more decorative in design and detailing. Here (on the right) the former rectory.

The housing for engineers is in a separate section of the colony. These large buildings comprise of two dwellings surrounded by a large garden.

In Olen the goods railway is still in use and thus still in situ. In other places these spurs of the "Iron Rhine" railway have been taken up. The factory in Olen also still runs. Most of the present buildings are modern structures but some of the older parts remain.

The colony of Olen with its grid plan is characterised by repetitive rows of double cottages with a lean-to at either end. A few of these were intended for overseers. These building have arched windows and a larger extension at the back to provide more living space.

The social separation is very distinct in Olen. The villas for upper management al cluster together around the "mess". These are very decorative buildings with banding in natural stone and decorative details in wood. The engineers were housed along a long street lined with identical double houses (right). These have the distinct darker render over the second storey.

The mess hall in Olen is a building comparable to the Casino in other colonies. The building is again light in colour and housed a large hall for gatherings and social clubs, as well as a private room for the engineers and guests. The building has been converted to apartments.

All the colonies are listed, but as the housing has been privatised in the 1970s -when company housing was seen as old-fashioned and a burden for the balance sheet of the company. The result is that few original dwellings remain; most have been altered and "improved" by their owners with little regard for the ensemble.