Ecole Provinciale Des Métiers
THE ABANDONED SCHOOL IN BELGIUM
In the middle of a green park of fourteen hectares stands an old school. The Waterloo Farm School, later called École Provinciale des Métiers, is in Waterloo, Belgium. The school opened in 1910. It started as a farm school and later became a technical school. After many years, the buildings were abandoned in 2007. In 2015, they were transformed into apartments.
This school has a special history. Around 1910, under the leadership of Ovide Decroly, plans were made for a farm school for children with mild disabilities. The First World War delayed the construction. The school finally opened in 1926. Waterloo was chosen because of its quiet countryside. Children could learn and grow close to nature. Since 1965, the site also housed a medical-pedagogical institute. Two schools existed on the same grounds. The goal was to give children between 6 and 14 years old education, care, and practical skills.
Fernand Bodson
The architecture is unique. In 1912, architect Fernand Bodson, with Théodore Clément, won the design contest. Bodson liked the idea of garden cities. He created long rectangular buildings with shared spaces and open circulation between the functions. People called it “the Labyrinth School” because of its long hallways.
In the early years, the school focused on farming and livestock. Children also learned shoemaking, tailoring, and basketry. Later, the programs expanded. From 1965, it became a technical school. Students learned carpentry, printing, welding, horticulture, and cooking.
Medical-educational institute
Over time, the farms disappeared, and the school changed. It became a medical-educational institute, also called the Ecole Provinciale Des Métiers. Later, the site was sold to the public social action center of Brussels and rented to the province of Walloon Brabant.
The buildings were listed as a protected site in 1993. In 2007, the school closed for good. The 45 remaining students moved to schools in nearby towns like Nivelles.
In 2012, parts of the school were demolished. The protected buildings were renovated in 2015 and turned into apartments for senior citizens. I explored and photographed the abandoned school that same year. The empty classrooms and endless corridors still told stories of a rich past.
