University Mechanics Institute, Belgium

This was one of, if not the biggest reason for my trip to Belgium....

People who know me know I adore art deco, and this place almost gave me a trouser accident the first time I saw photos of it many moons ago! One day I knew I'd have to see it, and it so happened last week was that time. This was notable also as the last explore before the snow hit big time, which sadly ruined our plans for a blast furnace after and forced some rejigging of the following days activities.

This place formed the old scientific campus of a university in Belgium before closing around 12 years ago, and is absolutely enormous. We saw two of the 4 huge buildings on site, the ones we missed being the boiler house and a more modern mostly 1950s-style block which did have access to it possible but by the time we emerged the snow was beginning to fall, we were freezing cold and hungry so went for lunch instead...

On with the photos - I warn you, there are a lot!

Rooftop shot of a nearby blast furnace...













This place has labs galore...all gorgeous



















Lecture theatres galore as well...

















Words can't describe how much I loved this place...

More photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/mookie427/sets/72157633026726965/

There we have it... yet another fantastic report! Really love the look of this place, cheers for posting them up!

Words can't describe how much I love it too mate. Simply superb

Rather special that.

Anyone up for a Belgium road trip?

One cant imagine all this just left,cracking photos thanks for sharing.

Well done Ben. We tried this place last summer but there were a load of security vehicles outside - looked like a friggin' secca convention! I think Mr. Bones failed too when he tried. It's certainly a very interesting place.

TeeJF said:

Well done Ben. We tried this place last summer but there were a load of security vehicles outside - looked like a friggin' secca convention! I think Mr. Bones failed too when he tried. It's certainly a very interesting place.

Click to expand...

Surprising, I know the grounds of the northern end are used for something but the rest is pretty much a walk in the park if you can avoid all the razor wire...

Nice photos - you seem to have reached the parts I didn't reach - the lecture rooms and labs (how could I have missed them?) - and in better light.

I read somewhere (perhaps on DP) that there was a fire there recently, but your photos don't show any evidence of that. A small one quickly extinguished?

Any reason for not posting the location?

Did you visit the other two major urbex attractions in the vicinity? I know they've been done to death already, but you never know, you might find something new at them.

@TeeJF - Quel dommage! There were no seccers present when I explored there, though I did hear the footsteps of someone else in the building so one might have been doing their rounds. It took me a while to find the exit.

Love it!! Awesome report, and top notch pics.....cheers for sharing.

RedDave said:

Nice photos - you seem to have reached the parts I didn't reach - the lecture rooms and labs (how could I have missed them?) - and in better light.

I read somewhere (perhaps on DP) that there was a fire there recently, but your photos don't show any evidence of that. A small one quickly extinguished?

Any reason for not posting the location?

Did you visit the other two major urbex attractions in the vicinity? I know they've been done to death already, but you never know, you might find something new at them.

@TeeJF - Quel dommage! There were no seccers present when I explored there, though I did hear the footsteps of someone else in the building so one might have been doing their rounds. It took me a while to find the exit.

Click to expand...

Didn't see any evidence of a recent fire unless it was in the more modern 60s-style block? We didn't check that one.

As for the name, well I'm kind of used to the Continental way of doing it now

The other two were snowed off, almost as soon as we finished here a huge snowstorm covered us, which made the other large things a bit of a silly idea!

Very nice Mookster you seem to have a knack of finding some great places.

Very impressive, Added to the list.

How many days did it take you to do?!
Looks massive!
Whole trip looks stunning! Cheers for sharing your experience

The envy readings are off the scale!

UrbanX said:

How many days did it take you to do?!
Looks massive!
Whole trip looks stunning! Cheers for sharing your experience

Click to expand...

We were in Belgium for a week This place took us a good few hours but I could easily spend the whole day in there, we had other things to see.

Erm....VERY MUCH YES TO THIS is all i can think of!

mrtoby said:

Anyone up for a Belgium road trip?

Click to expand...

VERY MUCH SO!

I'll come again

Nice one. Love the view on your first picture. Maybe you know, but that tower is another abandoned place.. Don't tell anyone.