Altaplana, world of Francois Schuiten and Benoit Peeters

the impossible & infinite encyclopedia of the world created by Schuiten & Peeters

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Tour Saint-Albert à Binche (la)

La Tour Saint-Albert à Binche is visible from several kilometers around. La Tour Saint-Albert is part of the decor since the 1950's. The building is 63 meters high and composed of 2,800 m3 of concrete and 250 tons of steel. The tower is a remnant of the mining past, and according to many citizens, threatened by a project to build 350 housing nearby.

Images by Patricia Mathieu.

François Schuiten has chosen this tower to be the main image of the exhibition Lumières sur les Cités in La Louviere. La Tour Saint-Albert is located in Péronnes-lez-Binche. St Albert is originally a coal mining well. It was modernized in 1954 with the construction of a major “turn head frame”, made of concrete and 63 meters high. After its closing in 1969, the well is maintained as is and reused by a gas distribution company that turned it into a huge natural gas storage tank.

Following the announcement of the demolition of the tower, a citizen group was created to safeguard it.

François Schuiten visited this tower for his exhibition Lumières sur les Cités in 2015.