The Baroque Preacher’s Monastery in Mechelen has an eventful history that has left many traces in and on the building. Since 1975 it has been vacant and gradually turned into an impressive ruin. In 2010, the city of Mechelen decided to renovate the monumental building and to convert it into a public library. The special atmosphere and the beauty of the abandoned spaces were the main source of inspiration for the design of the new library.

The book is a photographic ode to the building and its transformation. It gives a voice to designers, users, theorists, archaeologists and artists who describe the design approach and place it in a broader context. The main concerns are the legibility of history and the reflection on conservation as a contemporary design task.