Steel Labyrinth at C-mine

You are invited for a unique wander through a steel maze with 1 km of corridors on the C-mine square. In Labyrinth you will discover numerous spaces with subtle details that will make sure you experience the setting from new viewpoints. Labyrinth is an expression of what C-mine stands for: a site that produces creativity AND inspires you.

The installation was designed by the art and architecture duo Gijs Van Vaerenbergh, the young designers who already managed to surprise the area with the ‘see-through church’ in Borgloon.

HISTORY
In 1900, Genk was a quiet village with around 3,000 residents. At that time, Genk was known for its beautiful nature, popular among artists and painters who used Genk as a setting for their pieces. In 1901, coal was discovered in Genk and three mining sites were developed: Zwartberg, Waterschei and Winterslag (C-mine today). As a result, the population grew exponentially: today Genk has about 65,000 inhabitants with 107 different ethnic backgrounds. The mines had some good years, but in 1966 the Zwartberg mine closed, followed by Winterslag (C-mine today) in 1986 and Waterschei in 1987.

TODAY
The city went looking for new opportunities for the enormous mine sites on its territory, including the Winterslag site. In 2000, the idea began to grow to accommodate a creative hub in the buildings of the old coal mine of Winterslag. In 2001, the city of Genk bought the site from LRM (Limburgse Reconversie Maatschappij) and the name “C-mine” was born in 2005. As regards content, the creative hub works on four cornerstones: education, creative economy, creative recreation and artistic creation and presentation.

Each day, C-mine produces: games, apps, websites, sets for television, drones, light shows, design items, stage productions, etc. C-mine is a site of creative makers in each of the four segments.