peer reviewed ; Theeconomiccrisesofrecentdecadeshaveresultedintheappearance of numerous brownfield sites across Belgium. In order that urban regeneration remains sustainable, the country will need to make strategicdecisionsintermsofthe preservation, conversionor destruction of such industrial relics. At the same time, the rise in population, consumption and changing lifestyles require more and more space for urban development. It now appears that priority is being given to the remediation of these disused industrial sites in order to reinvest them with new functions and architectural forms. Is it really necessary to destroy everything when doing so means losing so much in terms of the cultural legacy and identity represented by these brownfield sites? This paper examines how former productionsitescanevolveanidentityanddevelopthecharacterof a heritage site of benefit to the community.