Storen Indoor Climbing Park in Brussels, Belgium

How do you build a modern, safe and sustainable indoor climbing park inside a historic church? For us, the answer lies in innovation, precision and mass timber.

In Brussels, Belgium, a former church has been transformed into a climbing centre – a unique project where historic architecture meets modern activity design. At the heart of the project is Storen, a specially developed mass timber climbing structure designed and delivered by Høyt & Lavt Adventure Concepts.

An Indoor Climbing Park Inside a Protected Historic Building

The Convent of the Visitation Order in Kraainem is one of the most exciting projects we have worked on in recent years. Built for the religious order in 1930, the convent today supports important work for children and families in need.

The convent has been renovated and adapted by a generous family wishing to give something back to the community. Part of this initiative is Gravity Fun, offering a café and climbing activities for children inside the convent in Kraainem.

One of the main challenges was that the floors, walls and ceilings are protected as part of the historic building. This places significant limitations on what can be altered or adapted within the building itself.

Gravity Fun immediately saw the potential of our concept: climbing courses built around a freestanding mass timber structure. This allowed us to fill the church interior from floor to ceiling with exciting climbing activities for children while respecting the historic architecture surrounding it.

Mass Timber as the Foundation for Sustainable Activity Design

Storen is constructed from mass timber using elements manufactured by KLH Massivholz, selected for their combination of strength, sustainability and flexibility. Mass timber offers significant advantages in projects where both environmental considerations and technical performance are essential.

Using mass timber can reduce the project’s carbon footprint compared with traditional construction materials such as steel and concrete. At the same time, the material provides a warm, natural aesthetic that blends harmoniously with the existing church interior.

For an indoor climbing park, these qualities are particularly important. The structure must withstand high loads and intensive use over time while providing a safe, stable and welcoming environment for its users.

An Indoor Climbing Park in a Historic Setting

Building climbing courses inside a former church is far from a standard project.

The church interior in Brussels offers spectacular height and architectural qualities, creating a truly unique setting for an indoor climbing park. At the same time, the protected status of the building placed strict requirements on both adaptation and logistics.

Every element of Storen was engineered with millimetre precision so that it could be transported into the building through an ordinary doorway – one component at a time. This required advanced planning, prefabrication and a modular approach, making mass timber an ideal choice for the project.

As the structure rises towards the vaulted church ceiling, it demonstrates how modern climbing architecture can be respectfully integrated into historic buildings.

Storen by Høyt & Lavt Adventure Concepts is built from mass timber and creates safe, sustainable climbing experiences in spectacular surroundings.

Safety at Every Stage

At Høyt & Lavt Adventure Concepts, safety is always our highest priority.

In a project like this, safety encompasses both the structural integrity of the mass timber construction and the safety of the people who will use the climbing park.

Through careful engineering, quality assurance and experienced installation teams, we ensure that all components meet strict requirements for loads, stability and operational safety. The modular construction also makes it easier to inspect and maintain the structure over time.

This combination of safety and sustainability is central to the development of modern indoor activity and adventure parks.

Safety is at the heart of Storen by Høyt & Lavt Adventure Concepts, where user-friendly safety systems and effective instruction are integrated into the overall concept.

From Church Interior to a Place for Adventure and Achievement

The transformation of the church in Brussels demonstrates how existing buildings can be given a new purpose through sustainable reuse and innovative design.

Where there was once silence and ceremony, there is now activity, achievement and the joy of climbing. The project illustrates how mass timber and modern engineering can create experiences that both respect the past and look towards the future.

For us, this project captures much of what defines our philosophy: creating safe, sustainable and spectacular activity facilities – no matter how challenging the surroundings may be.

Storen in Kraainem, Brussels, is more than just a structure. It is an example of how mass timber, safety and sustainability can bring the past and the future together in a truly unique indoor climbing park.

Learn more about Storen and discover how an indoor via ferrata can transform your activity centre