'Thuis' leaves iconic Manhattan in Leuven: from cannery to disco and TV studio

After nearly three decades, the filming of the popular VRT soap opera 'Thuis' is set to relocate from the iconic Manhattan building in Leuven to Herent. This move marks the end of an era for the site, which is far more than just a television studio.

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It started as a crazy idea at a bar with friends.

The Manhattan building boasts a storied past, beginning in 1886 as the first Belgian cannery, Marie Thumas, founded by engineer Edmond Thumas. Initially a facility for canning vegetables, the company, named after his wife, was progressive for its time, offering amenities like showers and canteens to its 900 employees by the summer before World War II. The company expanded, but by 1977, operations ceased in Leuven, with production shifting to Mechelen and Geer.

Following a few years of vacancy, the building was reborn in 1980 as Belgium's first major discotheque, also named Manhattan. "It started as a crazy idea at a bar with friends," recalls Jos Van Oosterwyck, the creative director at the time. Inspired by visits to New York, the club featured an innovative lighting system that was difficult to detect upon entry, a novelty for the era. The Village People even attended the opening, though they did not perform as the stage was incomplete.

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There, lighting and sound plans were developed for the discotheque. While in other clubs you immediately noticed where the lights would shine, in the Manhattan you could enter and not discover the lighting system. That was very innovative.

Within a year, the Manhattan expanded its offerings to include concerts, fashion shows, and student parties, becoming a significant entertainment hub. It hosted numerous renowned artists, including New Order, Marvin Gaye, and Culture Club. The discotheque closed in 1990, and the building was repurposed as a television studio, notably becoming a suitable space for the newly established Flemish television channel, VTM.

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They mainly waved to the public.