The baroque Preacher's Monastery in Mechelen has an eventful history. It was first a monastery, later a military barracks and hospital. Each of these lives has left its mark. Since 1975, the building stood empty and gradually turned into an impressive ruin. In 2010, the city of Mechelen decided to restore the monumental building and turn it into a public library. The special atmosphere and the beauty of the ruined spaces were the main inspiration for the design by Korteknie Stuhlmacher Architects and Callebaut Architects. This book presents a photographic ode to the building and its transformation. Various voices take the floor: designers, archaeologists, historians, artists and users. They write and reflect on dealing with a ruin, on the legibility of history and on restoration as a contemporary design task.