Hal (in Dutch: Halle) is a Belgian city near Brussels with a long history. It was the site of a Marian pilgrimage for at least seven centuries and remains famous for its carnival in mid-Lent. Today, the town of Halle has nearly 35,000 inhabitants. It lies close to the beautiful Pajottenland region and the blue flower carpets in the nearby Hallerbos forest have attracted photographers from far and away.

As a regional center for services and care, with shops, academic institutions, hospitals and public services, Hal has the advantages of the city without the hustle. As the southernmost of the Flemish cities, it is located on the linguistic border between the Dutch- and French-speaking regions of Western Europe.

The building dates back to the early 1950s and has 3 floors: one upper floor, one ground floor and a basement. Structurally, the building consists of sturdy masonry walls and a tiles roof.