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Projets d'embellissement pour la Place de Brouckère
Projets réalisés en août 2021 par les étudiants de l'Ecole d'Eté d'Architecture de Belgique
Les étudiants de l’EEAB 2021 ont reçu pour tâche principale de transformer la Place de Brouckère, étendue actuellement minérale, désœuvrée et inesthétique qui contribue à la décadence du centre-ville. La place de Brouckère dans le prolongement de l’axe Nord-Midi coupe la ville en deux alors qu’elle pourrait être le nœud urbain par lequel l’ancien quartier des Quais se rattache à l’ilot sacré.
C’est dans cette perspective que les étudiants ont reçu pour consigne de rhabiller la Place de Brouckère de la façon qui leur paraîtrait la plus judicieuse. Une seule condition : respecter le bâti traditionnel bruxellois.
Leurs projets se sont naturellement orientés vers le respect du contexte urbain, et notamment des façades 19ème richement dotées qui bordent la place, en particulier celle de l’Hôtel Continental en plein milieu de la perspective Nord-Midi. Tous leurs projets s’articulent autour de la mise en valeur de ce magnifique édifice qui est actuellement écrasé par la démesure du Boulevard Anspach et des immeubles avoisinants.
Enfin, leurs projets ont été l’occasion de transformer une fois pour toute la Place de Brouckère en un véritable centre urbain, doté d’un cœur bien vivant, d’une maison du peuple pourquoi pas, de logements abordables, d’ateliers et d’activités économiques autres que le tourisme.
Place de Brouckère en juillet 2021
Place de Brouckère en juillet 2021
Place de Brouckère en juillet 2021
Place de Brouckère en juillet 2021
Place de Brouckère en juillet 2021
Place de Brouckère en juillet 2021
Projet réalisé par Tasneem ZRAIKAT, Arancha COT SANCHEZ et ANNE-SOPHIE WACHEUX
Project carried out by Maxime GREGOIRE, Laura CAMPELLI and Houmam MELIANI
This August 2021, during the Summer School of Traditional Architecture in Belgium, we
were introduced to the creation of counter-projects; a tool to show the public that an alternative is possible to modernist, radical and systematic architecture, which continues to prevail in cities today. The idea is to reveal to the public the existing architectural qualities through a proposal aimed at defending a built heritage, but also, to seek solutions to revitalize a space and beautify it. The counter-project also aims to reestablish a notion of beauty hidden by modernism in order to seek to recreate an architecture that pleases its users.
We looked at the case of Place de Brouckère, in the very center of Brussels. In its current state, it is a place in name only because it is used as a place of passage. Located on the axis linking the Gare du Midi to the Gare Bruxelles Nord, it is seen as an extension of the boulevard. The square is empty, all the metro exits are oriented towards the outside of the square and two oversized towers crush the whole.
The counter-project aimed to address the problem of this square to give it back its primary function: a public square. The constraint? To preserve as much as possible of the existing, including the trees and the locations of the metro exits. For us, the goal was therefore to redevelop this square so that it becomes popular, busy, pleasant and can accommodate various activities for the people of Brussels (shops, crafts, markets, events, etc.).
Our first intention was therefore to recreate a typology of square by adding a
"fourth facade" to close the space by creating a new building. This
building also has the role of giving the Place de Brouckère a more human scale and of staging it to reveal the 19th century buildings that compose it, in particular the monumental façade of the Hôtel Continental.
Our proposal is also based on our experience of the city of Brussels and its
uses: we wanted to create areas where people could take shelter in case of rain so that the square could
continue to live whatever the weather, using the example of the covered galleries and the Vaux-hall. The project can therefore be broken down into two parts. First, an outdoor public square framed by two covered halls. Then, in the new building, a rotunda topped with a dome that can serve as an indoor public square.
The main building, marked by its central rotunda, is a mixed-use building: the lower levels are allocated for shops while the upper levels are for residential use. The entrance to the main façade is via the corners, in the manner of the Saint Géry market halls, which allowed us to create a monumental façade accompanied by a forecourt. The height of the building takes into account the nearby context, to remain equivalent to the heights of the surrounding buildings, in order to maintain a certain harmony and give it a human scale.
The entire system serves as a staging for the discovery of the Place de Brouckère: we are first greeted by an obelisk, then there is the forecourt around the main façade, and its fountain, the entrance, which is via the corners, is accompanied by a few symbolic steps which will then descend towards the rotunda, on four levels, and its glass dome. The route continues through a covered gallery on two levels, before coming out on the other side, and discovering the Hôtel Continental, which overlooks the square framed by the covered market halls.
We have favoured local and sustainable materials: Belgian blue stone for the
bases, bricks, slates; accompanied by French stone and wooden frames.
To conclude, we observed the old town and its characteristics, to make a
proposal for the rehabilitation of Place de Brouckère, which takes into account the identity of the city and the square, in order to make it a real public square, invested by the inhabitants of Brussels.
This August 2021, during the Summer School of Traditional Architecture in Belgium, we
were introduced to the creation of counter-projects; a tool to show the public that an alternative is possible to modernist, radical and systematic architecture, which continues to prevail in cities today. The idea is to reveal to the public the existing architectural qualities through a proposal aimed at defending a built heritage, but also, to seek solutions to revitalize a space and beautify it. The counter-project also aims to reestablish a notion of beauty hidden by modernism in order to seek to recreate an architecture that pleases its users.
We looked at the case of Place de Brouckère, in the very center of Brussels. In its current state, it is a place in name only because it is used as a place of passage. Located on the axis linking the Gare du Midi to the Gare Bruxelles Nord, it is seen as an extension of the boulevard. The square is empty, all the metro exits are oriented towards the outside of the square and two oversized towers crush the whole.
The counter-project aimed to address the problem of this square to give it back its primary function: a public square. The constraint? To preserve as much as possible of the existing, including the trees and the locations of the metro exits. For us, the goal was therefore to redevelop this square so that it becomes popular, busy, pleasant and can accommodate various activities for the people of Brussels (shops, crafts, markets, events, etc.).
Our first intention was therefore to recreate a typology of square by adding a
"fourth facade" to close the space by creating a new building. This
building also has the role of giving the Place de Brouckère a more human scale and of staging it to reveal the 19th century buildings that compose it, in particular the monumental façade of the Hôtel Continental.
Our proposal is also based on our experience of the city of Brussels and its
uses: we wanted to create areas where people could take shelter in case of rain so that the square could
continue to live whatever the weather, using the example of the covered galleries and the Vaux-hall. The project can therefore be broken down into two parts. First, an outdoor public square framed by two covered halls. Then, in the new building, a rotunda topped with a dome that can serve as an indoor public square.
The main building, marked by its central rotunda, is a mixed-use building: the lower levels are allocated for shops while the upper levels are for residential use. The entrance to the main façade is via the corners, in the manner of the Saint Géry market halls, which allowed us to create a monumental façade accompanied by a forecourt. The height of the building takes into account the nearby context, to remain equivalent to the heights of the surrounding buildings, in order to maintain a certain harmony and give it a human scale.
The entire system serves as a staging for the discovery of the Place de Brouckère: we are first greeted by an obelisk, then there is the forecourt around the main façade, and its fountain, the entrance, which is via the corners, is accompanied by a few symbolic steps which will then descend towards the rotunda, on four levels, and its glass dome. The route continues through a covered gallery on two levels, before coming out on the other side, and discovering the Hôtel Continental, which overlooks the square framed by the covered market halls.
We have favoured local and sustainable materials: Belgian blue stone for the
bases, bricks, slates; accompanied by French stone and wooden frames.
To conclude, we observed the old town and its characteristics, to make a
proposal for the rehabilitation of Place de Brouckère, which takes into account the identity of the city and the square, in order to make it a real public square, invested by the inhabitants of Brussels.
South facade of the People's House
Masterplan
East facade
Longitudinal section
North facade
Cross section
Maxime Grégoire
Projet réalisé par Romane BORRELL, Alexandra GHEMU et Denis YUSUFOV
Réflexion de groupe sur le Contre-projet de la place De Brouckère.
N’étant pas issus d’un parcours en architecture, il n’a pas été facile initialement pour nous d’aborder ce projet. Proposer une alternative à la place De Brouckère déjà existante, était alors un véritable challenge. Venant de trois pays, et d’horizons très différents, il était très intéressant de confronter nos idées, en fonction de nos diverses sensibilités et de nos vécus, chacun apportant ses connaissances, et ses appétences. C’est ainsi qu’harmonieusement, nous avons réussi à mettre en commun nos idées, après de longues heures de discussions et de croquis. Nous voulions ainsi créer une nouvelle place, recréer une ambiance, un cadre de vie agréable pour les bruxellois et ses visiteurs.
Le but de notre projet était de créer une continuité stylistique : il fallait que notre bâtiment s’accorde logiquement avec les belles façades déjà existantes de la place De Brouckère. C’est ainsi que nous avons choisi d’étudier et de mettre en pratique les styles néogothiques et Art Nouveau, qui, en plus de rappeler les bâtiments environnants, il s’agit d’un style très organique rappelant les formes et les courbes de la nature.
En résumé, cette expérience aura été passionnante, et aura permis une belle entrée dans le monde de l’architecture traditionnelle. Ce qui a été surtout très enrichissant, était de comprendre les différentes étapes de l’élaboration d’un projet : du relevé des mesures directement sur le site, à la conception d’un masterplan, d’élévations et de coupes. Nous avons compris à travers la réalisation de ce projet que l’architecture en vogue aujourd’hui n’est pas une fatalité. Nous avons eu la possibilité d’agir, à notre échelle, en reconsidérant l’aménagement urbain, et en créant un ensemble cohérent et harmonieux.
C’est pour cela qu’il nous a semblé important de repenser en détails les éléments composant la place(lampadaires, bouches de métro , fontaine... ). Etant témoin des grandes rénovations modernistes, tant à Bruxelles qu’à Paris où à Bucarest, il nous est encore possible de proposer une alternative belle, durable et populaire.
Réflexion de groupe sur le Contre-projet de la place De Brouckère.
N’étant pas issus d’un parcours en architecture, il n’a pas été facile initialement pour nous d’aborder ce projet. Proposer une alternative à la place De Brouckère déjà existante, était alors un véritable challenge. Venant de trois pays, et d’horizons très différents, il était très intéressant de confronter nos idées, en fonction de nos diverses sensibilités et de nos vécus, chacun apportant ses connaissances, et ses appétences. C’est ainsi qu’harmonieusement, nous avons réussi à mettre en commun nos idées, après de longues heures de discussions et de croquis. Nous voulions ainsi créer une nouvelle place, recréer une ambiance, un cadre de vie agréable pour les bruxellois et ses visiteurs.
Le but de notre projet était de créer une continuité stylistique : il fallait que notre bâtiment s’accorde logiquement avec les belles façades déjà existantes de la place De Brouckère. C’est ainsi que nous avons choisi d’étudier et de mettre en pratique les styles néogothiques et Art Nouveau, qui, en plus de rappeler les bâtiments environnants, il s’agit d’un style très organique rappelant les formes et les courbes de la nature.
En résumé, cette expérience aura été passionnante, et aura permis une belle entrée dans le monde de l’architecture traditionnelle. Ce qui a été surtout très enrichissant, était de comprendre les différentes étapes de l’élaboration d’un projet : du relevé des mesures directement sur le site, à la conception d’un masterplan, d’élévations et de coupes. Nous avons compris à travers la réalisation de ce projet que l’architecture en vogue aujourd’hui n’est pas une fatalité. Nous avons eu la possibilité d’agir, à notre échelle, en reconsidérant l’aménagement urbain, et en créant un ensemble cohérent et harmonieux.
C’est pour cela qu’il nous a semblé important de repenser en détails les éléments composant la place(lampadaires, bouches de métro , fontaine... ). Etant témoin des grandes rénovations modernistes, tant à Bruxelles qu’à Paris où à Bucarest, il nous est encore possible de proposer une alternative belle, durable et populaire.
Project by Johan RECEN, Flavio Diaz MIRON RODRIGUEZ et Cristina ALFARO
COUNTER-PROJECT REFLECTION
The team effort for the counter-project of Place de Brouckère was nothing short of challenging but at the end highly formative. The group consisted of three different individuals with different languages, skills and knowledge. What at first glance seemed like a good team, it later did encounter communication problems, architectural errors and divided group dynamics. Nonetheless, the team survived its confusions and strived to the end of the summer school. Next, a description for each team member will be presented.
Cristina, from Valencia, Spain, was already an architectural graduate with a life-long experience in drawing and she helped tremendously in sketching problems, ideas and solutions in real-time, supporting our decisions for designing our buildings. Moreover, Cristina’s design skills created front elevations and axonometric plans with an exquisite quality of detail and beautiful simplicity. Johan, from Sweden, was still studying an architecture degree while working on the counter-project. Noticeably, Johan’s sense for proportions earned him a respected place in the team for calculating scales and measuring dimensions for building elements. His diligence, resourcefulness and social skills equally provided confidence to his team to meet all the deadlines. Flavio, Mexican and a graduate student with a political science background, provided a layman insight to the architectural proposals, particularly, how people might have responded to the architecture and the public spaces. His personal studies on classical architecture offered an informed assessment on classical orders and typologies for the counter-project.
The counter-project consisted of a dignified social centre for the Brussels’s citizens. A grand building and public spaces that offered private spaces for shops, restaurants and cafés, as well as public spaces for leisure, dance halls, or entertainment and community venues, e.g., concert halls, community meetings, projection screenings, performances, etc. These elements were presented as an alternative to what the Brouckère Square is today, an unattractive public square with big dimensions that offers no visual, nor physical, break with the long Anspach Boulevard.
The problems identified were the square’s large dimensions and lack of cover from the sun & rain, moreover, almost no cues for any activity, except for benches and water fountain holes on the ground. In contrast, the team designed a building that could incorporate the metro stairs and elevator, structured by natural stone; brick arcades with mosaic pavement providing attractive places for terraces and the weekly marketplace; the inner courtyard was designed with sober but beautiful ornamentation, reminding the people of values such as beauty, decorum, and civility for publicly social meeting places. The main entrance, facing South, resembles the Pantheon in Rome without the pediment and with a smaller dome being open to the other two corridors. In the northern side, the building had an open columned rotunda that led to a park-like space covered with small to medium size trees and compressed sand grounds with a central water basin framed by stone edges for sitting and enjoying spontaneously. Opposite from the building, the team framed the park-like area with a hemicycle in the Tuscan Order, offering more sitting places that faced the end of the water basin. To offer a vibrant but calm, likewise, enjoyable built and landscaped place even for concerts. The team had in mind that architectural details, greenery and water were positively correlated with lowering stress and activating the neurological capacity for value-making and focus. In conclusion, the team created a classical building with classical typologies that contrasted the existing tower blocks on the site, with elegant spaces for spontaneous activities of different natures to show Belgians and tourists that there is an alternative way to build and to live.
When presented to the jury, positive remarks were made for the drawing skills and knowledge portrayed. However, important observations were pointed out: the building was beautifully conceived but did not display the local architecture of Brussels nor its climate; the cost efficient analysis of building materials was not apparent; a dome was very difficult to build and did not express itself correctly on the designs.
COUNTER-PROJECT REFLECTION
The team effort for the counter-project of Place de Brouckère was nothing short of challenging but at the end highly formative. The group consisted of three different individuals with different languages, skills and knowledge. What at first glance seemed like a good team, it later did encounter communication problems, architectural errors and divided group dynamics. Nonetheless, the team survived its confusions and strived to the end of the summer school. Next, a description for each team member will be presented.
Cristina, from Valencia, Spain, was already an architectural graduate with a life-long experience in drawing and she helped tremendously in sketching problems, ideas and solutions in real-time, supporting our decisions for designing our buildings. Moreover, Cristina’s design skills created front elevations and axonometric plans with an exquisite quality of detail and beautiful simplicity. Johan, from Sweden, was still studying an architecture degree while working on the counter-project. Noticeably, Johan’s sense for proportions earned him a respected place in the team for calculating scales and measuring dimensions for building elements. His diligence, resourcefulness and social skills equally provided confidence to his team to meet all the deadlines. Flavio, Mexican and a graduate student with a political science background, provided a layman insight to the architectural proposals, particularly, how people might have responded to the architecture and the public spaces. His personal studies on classical architecture offered an informed assessment on classical orders and typologies for the counter-project.
The counter-project consisted of a dignified social centre for the Brussels’s citizens. A grand building and public spaces that offered private spaces for shops, restaurants and cafés, as well as public spaces for leisure, dance halls, or entertainment and community venues, e.g., concert halls, community meetings, projection screenings, performances, etc. These elements were presented as an alternative to what the Brouckère Square is today, an unattractive public square with big dimensions that offers no visual, nor physical, break with the long Anspach Boulevard.
The problems identified were the square’s large dimensions and lack of cover from the sun & rain, moreover, almost no cues for any activity, except for benches and water fountain holes on the ground. In contrast, the team designed a building that could incorporate the metro stairs and elevator, structured by natural stone; brick arcades with mosaic pavement providing attractive places for terraces and the weekly marketplace; the inner courtyard was designed with sober but beautiful ornamentation, reminding the people of values such as beauty, decorum, and civility for publicly social meeting places. The main entrance, facing South, resembles the Pantheon in Rome without the pediment and with a smaller dome being open to the other two corridors. In the northern side, the building had an open columned rotunda that led to a park-like space covered with small to medium size trees and compressed sand grounds with a central water basin framed by stone edges for sitting and enjoying spontaneously. Opposite from the building, the team framed the park-like area with a hemicycle in the Tuscan Order, offering more sitting places that faced the end of the water basin. To offer a vibrant but calm, likewise, enjoyable built and landscaped place even for concerts. The team had in mind that architectural details, greenery and water were positively correlated with lowering stress and activating the neurological capacity for value-making and focus. In conclusion, the team created a classical building with classical typologies that contrasted the existing tower blocks on the site, with elegant spaces for spontaneous activities of different natures to show Belgians and tourists that there is an alternative way to build and to live.
When presented to the jury, positive remarks were made for the drawing skills and knowledge portrayed. However, important observations were pointed out: the building was beautifully conceived but did not display the local architecture of Brussels nor its climate; the cost efficient analysis of building materials was not apparent; a dome was very difficult to build and did not express itself correctly on the designs.
Project designed by Mieke Bosse and Peter Drijver (Scala Architecten) - Teachers
Project carried out by Victoria Schulz-Daubas and Lucien Steil - Professors
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