LAUREATE OF THE COMPETITION: XAVEER DE GEYTER

— The architects bureau Xaveer de Geyter from Brussels is the laureate of the international urban design competition for the redevelopment of the new Schuman square. The bureau is assisted by Tritel (mobility), Ney and Partner (stability) and Michel Desvigne (landscape architecture).
The competition was organized by BELIRIS in association with the International Union of Architects; the jury consisted of representatives of the Federal State, the Brussels Capital Region (among whom the Brussels Master Architect Olivier Bastin), the European Commission, the European Council, the City of Brussels and a team of international experts, namely: Jeroen Zuidgeest (The Netherlands), Alberto Francini (Italy), Martin Haas (Germany), Kimmo Lintula (Finland), Peter Lorenz (Austria), Claire Bailly (France) and Marwan Zouein (Spain; currently Lebanon).
In the meantime, the project will be further elaborated with the main public shareholders and the residents concerned; the realization of the project is planned for 2015; the project cost is estimated at € 16 million.
An exhibition with a survey of all introduced projects is planned in the beginning of 2012.

Website XDGA

MOTIVATION OF THE JURY

— The jury particularly appreciated the strength, elegance, readability and simplicity of the project, which proposes a real attractivity and identity to the square, and both succeeds in solving most of the technical and practical issues in a single urban gesture. The jury also highlighted the capacity of the project to create a new urban focus point without damaging the existing important focus points, especially as far as the project enhances the link with the surroundings, for example the Jubilee Park.

SPATIAL CONTEXT

— In the centre of the square and along the axis that organizes all levels of power –regional, national and European – the project proposes a shell like amphitheatre. This strong symbolic gesture allows hosting a multitude of cultural, political, and sports activities. The object serves as a podium, arena, tribune and parliament for the people. The use varies in scale from “speaker’s corner” to the 20 km of Brussels half marathon. Four accesses in continuation of the radial streets anchor the object in its surroundings and allow for fluid crossing of the square. The centre of the amphitheatre is complimented with a hydraulic podium. The under sides of the amphitheatre could shelter for example a bike service point and a small florist shop as well as two new entrances to the subway and train stations.

Today, the Schuman roundabout, as the name indicates, is mainly a road infrastructure rather than a public space. It is often cluttered with intense traffic as it is one of the main entry points to the city. The one.schuman project tries to bend the actual situation towards a gathering place for people.

In parallel with the construction of the new Schuman square BELIRIS plans to construct a new tunnel under the Cortenbergh avenue and the Schuman square (the permit demand was introduced in November 2011 at the Brussels Capital Region; today the Brussels Capital Region studies the financial, technical and environmental consequences of the tunnel). If the Brussels Capital Region delivers a permit for the new tunnel under the Cortenbergh avenue and the Schuman square, this tunnel will eliminate transit traffic. In this case only pedestrians, bicyclers, a small amount of public buses and taxis, VIP-convoys and emergency vehicles will be allowed on the future square. Above all the square has to become a place of gathering, an amplifier of democratic voice.

IMAGES

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MOBILITY

— The plan not only proposes the construction of an amphitheatre on the Schumansquare itself, it also foresees lots of improvements for the connection (or intermodality) of different means of public transport on the square, or in his surroundings. First of all the plan concentrates bus stops on different sides of the Schuman square (ideal for the connection with the main train and/ or metro entrances); for example there are bus stops close to the Etterbeek street (connection train), and close to the arena (connection train and/ or metro). Secondly the project proposes a clear link with the underground structures of the existing underground metro- and train station and the arena, situated on the central point of the Schuman place, by a large opening in the arena on street level. The plan of XDGA also makes an attempt to integrate the connecting of the buildings of the European Commission and the European Council buildings by slightly extending the covering of the tunnel eastwards; the feasibility has still to be further studied.

SUSTAINABILITY

— The project for the future Schuman square has taken into account different criteria of sustainability.

For example the author of the project paid attention to the use of durable materials, the diminution of acoustic and visual pollutions, the user friendliness for persons with reduced mobility, the optimal integration of the project in the existing environment, etc.

CREDITS

XDGA: arch. Xaveer De geyter, principal; arch. Wouter van Daele MsAAD, project manager; arch. Federico Pedrini, arch.Pauline Lavie; arch. Paul Emmanuel Lambert; arch. Rui Zenha.

Tritel: ir. Sebastien Rodesch,project manager; ir. Julien Henry; Laetitia Wttrwulghe

Ney and Partners: ir. Eric Bodarwe, partner; ir. Morgan Laitat, project engineer

MDP: Michel Desvigne, paysagiste d.p.l.g

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