Sustainable Neighbourhood Contracts (SNCs), coordinated by Urban’s teams, are renovating Brussels most vulnerable neighbourhoods through operational and inclusive urban initiatives.
→ Find out more about the various urban renewal projects that have recently been launched as part of several SNCs.
SNC “Abbaye” in Forest
A major phase in the restoration of the Abbaye site* started in November. The aim is to transform it into a true cultural hub, bringing together in a single location several cultural, arts education and youth institutions, which are currently scattered across the municipality’s territory.
The project will bring together the local French-language library, the Forest Academy of Music, Dance and the Spoken Arts, the BRASS cultural centre, the youth centre and the youth service. It will also include a new performance hall, a small auditorium, a games library and a café-restaurant. The total duration of the works is estimated at around three years, and will be carried out in three phases, each dedicated to a separate area of the Abbaye site.
SNC “Wiels-sur-Senne” in Forest
In August, the project to convert the office building in Brutalist style located at the rue de Belgrade no. 74, formerly owned by the Belgian company Cinzano and built in 1971 by the AUSIA group of architects, began its transformation. This project, which will create 12 new communal housing units that are assimilated with social housing, as well as a multi-purpose hall on the ground floor, is based on circular economy principles and is co-financed by the SLRB (Brussels Regional Housing Company) through the Alliance Habitat (Housing Alliance).
SNC “Les Marolles” in the City of Brussels
- Last July, the worksite started at rue Haute no. 279, supported by the Régie Foncière (Housing Management Service) of the City of Brussels. The project involves the construction of 8 homes of various types at controlled rents, the reorganisation of the inner courtyard so as to maintain the Baron Steens school’s emergency exit and to create an extension for a new independent access to the school’s sports hall.
- A second worksite also started in July: the redevelopment of a local street network aimed at improving the accessibility to the roads in question for pedestrians, cyclists and people with reduced mobility, integrating rainwater management, greening the spaces and integrating the play dimension into the rue de l’Abricotier, rue du Faucon, rue des Capucins, rue Saint-Ghislain and rue du Miroir.
- In September, on the corner of the rue Haute and the rue de l’Abricotier, a third worksite started, to build 14 social housing units, for the most part homes for large families (among which two homes that are accessible for people with reduced mobility and two that can be adapted to people with reduced mobility), a day care centre with 21 places, and – not subsidised by the SNC – a commercial ground floor, offices and a car park for the public social welfare centre. An essential requirement is that the emergency service of the CHU Saint-Pierre hospital needs to be kept running during the works.
- Lastly, a first worksite has started on the Porte Rouge playground. The aim is to redevelop the entire site, open up the playground to the neighbourhood and design a playful and inviting square, thus creating a meeting place for all generations and a coolness island in the heart of the Marolles. This project is one of the 5 redevelopments of spaces inside housing blocks that are planned in the neighbourhood. The others are the Escargots playground, the Montserrat inner courtyard, Prévoyance, as well as the areas bordering the École Maternelle de la Marolle.
SNC “Autour du Parc de l’Ouest” in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean
The work on the Centre de quartier Ouest (West community centre) is nearing completion. The site, located at the avenue De Roovere no. 9, was occupied by a disused building that once housed the Pythagoras restaurant and the football club’s changing room. After demolishing the old building, a mixed-use building is being constructed to house offices for various associations, facilities such as multi-purpose rooms and a multi-sports hall, a catering area, changing rooms for the adjoining football pitch (Marie José park), communal areas as well as a caretaker’s lodging.
SNC “Peterbos” in Anderlecht
In January, two worksites are starting in the Peterbos park:
- The first consists of demolishing the covered car park of the Foyer Anderlechtois, which is located at the foot of housing block “bloc 12”, in order to build a new sports and community facilities centre, including a refreshment bar, a community centre with access to a roof terrace and community premises.
- A second worksite will involve the redevelopment of several public spaces in Peterbos to create more places where people can meet and spend time together. The aim is to green the spaces, to improve the routes for pedestrians, people with reduced mobility and cyclists, and to improve the permeability and signage of the site.
Find out more about Sustainable Neighbourhood Contracts (SNCs)
Find out more about this urban renewal policy by watching two videos produced by Urban.
CQD projects in photos
Don't miss any of the projects recently completed as part of the urban revitalisation programmes managed by the Urban teams: check out the evolution of the projects through photos, thanks to Media Urban.
