A recreational park has been created on the Quai des Matériaux, a new link in the network of Brussels' regional parks. The size of three football pitches, the 2.8-hectare site along the canal, running between Place Sainctelette and Place des Armateurs, is a space combining relaxation, sport and urban leisure. Recreational areas are scattered along the wide promenade: multi-sports spaces, a public garden with play areas, a large lawn bordered by a terrace and a skate park. Towards the middle of the park, the former Ackermans warehouse will house peacekeepers, public toilets, a community hall and a catering facility. This building also integrates a new type of experimental canopy designed to act as an urban ventilator. Marking the central entrance to the park, this canopy generates a cooling zone during heatwaves through natural air convection, driven by a brick moucharaby dome. The project is the fruit of collaboration with local residents, thanks to a consultation process carried out upstream by Beliris and Brussels Environment. The emphasis was on reducing the impermeable surfaces covering the site, by laying permeable pavements and planting around 100 trees, while retaining elements of its industrial past, such as sawn cobblestones. The guided tours will be led by Alain Simon, partner architect at MSA.

Architect(s) : Tractebel - MSA - atelier adr - Georges Descombes
Client : Beliris - Brussels Environment
Category (Brussels Architecture Prize) : Public space (nominated project)
Text : Caroline Berckmans