This sports hall, completed in 2021 and located next to the canal in Molenbeek, was named in honour of a 26-year-old women's jiu-jitsu world champion from Brussels. Designed by the firm Bodgan & Van Broeck in an inclusive process, the municipal complex ingeniously combines multiple functions: a gym on the ground floor, a martial arts club on the first floor and a nursery on the next two floors.

The building is structured around three unifying spaces: a gallery, a patio and gardens. Lined with parabolic sculptural arcades in concrete, the Galerie des Géants forms a street linking the banks of the canal and the Molenbeek district behind it. The three floors surround the Patio des Costauds, an open space that promotes interactions and allows abundant natural light into the premises. Lastly, suspended terraces – the Jardins des Juniors – provide welcome outdoor spaces for the two floors of the nursery.

With its concrete base supporting a frame that in turn comprises four large metal frames, all clad in a highly insulating wooden frame, the complex offers a fine example of smart- shell/low-tech construction: energy efficient but not dependent on complex technologies. The project was part of the Around Leopold II (2012 - 2016) Sustainable Neighbourhood Contract.

Practical information

This is a self-guided tour of the sports centre.