Design team: 51N4E
Skatepark and public spaces: Les Marneurs and Janne Saario Client: Net Brussel – Bruxelles Propreté
Reuse: Rotor
Winner of Be.Exemplary 2018

The increasing use of recycling centers in the Brussels Region demonstrates that recycling is an attitude that is becoming more widely shared. The way we view our waste is changing, and recycling centers are gaining a more positive connotation: one person's waste becomes another's resource. The Recyparken in Brussels are a crucial link in the circular economy. It is a real urban challenge to integrate these spaces as close as possible to the residents.

The project site marks the southern end of the Birmingham block, an area from the industrial era that is gradually transforming into a mixed-use residential neighborhood where productive activities and urban living coexist. The design team 51N4E proposed concentrating the Recypark on one side of the site; this creates space for a public area with a skatepark and green spaces, connected to the canal. This program facilitates the acceptance of the logistical program in the neighborhood, makes it more attractive, and also attracts other types of users.

The project is a model for the second life of materials—not only because of the building's function in recycling, but also because the site's roofing is made from reused structures. After a study by Rotor, suitable wooden trusses from an old riding school were found; they were disassembled, transported to Brussels, and stored awaiting reassembly on site. This project demonstrates that a logistical facility, with the right architectural ambition, can bring a clear collective and social added value.

The visit on Sunday 13.10.2024 at 10:00 will be given by the architect (EN).
The visit on Sunday 13.10.2024 at 14.00 will be given by the landscape architect for the skatepark section (FR).