Location: Brussels (Schaerbeek), Belgium.
Architect: DDS+.
The Site Van Oost project is part of a larger sustainable development plan for the municipality of Schaerbeek in Brussels. The project aims to revalue the area’s 19th-century architectural heritage and urban patrimony while revitalizing the municipality. The mixed program includes two primary and nursery school buildings for French and Flemish communities, a public sports hall, and housing facilities. The project is situated on the inner side of a traditional residential building block, allowing for harmonious coexistence between different public and private functions. The project offers extended services to the residential district and expands its housing stock. The project will be integrated into the inner side of a building block composed of traditional Brussels single-family houses.
The site was previously occupied by the former brewery, Roelants, and is anchored in collective urban memory. The bel-étage houses on rue Van Oost are restored and transformed into independent functioning apartments. The former entry to the brewery will give access to the schools and sports hall. The Site Van Oost project hosts functions with different programmatic, circulation, and privacy needs, destined for a diverse public. The specific layout of the site was an initial constraint for the location of the different functions and building dimensions. Building dimensions are adjusted to provide the specific levels of sound, light, and sight comfort needed for each function and to minimize the impact on the surrounding buildings. The project’s facades are dynamic and composed of a large variety of textures and vivid colors, offering a pleasant and colorful environment for the children.
The site’s entries and circulation zones are designed to cope with the function’s public/private character while creating a highly readable environment for all the users of the complex. All new buildings are designed to fulfill the most recent passive construction criteria (Brussels Capital Region). The building shapes are optimized to achieve compactness, while the envelope’s insulation is highly efficient, providing thermal consistency. Windows and solar protection are positioned according to the orientation, using passive strategies to maximize internal comfort and allow natural light into the building. Green roofs contribute to the optimization of insulation, enhancing energy performances. Heat recovery strategies are applied to the building’s ventilation system, rooftop rainwater is harvested to supply toilets, and solar panels provide hot water to the sports hall and electricity.
Photo credit: Marie-Noëlle Dailly.