I solemnly pledge to public space - dualities in contemporary public space developments, applied in Brussels' European Quarter.

Abstract

The european quarter in Brussels has become a monofunctional office district since the rapid development of the European Union in the second half of the twentieth century. Uncontrolled office expansion has led to a district characterised by the monotony of glass closed office blocks, empty streets and large infrastructure. This project is a proposal to regard the public space in this area as an opportunity to make a statement as a european public space: an integrated part of the city, where urban liveliness and a diverse mix of functions are key points. In order to achive this, a threefold strategy is laid out, as the above diagram shows. The current stituation is one of flatness - both in function or use as in morphology and typology. Firstly the area will become centered around two redesigned axes, where a pedestrian-friendly space is proposed. Then ,on these axes new centralities are developed. This allows for an urban experience of diversity, from node to node. Thirdly, by concentrating along these points, deconcentration can emerge in the inbetween spaces. This allows for recapturing of residential functions, in order to allow for a rich mix of functions and uses.