Programe

Complete renovation on 7 levels - including buildings, gardens and surroundings - of a composite building built in the 1960s. The finesse of the apartment restoration design enables all the typologies to be preserved in an advanced circular approach.

About

Built in 1961 opposite the former Ixelles military-police school (now Usquare), this building was originally designed to house the “married police officers" working on the other side of the street. The building completes a composite block that was finally closed in 1977. The curiosity of this building lies in its upside-down typology - the entrances are all located in the heart of the block via an internal alleyway - making it a through block along its length.

After several years of precarious occupation - allowing for a precise inventory of all materials - followed by a period of full-scale testing in the different apartment typologies, the building is now undergoing a measured renovation as a pilot project in circular economy and reuse. It's a carefully thought-out process that allows project hypotheses to be verified as the project progresses. The approach is based on the formula of K. Berghmans and B. Robles Hidalgo's “Maintenance as architecture”, asserting that instead of focusing on design and innovation, current architectural practice could be conceived as the maintenance and “care” of existing buildings.

This act of sobriety through the choice of targeted, thoughtful interventions is an economic and environmental commitment.

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Typology

Housing (include mixed use)

Status

Ongoing building work

Year of conception

2020-2026

Year of delivery

2026

Client

SLRB-BGHM / SCRL BinHôme

Total budget

11 000 000

Stability

NEY Partners Wow

Special techniques

MK Engineering

Landscape

Carbonifère

Boulevard Général Jacques
1050 Ixelles

Plus d'informations
Karbon' architecture et urbanisme