Le mie ricette per la real estate community
A mixed redevelopment comprising housing, offices, shops and a hotel will bring new dynamism to the lower part of the Sablon neighbourhood and re-establish its connection with the Grand’ Place.
In July 2019, after an extensive preparatory process involving both public and private players, Immobel submitted its request for a permit for the Lebeau project, a mixed development close to the Sablon neighbourhood in Brussels, for which the public inquiry was completed on Thursday 29 October. Specialising in the revitalisation of large-scale historical sites such as Chambon and Solvay in Brussels, through this project Immobel wishes to create a new dynamism for this part of Brussels between the Grand’ Place and Sablon areas and to give a boost to the local economy. A quarter of the current total surface area will be renovated. The final project design is the result of a competition that involved 47 architectural teams.
Programme
The important residential function of the programme will give the neighbourhood new energy. The redevelopment of the block, situated between the Grand’ Place and the Sablon, which today has an inert character due to vacancy and mono-functionality (office/logistics buildings) is set to provide 207 high-quality apartments. A retail base will be created at ground floor level on Rue Lebeau, inviting passers-by to walk to the lower part of the city from the Sablon neighbourhood. On the side of Place de Justice a four-star hotel with 150 rooms will be developed. The upper floors of the hotel with its innovative concept will be open to the public, with among other things a restaurant and a panoramic terrace offering a stunning view over Brussels. Finally, the former “Hôtel Central Téléphonique” dating back to 1895 and covering a quarter of the complex’s surface will be renovated into a modern and versatile office building. It will regain its original grandeur while retaining its splendid façades and historical staircases.
“We intend to repair the fabric of the city and the streetscape. To connect people with the place and build new street frontages and public space so that the entire Sablon neighbourhood becomes desirable and enjoyable” said Gerard Maccreanor, founder and partner at MaccreanorLavington Architects. “We hope to restore the connection between the upper and lower parts of the city, a connection which was lost when construction of the Boulevard de l’Empereur cut the city in two and the Place de la Justice was no longer part of an intimate urban streetscape.”
More sustainable
Immobel is investing in sustainable energy sources for several of its projects in Brussels. For heating and cooling the entire site the Lebeau project will use a geothermal installation which will be linked to solar panels and heat pumps for clean and cheaper energy. With a view to the long term, the architectural teams are opting for high-quality, sustainable materials that are in harmony with the buildings in the immediate vicinity. A 1,500 m² private garden will be created on the inside of the complex for use by the site’s residents. Finally, an underground parking garage will be available to residents and the wider public, thus alleviating the parking pressure on and around Sablon square.
Project characteristics
- Mixed project: housing, shops, offices and a hotel
- Total surface area: 42,100 m². Residential: 22,100 m² – 207 apartments. Retail 1,700 m². Office space 10,100 m². Hotel 8,200 m² with a roof terrace.
- Architects: Assar Architects, MaccreanorLavington MLA+, Korteknie Stuhlmacher Architecten
- Landscape Architect: EOLE
- Sustainability:
- BREEAM Excellent rating for the offices
- No fossil fuels and instead geothermal energy
- Solar panels, heat pumps, green roofs
- Private interior garden of 1,500 m²
- Renovation of +/- 25% of the surface area (existing building dating from 1895 on Rue de la Paille)
- Mobility: car park of +/- 380 places, of which 160 public
- 465 bicycle parking places
- Estimated construction period: Q4 2021 – Q3 2024
Source : Company