Brussels : Gare du Midi

This site is particularly important. The project takes into account and responds to the surrounding context. Our design creates an entrance to the aspiring capital of Europe and as well as to the Cureghem working class district and the canal. The Gare du Midi occupies a strategic place in the development of the surrounding neighbourhoods. Given its position between the historical town centre, the Saint Gilles neighbourhood and the Anderlecht neighbourhood, it has a lot of potential to reactivate and reintegrate the surrounding territories into the dutch agglomeration. The question of public space is essential to support this development, creating a shared, mixed and animated town.

Up until now, the Gare du Midi lacks the necessary links to reconnect these areas. The rail infrastructure marks a clear division between the residential neighbourhood of Saint Gilles and the mutating Anderlecht neighbourhood. It seemed essential to us to rethink these links on a territorial scale in order to connect these spaces to existing facilities and to create a contextual dynamic of development between the public spaces. That is to say to use the positive aspects of the town to rethink the site and address the key issues. Our ambition therefore is to interrogate these spaces, expanding them and bringing them much needed character.