Lebeau

On an underused and partly vacant site next to Place du Sablon, near Brussels Central Station, a new urban environment is taking shape. Existing buildings are being renovated and integrated with new, contemporary architecture. One example is the former central telephone exchange building from 1895, which is being given a new lease of life. Its historic qualities are preserved and complemented by contemporary buildings.

Architecture that connects the city

Through an elegant architectural expression, the aim is for the project to blend into the area thanks to appropriate materials and a texture that is closer to the character of the surrounding buildings.

With new pedestrian connections and an active ground floor along the street, the public spaces will be brought to life. This also helps restore the connection between the upper and lower parts of the city, which was lost when the construction of Boulevard de l’Empereur split the city in two and Place de la Justice was no longer part of an intimate urban setting.

The project focuses on circular and energy-efficient construction through the reuse of structures, sustainable materials and systems such as geothermal energy and thermal storage. The office buildings are aiming for high sustainability standards, including BREEAM Outstanding and WELL Platinum.

With a private garden and green roofs, the project creates breathing space in a dense urban environment and improves biodiversity and residents’ quality of life.

Its central location near Brussels Central Station, together with underground parking and cycling facilities, supports smooth and sustainable mobility.

Integrated collaboration

The project, designed by an international team consisting of Sweco Architects, Maccreanor Lavington  and Korteknie Stuhlmacher Architects, restores the connection between the Sablon and the lower city while also bringing new dynamism to a fragmented historic urban fabric.