Transformation of the industrial site “Chassart” in a cultural center for very young kids

Shaping our cities for babies and young kids also ! Chassart is the name of a former industrial site located in Brussels along the railway. The project aims to convert this old site into a qualitative spot for young kids and families to enjoy both a public equipment and outdoor spaces sized and shaped for kids. Our proposal gives a strong attention to a new garden (a forest !) and the outdoor spaces we create with Jan Minne, landscape architect. The existing buildings are reorganized in order to offer 5 (very) different rooms for the cultural activities, each playing with the limits and dimensions of the existing conditions and the experience a young kid can make of rooms, dimensions, proportions. A big structure in the middle of the plot offers both a shelter underneath for the public courtyard  and a canopy above where kids in the mark of the activities of the cultural center can play above and enjoy a strong position of the city around, in a safe way and a “hut” condition. A new green pedestrian and bicycle lane is planned by the municipality all along the railway at the back of the site and our Chassart projects aims to become one of the entrance doors to this new qualitative corridor. Come on baby !

status: competition – first prize
program: cultural center for kids between 0-6 years old
area: plot = 1027m² – brut construct surface = 1500m²
location: forest (Brussels)
year: 2021
staff :
Architecture : OUEST
Landscape : Jan Minne
Stability : ENESTA
HVAC+PEB : ENESTA

Landscape drawing representation by Jan Minne