Our masterplan for phase 2 of the Komet development in Mechelen pushes the ambition to create a sustainable neighbourhood to the limits. The buildings of phase 2 are organised in a very compact way, leaving more space to develop a green park of over 1 hectare, and creating a sense of community. The old industrial site makes way for a lively neighborhood, well-connected to the rest of the city with a focus on a fine network of soft mobility routes and bicycle infrastructure (indoor bicycle parking, bicycle repair point,…). The sale of phase 2 was successfully launched this weekend, with great interest! Check out the following website and watch Gunther of BRUT explain the masterplan: https://www.komet-mechelen.be/

BRUT architecture and urban design, Areal architecten, Revive, Omgeving, VK engineers, Makeme (rendered images)

Good start of the new year! We are happy to announce that BRUT in collaboration with Idea is selected to develop a vision on the leisure infrastructure of the town of Londerzeel. The ambition is to maximize the impact of the new infrastructure on the town life and spatial structure.

We were proud to present the final masterplan and energy concept for a climate neutral neighbourhood in the city of Leuven to the neighbourhood yesterday evening. You can view the presentation here.

Team: BRUT, LAMA, DUSS, MINT

Yesterday BRUT was on site to have a dialogue about the latest design and plans of the impactful new building with the surrounding community. It was a successful event that helped to reinforce the public support for the project.

Team: BRUT, styfhals architecten, Land, IBO – Integer Bouwen and  Investpro

Several ongoing projects will have an important impact on the future of the town and a clear integrated vision is needed. Our proposal aims to preserve and reinforce the landscape qualities and to create a continuous bicycle network, connecting the different nodes of the dispersed town. These interventions could become the starting point of a new identity. It will be an intense and impactful process for Boortmeerbeek!

We’re back from holidays with good news. The design and build proposal of our team with BRUT, Styfhals Architecten, LAND landschapsarchitecten, IBO Integer Bouwen and Investpro won the competition for a new police station for the region Politie Schelde-Leie. The building is both a visible landmark along a national road and subtly integrated in the surrounding landscape and adjacent historical town street.

Also in Zwijndrecht we were able to set up a successful participation event last week. No pictures of crowded rooms and heated discussions, but nonetheless, many people visited the on-site exhibition and even more made use of the online information and questionnaire. Thanks to the people of Zwijndrecht for their effort and input! We have enough ideas to continue working on the masterplan. See you after the summer!

Design team: BRUT + Atelier Arne Deruyter

With a masterplan a new large green public space will be created, the ‘Town Garden’, with play and exercise areas to excite people to come out and support them in a healthy lifestyle. The new leisure building will be a central beacon in the park, with generous and flexible spaces to stimulate the creation of culture and interaction. A new hub in the social-cultural network of Zellik (Asse) and its surroundings.

Design team: BRUT, Areal, Studie10, D2S

Thanks to all the voters who liked our project! Thanks and congratulations to the City of Herentals and our design team partners LAMA landscape architects and Talboom! And also congratulations to the City of Antwerp and De Vlaamse Waterweg with their Award for the Scheldt Quays.

Despite social distancing measures, we are continuing to find ways to include the community in the design process. During this week the inhabitants of Schepdaal will have the opportunity to learn all about the design research for the future of their town center, through information posters that were installed on the central plaza and online presentation videos. They will be able to contribute their ideas through online and printed questionnaires.

Good progress on the sports and cultural center in Vilvoorde! Here’s a view in the central foyer of the building, where sports and culture will intersect, creating a new central meeting place in the town.

The team around BRUT architecture and urban design (with LAND, DUSS and MINT) was selected to draw up a masterplan for the redevelopment of the campus of Thomas More and KU Leuven in Sint-Katelijne-Waver. The unique location next to a train station but in the middle of an open landscape offers interesting perspectives for sustainable densification.

Yesterday we had successful participatory presentation of our ideas for a climate neutral neighborhood in Leuven. Why not create a forest with compact housing typologies using this unique environment to its fullest potential?

Study team: BRUT architecture and urban design, LAMA landscape architects, MINT mobiliteitsadvies, DUSS explorers

BRUT is looking for urban designers with experience to help us make the best of some exciting new and ambitious projects! Are you interested or do you know anybody? Send your CV and portfolio to info@brut-web.be and maybe we’ll have a cup of coffee together in the near future!

Our project in Herentals, in collaboration with LAMA landscape architects, is nominated as one of five potential winners of the Flemish Public Space Award! Please help us win by voting. Click this link, fill out your name and email address, click ‘Volgende’, arrange the list of nominees according to your preferences with ‘Binnengebied Schaliken, Herentals’ on top of course and finish by clicking ‘Stemmen’. The competition is strong, but so is our project!

New town hub in Wezembeek-Oppem with an administrative center, a library, a school and housing around a sequence of gardens.

Design team: BRUT, Areal Architecten and A2D / Developer: Groep Van Roey

We are proud to announce that our team, BRUT + Atelier Arne Deruyter, won the international Open Call competition for the redevelopment of an amazing site in the middle of the ambitious town of Zwijndrecht! Our proposal combines the creation of a large urban wetland with a compact neighborhood development directly connected to the town center. We are looking forward to collaborating with the people of Zwijndrecht in the coming months and create something unique and valuable.

Something is growing on the roof of the Scheldezicht residential tower… vertical city life!

The team of BRUT in collaboration with Delva, Mint and 3E has been chosen to develop a master plan for the redevelopment of the technology campus of Odisee and KU Leuven in Ghent. The strategic location in the middle of the city, along one of the main waterways and future ‘Climate-Axis’ and the ambitions of the clients offer a unique opportunity to create a forward-thinking project in terms of education, urban integration and climate change.

We had a great time working with these 6th graders on the future of their town center. Such a different perspective and amazing how serious some of them took the questions and tasks we gave them.

Great turnout last week for our first session with the neighbors of the future development in Leuven. Lots of fair concerns and many inspiring ideas to fuel the coming design sessions. See you in a few months!

The team with BRUT in collaboration with 3E, Mint and LAMA was selected to develop a masterplan and energy concept for a climate neutral neighborhood in Louvain. Sustainable buildings, ample green open space, smart mobility and a climate neutral energy system will be combined into an ambitious pilot project for the city. We are looking forward to a creative process with the City of Leuven, KU Leuven, Dijledal and the local community!

BRUT, in collaboration with LAND and Mint, is selected to redesign the center of Schepdaal, Dilbeek, with a proposal around four key ambitions. We want to make space for ‘residing’, ‘greening’ and ‘connecting’ and we want to do this in close collaboration with the city and its’ inhabitants!

Happy to share our experiences in the Nieuw Zuid neighbourhood during a site visit of the Scheldezicht tower, organized by the Flanders Architects’ Network (NAV). Thanks for the great turnout, lively discussions and interest in our ‘vertical city life’ concept.

Photo © Klaas Verdru

Last week our school in Halle was delivered, proud of the result. Happy colours for happy children!

Photos will follow soon. In collaboration with GO! Onderwijs van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap, City of Halle, Everaert-Cooreman and Studie10.

Here’s the latest on our project for the Schuman Square in Brussels in the Belgian media (in Dutch) with some new images. COBE and BRUT have handed in the buidling permit. One step closer to realization! 

In collaboration with ARA, UTIL and Buro MOVE.

We are proud to be the architect in charge of ‘Schwung’, a unique and innovative co-housing concept with a focus on families giving care to one or more members with a physical or mental impairment. Schwung is part of the ambitious Komet redevelopment, close to the center of Mechelen.

In collaboration with Revive, Gemeengoed, Mechelen and the future inhabitants!

The Flemish Organization of Spatial Planners has awarded its bi-annual prize to the Open Space Perspective (ORP) for the town of Nijlen. The ORP is seen as an innovative and useful instrument and an important contribution to sustainable and qualitative spatial development.

BRUT wins together with C.F. Møller the Open Call for the “Nieuwe Stad” in Ostend! The winning proposal for this new neighbourhood of 500 homes aims to become a model project for densification on a human scale by focusing on a sustainable urban design with innovative housing typologies and the introduction of a strong sense of community.