Located in the north of Brussels and stretching 2 km, Emile Bockstael Boulevard is an important structural axis. This thoroughfare has undergone numerous transformations over the past 150 years. The prioritization of cars led to soil impermeabilization, an increase in paved surfaces, and consequently, a decline in biodiversity. With climate challenges such as floods and heatwaves, this configuration is no longer sustainable. Therefore, a long-term project has been launched to completely redevelop the boulevard.
The objective of the project is to transform this roadway into an avenue shared by different modes of transport and various uses (playgrounds, urban gardens, benches). Special attention will be given to road safety throughout the project. To achieve this, active mobility infrastructure will be implemented, including separate cycling lanes, wide sidewalks, and communal spaces. The avenue will be designed asymmetrically to create shared living spaces while preserving the existing tree heritage. These spaces will be developed in consultation with local residents. The decision to adopt an asymmetrical design was based on an accident analysis of the axis, particularly at intersections. The number of perpendicular roads connecting to the boulevard is not evenly distributed. To improve road safety, vehicular traffic will be placed on the side with the highest number of perpendicular streets, reducing the need for cars to cross the boulevard.
To minimize the impact of climate change, greening the boulevard is essential. Emile Bockstael Boulevard already has many mature trees. All healthy existing trees will be preserved and will serve as the foundation for creating new green spaces, featuring native species and scenic landscaping.
Water is essential to urban life and the enhancement of the living environment. The redevelopment proposal for Emile Bockstael Boulevard, therefore, includes infiltration zones, permeable planting beds beneath the infrastructure, systems that promote evapotranspiration, and water channels instead of traditional gutters. The goal: to reduce impermeability and make water a visible and beneficial element of public space. Hydrological studies rely on detailed terrain analyses (topography, drainage network, vegetation, etc.) to design infrastructure suited to different climate scenarios (rainfall events with 20- and 100-year return periods). Infiltration and retention are prioritized to limit runoff and prevent flooding, while also utilizing collected rainwater for irrigating green spaces and urban cooling. Water is thus considered within a circular economy approach.
Near the school and Horticulteurs Street, the groundwater table is nearly at the surface, limiting the soil’s infiltration capacity. Inspired by Dutch models, we propose making the water visible locally. This opening in the ground will bring the water to atmospheric pressure, raising the free water level while slightly lowering the water table in the surrounding soil. Additionally, embankments will be constructed on either side of the water trench to create an optimized dike. When it is not raining, the grassy area will serve as a recreational and social space.
The Bockstael project will be monitored using the sustainability tool GRO, a tool supported by the three regions and innovatively adapted to an infrastructure project. The ambition of this tool is to use an integrated design process to create future-proof structures, with a strong focus on circular construction, water management, ecology, etc.
These unconventional and innovative approaches allow us to combine hydraulic resilience with quality of life, making water an asset rather than a constraint in this project, as well as in all our future urban planning initiatives.
- Client: Beliris
- Architects: Multiplicity
- Engineering Office: Bureau greisch
- Consulting Firm: Transitec Ingénieurs-Conseils