STW0007 - DILBEEK - Masterplan Caerenberg & Keperenberg
design: masterplan for two collective centres
type: urbanism
client: Dilbeek
designteam: Studio Thomas Willemse in collaboration with Metapolis (Cristian Panaité, Mircea Munteanu)
social and spacial consultant: ndvr
financial consultant: IDEA consult
mobility and sustainability: Tractebel
time: 2016-2018
Caerenberg and Keperenberg are two green hills on a ridge between two main valleys near Brussels. Each hill became a modern centre for these villages with collective amenities that are inserted on the slopes as large plateaus with sportsfields, each a cemetery, parkings, community halls, … By an accumulation of random additions to the buildings and around the fields, all the interstitial space has been consumed and circulation space has dramatically shrunken. On top of this both sites have to face ageing sports infrastructure, especially in the case of Keperenberg where the sports hall can no longer be used. However there is not enough space to keep expanding, another strategy has to be found.
The ambition is to give both sites again breathing space, increase the accessibility, provide again space for the future and aim for shared use of all amenities in such a way that an answer can be provided for all wishes within a reasonable investment. This strategy is translated in two common aspects for both sites:
- Each site gains breathing space with a central square where all functions meet and which can be appropriated by all users and associations.
- Next to this main open space the interstitial narrowed space is tackled with an overall landscape intervention where all the small needs are integrated in one landscape. In Caerenberg a natural running track combines a water buffer, new storage spaces, a main path, a new entrance to the cemetery, etc. Suddenly the interstitial becomes a common project. In Keperenberg they are linked by a soft central passage that connects the valley with the village.