The best Belgian real estate projects of 2024, selected at the Belgian 'Oscars' of the real estate sector, are all located in Brussels. Three projects in the capital were selected from dozens of submissions.
Brussels shined at the seventh edition of the Real Estate Society Awards – dubbed the real estate 'Oscars'. The awards focus on residential real estate, (semi-)public real estate, and commercial real estate. More than 40 project developers and architects from all corners of Belgium submitted their projects to win one of the coveted prizes. A jury of 12 experts and prominent figures in the industry ultimately selected the three winning projects, all of which are located in Brussels.
School, ZIN and affordable housing
For the public/semi-public real estate category, the jury looked for new developments that were (partly) initiated by the government and generate a "positive vibe in an entire community and neighbourhood". The winner in this category is the Egied Van Broeckhovenschool in the Brussels municipality of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean.
The school, located near Gare de l'Ouest (West Station) in the former Vandenheuvel brewery, opened in September 2023 and can accommodate 850 pupils. It is a so-called Brede (translated as 'broad') school. This means it is built on a sustainable collaboration between local organisations, in this case with the Brussels Boxing Academy, a craft studio and a theatre group, to provide a broad learning environment.
The Egied van Broeckhoven school in Molenbeek. Credit: B2Ai
"The jury appreciates the school's drive to add value to the entire neighbourhood," said Frederik Lesire, chair of the jury. "Not only are the urban planning and architectural solutions appreciated, but also socially this is an incredibly clever initiative in a difficult neighbourhood in Molenbeek."
The art deco style of the façades has been restored. Other historical elements, such as the characteristic chequered floor tiles, have been preserved. Solar panels have also been installed while rainwater is collected and reused. The school also caught the attention of the jury of the prestigious architecture awards MIPIM.
The winner in the commercial property category, is ZIN in NOORD in Brussels. This flagship project was built on the site of two of the former World Trade Centre towers (WTC 1 and 2) from the Manhattan era.
In addition to offices for the Flemish Government, it also houses a hotel and apartments, in line with the region's objective to shift to multi-purpose spaces. All occupants share the solar and geothermal energy, as well as the lush public rooftop garden with a greenhouse. It was also the first circular construction project in Belgium of this size, and a pioneer in the use of circular concrete.
Brussels ZIN in NOORD. Credit: 51N4E
"We particularly admire the so-called lasagne structure of ZIN in NOORD," said Lesire. "Not every function is combined in the same block, but they are organised in layers. For example, we see a layer of 'hotel', 'office', 'hotel', 'apartment', and so on. The jury certainly appreciated this unique and less conventional way of designing a building." The project has been criticised in the past for failing to make housing accessible to all.
Finally, in the residential property category, CityGate I - Marchandises in Brussels, near Anderlecht's Cureghem neighbourhood, came out on top. This vast renewal project spread over three city block sections combines housing (97 subsidised units and nine private units). These can be bought at an affordable price (30% of the cost is paid for by Brussels).
Credit: CityDev
"‘We are delighted by the initiative to allow low to middle-income earners to purchase their own homes in more expensive Brussels," Lesire said. "CityGate I-Marchandises is not only a place to live, it also caters to the manufacturing industry. And it does so in a flexible way: the workshops can easily be converted into homes, depending on the needs."
The site also houses flexible spaces for commercial purposes and offices and includes community gardens and a green courtyard. Promoting an active communal environment is key.
