51N4E is continuing its work on the densification and reconfiguration of existing housing settlements, a pressing issue in loosely built Flanders. In Beersel, in the rolling hills around Brussels, we have completed an elderly home project for Qaly, a private developer that provides high quality communal living. The project integrates 11.000 m² of housing and services by pushing the volume to the back of the site, turning the remainder of the site into a publicly accessible garden in continuity with the municipal park. Here, density creates new qualities: the elderly home is open and active, with shared services in close relation to the existing community, strengthening the life in the village.
Pictures by Filip Dujardin
RETHINKING THE GARDEN CITY
A few months ago, we have been selected by SLRB and Binhôme to design the densification of the garden city of Homborch in Uccle (Brussels). Together with Coloco, we envisioned the construction of 85 social houses in multiple configurations and in close relation to the renewal of the open space. From public to private, from collective to intimate, new interfaces are designed to create more diverse ways of living together in and with the landscape.
DICHTELUST
Translated to English, Dichtelust would turn into ‘Desire for Density’. This is the title of an exhibition at the Architecture Museum in Basel, challenging the notion of density by talking about its qualities and not only its numeric aspects. The subtitle ‘Forms of urban co-existence’ is made tangible by the Arteconomy daybed and the Skanderbeg chair, two pieces of 51N4E furniture that were designed to bring people closer together. On Show until May 5th 2019.
S AM Swiss Architecture Museum, exhibition picture „Dichtelust“
Picture by Tom Bisig
STUDIO NOORD-ZUID LIMBURG
A mobility system is not only about traffic, but also about territorial development. Fully acknowledging this dual aspect, the Flemish government decided to realize the missing link between Hasselt (BE) and Eindhoven (NL) as an integrated regional strategy, enhancing the landscape, the economy and the living environment through a layered mobility network. On the 6th of October 2018 a team consisting of Tractebel, Arcadis, 51N4E, MAAT designers and the university of Hasselt where chosen to start this challenging process of research, design and implementation. Under the name of Studio Noord Zuid Limburg, we will work the coming years together with the Flemish government, local communes and a variety of stakeholders in the North Limburg region, to come up with a strategy that is able to grow in time and to match different desires and requirements, beyond infrastructure.
SKANDERBEG SQUARE AWARDED
We are very proud that the Skanderbeg Square in Tirana has been awarded the European Prize for Urban Public Space. Well aware of the ambiguities inherent in the notion of public space, this is the only prize in Europe which recognizes spaces that are both public and urban. Apart from this award, the project is also nominated for the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award 2019.
Picture by Maxime Delvaux
The publication on Skanderbeg Square has received equally important attention, being awarded the DAM Book Award. In their statement the jury says “ The book presents the exciting result in a lively and clear manner. The visual aspect plays the main role and is subtly complemented by pithy short descriptions. Published by Ruby Press, Chapter 1 conveys this successful and richly facetted project with lightness and diverse shifts in perspective.“ The book is available here.
MOVING
After a year and a half in the World Trade Center 1, we are now preparing to move to a temporary location. For a period of a few months, our office will be located in the EU quarter. Mail sent to WTC 1 will be forwarded automatically to our temporary office. In the next newsletter, we will inform you about our next location and about the future reconversion project of the WTC towers.
