Steven Massart - Architectuurfotografie

Gare Maritime by Neutelings-Riedijk Architects for Extensa

Gare Maritime on the Tour & Taxis site in Brussels has been transformed into a covered city with a mixed program of working and shopping and plenty of public space to relax.

Neutelings Riedijk Architects designed the new Gare Maritime as a city district; ‘a city where it never rains’. Under the roofs of the old station, 12 wooden pavillions
have been added to accommodate the new program. They create a new structure of boulevards and street, parks and squares, that follows the building structure in a natural way. The central space in the heart of the building has been kept open for public events. On both sides of the event space the green walking boulevards are wide enough to plant 10 large gardens.

Entirely constructed in wood, Gare Maritime is the largest CLT-project in Europe. The choice for wood greatly reduced the use of cement and also had a favorable effect on the process: thanks to prefabrication and the dry constructing method, the construction time was considerably shorter. Gare Maritime is an excellent example of a sustainable and circular design. It is energy neutral and fossil free. At all levels far-reaching sustainability measures have been implemented, such as solar panels on the glass facades and roofs, geothermal energy and reuse of rainwater.

Text by Neutelings-Riedijk Architects