The housing renovation project, located in the historic heart of Brussels on the Grand-Place, concerns the buildings formerly known as "La Renommée" (number 13) and "L'Ermitage" (number 14). This heritage site is part of a dense and highly frequented urban fabric.
The project involves the restoration and repurposing of these two buildings into shops, residences, and offices. The Land Registry of the City of Brussels will develop five new housing units, including three one-bedroom and two two-bedroom apartments, to strengthen the residential function in the city center.
To ensure a better quality of life, the residences will be located away from the Grand-Place itself, known for being the noisiest part of the site. Office spaces will act as a buffer zone between the ground-floor shops and the apartments to minimize noise pollution.
Key interventions include reconfiguring circulation, fitting out the attics of number 14 with roof windows for improved natural light, partially demolishing the rear volume to enlarge the inner courtyard, and integrating outdoor spaces such as accessible terraces on the flat roofs.
This intervention also aligns with an ecological and climate-conscious approach, aiming to preserve heritage elements while adapting the structures to current requirements and addressing the challenges of the urban heat island phenomenon in Brussels.
