Usquare.brussels
Usquare.brussels gives the former Fritz Toussaint barracks in Ixelles a second life as an open, mixed-use and future-oriented urban district. The redevelopment, driven by the Brussels Capital Region, VUB and ULB, places strong emphasis on circular renovation and sustainable urban heritage. The former gendarmerie buildings are being transformed into a university hub, supplemented with housing, local amenities and public spaces that connect seamlessly to the surrounding urban fabric.
- Client
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel and the Brussels-Capital Region
- Location
- Ixelles
- Expertises
- Acoustics, structural engineering, building services engineering, sustainable design, building simulations and reconversion design
- Architects
- evr-Architecten, BC-architecten and Callebaut
First construction phase: university hub and market hall
In the first construction zone, seven historic buildings along Avenue Général Jacques are being renovated. Together, they will form a new 9,000 m² university centre for VUB and ULB. The former riding hall will be repurposed into a 1,600 m² market hall focused on sustainable food.
The Master Development Plan, developed by Sweco, safeguards the balance between heritage preservation and opening the site to the neighbourhood. The once enclosed barracks are evolving into an accessible, multifunctional urban district.
Circular material use as the foundation
Usquare.brussels is a real-life example of circular renovation in an urban context. Materials from existing buildings are reused as much as possible. Bricks are preserved and re-laid where feasible. Radiators, sanitary fixtures, masonry and parquet floors are also given a second life.
New additions use bio-based materials and demountable systems: foundations partly built with shell boxes, terrazzo floors with recycled aggregates, and new wings in timber-frame construction, with clay plaster walls applied as acoustic finishing, in line with the project’s circular ambitions.
Energy performance is also significantly improved. Light as a service enables the reuse of existing fixtures, supplemented by new energy-efficient lighting. A new district heating network will sustainably supply the VUB buildings.
The building’s function is not fixed. Desired adaptations can be made over time with minimal material investment.
Bram Derudder, project manager
Extending the lifespan of existing buildings
Design choices are strongly guided by the heritage value of the former barracks. The structure is preserved wherever possible and reinforced where needed. New volumes, such as connectors and mezzanines, are built using lightweight, demountable timber construction, allowing future adjustments with minimal material use.
The principle of reversible living modules enables spaces to be adapted over time with minimal interventions. New additions follow the served–servant approach: technical functions are compact and logically organised, ensuring that usable spaces remain flexible.
Energy strategy and sustainability
The overall energy strategy for the 3.85-hectare site was developed by Sweco. It encompasses both existing and future buildings and focuses on maximum energy efficiency, heat recovery and renewable sources. Ventilation systems include heat recovery, facades and roofs are insulated wherever possible, and lighting is controlled based on daylight.
Sweco is also responsible for the technical studies, structural engineering, acoustics and sustainable design. The team translated the client’s high circular ambitions into concrete design solutions and modular, buildable systems.
A new urban and university district
The redevelopment of Usquare.brussels aims to grow into an international and open knowledge hub, offering space for research, entrepreneurship and dialogue between universities and local residents. The combination of heritage buildings with circular and demountable new constructions forms the foundation for a sustainable and adaptable campus.
Usquare.brussels illustrates how circular principles, heritage preservation and urban transformation can reinforce one another in an ambitious Belgian urban renewal project.
Photography – Stijn Bollaert
