type
Masterplan and Public participation
Context
Simonis is a key multimodal hub in western Brussels. As such, this key stop, served by the rail, metro, and local bus networks, as well as long-distance lines connecting to Flanders, plays a major role in the metropolitan infrastructure. The current layout is dominated by vehicular traffic, featuring several roundabouts that fail to prevent significant congestion during rush hours. Access to public transport is via the street level (for buses) or through various staircases and elevators. Several heritage features (pavilions, a fountain) give structure to the esplanade, which remains a predominantly mineral surfaced space.
Mission
The assignment involves developing a masterplan that identifies scenarios for transforming this space. The municipality of Koekelberg faces disturbances caused by regional infrastructure within a particularly constrained area. To improve the current situation, Beliris aims to build consensus around a new layout. This design must alleviate conflicts between the various uses of the public space and equip an area—currently organized solely around mobility—with tools for climate change adaptation. Traffic simulations will be used to ensure that the proposed interventions do not worsen the existing situation.
Approach
One of the complexities of Simonis lies in the diversity of the people who use it. The site can be viewed simultaneously as the municipality’s main station, an entry point for commuters arriving from Flanders, the terminus of Elisabeth Park, a metro network terminus, and so on. All these functions leave little room for the local community to make the space their own. To better understand the projects residents would like to see take shape, we organized several consultation sessions centered on three deliberately distinct approaches: "Koekelberg Gateway," "Green Link," and "Metropolitan Hub." Fieldwork highlighted key elements within each proposal; these were combined to form a core project, the feasibility of which must now be assessed.