Bempt, Brussels

The Bempt municipal park in Forest is connected to the large green promenade that circles Brussels. In the summertime, it is a family place to play ball, picnic and take a nap in the open air. Behind the park, from the sports fields, you can see the school building through the foliage, which is reflected in the ponds. From the Chaussée de Neerstall, the school asserts its character as a public facility through the large overhang which forms a protective awning above the main entrance. The building integrates two educational facilities, a kindergarten and a primary school, which operate sepa­rately but are interconnected to form a single architectural composition.

A stack of three brick volumes forms an arch under which the students can take shelter. The articulation of the volumes follows the steep slope of the land and connects the interior spaces and the courtyards oriented in two different directions, creating varied perspectives and atmospheres. The circulation of the primary school is integrated into a double-height space, while a fully glazed curtain wall opens onto the courtyard. The building is cladded in brick, which is a nod to the facades typical of Brussels streets and gives a rational and urban character to the building. The brick is notable for its flat surface and horizontal proportions, and through the use of different color hues arranged in a randomized pattern, it mimics the bark of surrounding trees.

Additionally, the project  meets passive energy standards, proposes an exemplary flexibility in its interior design and integrates a range of renewable energy strategies (geo-cooling, geo-thermal energy, thermal and photovoltaic solar panels, etc.).