Feasibility study for a Student and Community Centre in Schaerbeek | Brussels
The Student and Community Centre of place de la Reine as a motor for urban integration
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The creation of a Student Centre was proposed in the context of the Brabant | North | St-Lazarus urban renewal contract. After all, in a fairly limited perimeter around a few blocks of houses, there are four institutions of higher education, good for no less than 5,000 students and approximately 1,000 teachers.
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The Student and Community Centre, at Place de la Reine, would allow for interaction between residents and users, between cultural institutions and educational establishments, between local actors and students, etc. This centre could therefore act as a strong lever for mobilising and facilitating meetings between the various actors.
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This feasibility study has been used as an opportunity to build up the programme together with the potential partners and stakeholders in order to be sure that this Centre will become an 'anchor' and offer space for a community function, meeting space, student accommodation, coworking spaces and all this in close cooperation with the nearby 'Maison des Arts' (House of the Arts).
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The necessary support for the student and community centre was built, through the implication of the four colleges involved, the municipality of Schaarbeek and local, social organizations. Based on the common work for the definition of the programme the different cooperation modalities, the needs in terms of financial investment, management and operation of the facilities were agreed with the various stakeholders. A solid basis has thus been provided on which these key partners in the management of this public infrastructure can now refine their operation with the tools that have been developed.
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Meanwhile, the architectural competition has been launched on the basis of the programme and conditions defined in the study.
This feasibility study, conducted under special circumstances (Covid), by a flexible and voluntaristic attitude of the study team, has led to a successful final result.
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Client: RenovaS asbl (municipality of Schaerbeek)
Study team: SumProject (coordination and research) + BDO (financial feasibility)
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3174
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