What is it about?
The City of Brussels is planning to build a new campus for the 'De Droomboom' Dutch-language community school on rue Louis Wittouck in Laeken.
Info session: new De Droomboom campus (23 September 2024)
In the future, the campus will host a nursery school, four years of primary education and four years of 'tienerschool' - a slightly different education system that removes the divide between primary and secondary education.
The future campus will accommodate 384 children in primary school (2 classes per year) and 288 pupils (3 classes per year) in secondary school, doubling the school's current capacity.
The Droomboom complex aims to be not only an educational centre, but also a dynamic place for the local community. The school's sports facilities, workshops and refectories will be accessible to local residents after school hours. The new buildings will be used to open a branch of the Hoofdstedelijk Kunstacademie. Access from rue Louis Wittouck will be reserved for external users, while the main entrance to the school will be used for access to the academy.
The added value of the current site is the green space with large trees lining rue Louis Wittouck. The new design is based on the desire to preserve this open space and the trees. An esplanade will be created alongside the street, forming the face of and entrance to the future school. On the grounds, play and adventure will be encouraged with plenty of greenery and permeable materials.
The new site consists of 3 vertical segments (in relation to Rue L. Wittouck), linked by a horizontal segment:
- The main building, at the intersection of rue Louis Wittouck and rue Laneau, will house the administration, the primary school and the 'tienerschool', as well as the Hoofdstedelijke Kunstacademie (4 floors)
- The nursery school and primary school will be housed in the middle building (2 floors)
- The third building will house the sports facilities (2 floors)
- The building linking the three segments , at the rear of the campus, will house the refectories and some technical and service rooms. This rear segment is as low as possible to minimise its impact and views over the gardens
The new campus will be exemplary in terms of sustainability:
- Heating is provided entirely by geothermal heat pumps. De Droomboom will be the first school in the City of Brussels to be completely disconnected from the gas supply.
- 2,100 m² of roof space are equipped with photovoltaic panels and a rainwater recovery system
- 1,043 m² are intensive green roofs
- 61% of the exterior space is permeable so that the ground can collect rainwater and allow it to infiltrate
- and finally, there are plans to create a large, covered bicycle shelter.
The City of Brussels obtained planning permission in September 2023. During the works, the classrooms will be set up in temporary containers so that the school can continue to operate without interruption.
© Radar Architecten - Petillon Ceuppens architecten - Atelier Arne Deruyter
© Radar Architecten - Petillon Ceuppens architecten - Atelier Arne Deruyter
What purpose?
This project meets the following ambitions and objectives:
- To rationalise the management and use of municipal sites by applying the concept of chrono-urbanism
- To give priority to refocussing the city's facilities and services within multi-purpose neighbourhood facilities hubs
- To address the lack of green spaces and public facilities
- To implement a policy of activating roofs to prevent overheating in municipal public buildings
- To strengthen the resilience of the Molenbeek catchment basin in light of the growing risk of flooding by preserving existing green areas and incorporating rainwater management into construction and renovation policies in an optimum manner
- To continue to develop the City of Brussels' photovoltaic park
- To analyse and implement innovative solutions in terms of energy production (urban wind turbines, riothermal energy, geothermal energy,...)
- To mobilise the construction sector to reuse materials
- To provide suitable cycle parking facilities
© Radar Architecten - Petillon Ceuppens architecten - Atelier Arne Deruyter
© Radar Architecten - Petillon Ceuppens architecten - Atelier Arne Deruyter
