For many years, the City of Brussels has been pursuing an active policy to make public spaces greener and more resilient to the effects of climate change.
What is it about?
Through the 'European Quarter Greening Masterplan' project, the City is making way for more trees and plants at various locations in the European Quarter. Paved surfaces are being removed. This gives trees and plants more space to grow and allows rainwater to seep back into the ground.
Together with Laeken and the Pentagon (city centre), the European Quarter is part of the policy to make public spaces greener.
The works at the Rue Guimard began on 3 August 2026. All but one of the 35 existing trees will be retained and given more space for their roots. An additional 1,000 m² of space will be created for greenery and water infiltration, with 3 new standard trees and additional planting. Thirty cycle racks will also be installed.
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At the junction of the Rue de Toulouse and the Rue Jacques de Lalaing, new trees were planted and the existing planting beds were enlarged. As a result, 6 new trees were added and 63 m² of paving was removed.
The works have now been completed.
Studies are currently underway to identify locations where it would be possible to plant more trees and vegetation and to apply further greening measures. Based on these analyses, the City will launch greening projects that take into account the available public space.
The following streets are the subject of a study:
- Square Frère-Orban
- Rue d'Arlon
- Rue de la Science
- Rue Breydel
- junction of Rue de Trèves and Rue de Toulouse (near the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Belgium)
What purpose?
- More trees provide shade and keep the area cooler
- Less hard surfacing allows rainwater to infiltrate more effectively
- More green spaces contribute to an attractive, liveable and biodiverse city
