Usquare.brussels

Commissioned by the Brussels Region, the Urban Development Corporation (SAU-MSI.brussels) is the developer in charge of building and coordinating the various operations to be carried out to make the Usquare.brussels project a reality.

This future new open, mixed and dynamic, urban and friendly, university and international, sustainable and innovative district will be created on the 4-hectare site of the former Royal School of the Gendarmerie located at the corner of Boulevard Général Jacques and Avenue de la Couronne, in Ixelles.

Usquare.brussels will have to meet the needs of the people of Brussels in terms of housing, facilities of collective interest, shared services, friendly public spaces and, on the other hand, host an ambitious pioneering project of international scope, jointly supported by two universities, the ULB and the VUB and focused on sustainable development and the circular economy (research centre,  dissemination and sharing of knowledge, international exchanges, entrepreneurship and innovation, etc.).

The SAU-MSI is playing a role as an integrator on the site that will host a new district called "Usquare.brussels". This mission was entrusted to him by the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region, which bought the former barracks from the federal state. The SAU-MSI is therefore coordinating the entire Usquare.brussels project.

In addition, in consultation with the other public and university actors concerned, the SAU-MSI is also the project owner for the construction of student housing, the centre for autism as well as for the construction of the heating network powered by geothermal energy and the complete redevelopment of public spaces. This while enhancing the historical heritage but piercing the perimeter wall of the site, to make it accessible from the surrounding districts.

The SAU is also the project manager for the future conversion of the riding arena, which was used for the training of riders, into a hall focused on sustainable food. This part of the reallocation of the barracks is financially supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

• In the spring of 2018, the SAU-MSI became responsible for the operational development of the project for the conversion of the former Ixelles barracks. In particular, it is supporting the universities (ULB and VUB) in the launch of its international architectural competition for the construction of its new academic activity centre and the restoration of the old riding school into a food hall.
• In the spring of 2019 until the end of summer 2022, the SAU-MSI is carrying out a large-scale transitional management on the site of the former Barracks. At the time, the largest temporary occupation project in Belgium (called See U), hosted more than 200 project initiatives, programmed more than 1500 events and activities and welcomed several hundred thousand visitors.
• At the beginning of 2020, the SAU-MSI appointed a Franco-Belgian multidisciplinary team, led by the Anyoji Beltrando architects and urban planners agency, to ensure the design and monitoring of the construction of the 20,000 m² of public spaces on the Usquare.brussels site as well as the construction of a geothermally powered heating network.
• At the end of 2020, the Brussels-Capital Region issued planning permits for the first two renovation and repurposing operations of emblematic buildings on the site : the first permit was issued to the SAU-MSI for the renovation and conversion of the former Manège into a hall focused on sustainable food; the second was issued to the ULB and VUB universities for the renovation and reallocation of the buildings located on the front of the Boulevard Général Jacques into a centre of academic activities
• In December 2020, See U, the temporary occupation of Usquare.brussels, was awarded at the Visit.brussels Awards.
• At the beginning of 2021, the SAU-MSI began an innovative participatory process on the design of public spaces.
• At the end of 2021, the first conversion of the emblematic buildings of the former barracks began.
• In the summer of 2022: the SAU-MSI obtains its planning permit to build the heating network, drill the geothermal probes, completely repair the sewers, set up integrated rainwater management infrastructure and completely redevelop public spaces.
• Early 2023: work on the construction of the underground infrastructure begins.
• Mid-2024: the new academic activity center is inaugurated and will welcome many professors, doctoral students, researchers and students from the academic meeting of September 2024