The Albert Building in the Leuven district of Casablanca (Kessel-Lo) is a residential building designed by Paul De Meyer and Léon Stynen in 1956. It stands alone in Casablanca Park and can accommodate 72 families. The existing building is replaced by a newly constructed volume, planted in such a way as to break the impression of a 'wall of buildings' and to reconnect the public domain on both sides.
Over time, the western part of the park has developed into a high-quality green space. In addition tot he existing Jan Vranckxweg, we are defining a second green axis on the opposite side of the site. This passage for soft traffic links up with the new school, the adjacent residential streets and green zones and connects the functions on the site.
Access for all motorised traffic for residents is provided from the Lijsterlaan with a direct entrance to an underground car park. Because of this accessibility, access to the building is also provided from that side, so the open space between the Lijsterlaan and the building acquires the status of an access square to the building and the dwellings.
The building is accessible from both sides; we consider this double orientation a necessary precondition for anchoring the building on the site and connecting the public areas that make up the park as a whole. The ambition for this project is higher than the original building, with a capacity of 80 residential units with mostly 3 and 4 bedrooms, a large bicycle shed and additional common areas. We propose one building volume, consisting of 11 floors. The building is brought into line with the building volumes in the residential area by means of angular rotations. In addition to these angular rotations, cuts and manipulations are made in the volume, refining the basic model of a monolithic high-rise.
client
Dijledal cvba so, Social Housing Leuven
location
Kessel-Lo, Leuven, Belgium
period
2018
procedure
Closed Call Competition
team
Lieven Achtergael, Dirk Liekens, Sander Verhanneman, Kris Huysmans
i.c.w.
Stabo Macobo Group (construction engineers)