With its iconic architecture and strategic position along the inner ring road between Porte de Hal and Louise, the ‘Waterloo 115’ building is a landmark in the district. The aim is to make this project a benchmark for urban regeneration.

The building, designed by architect François Malfait in 1924-1925 and listed as part of the architectural heritage, is made up of 3 identical volumes connected by a central section. The complex housed ULB’s School of Medicine and Anatomy, and was founded with the support of the Rockefeller Foundation, following the nearby Hôpital universitaire Saint-Pierre. In the 1990s, the building was renovated and adapted for office use, with the addition of the glazed attic on floors +7 and +8.

Eaglestone and Foresite are launching an architectural competition with the aim of transforming a single-function building of around 19,000m² into a new space with a mix of complementary functions. The aim is to enhance and activate the building’s base so that it can interact with its context, and to develop a multifunctional building with housing, a hotel and services (horeca, coworking, retail, sports hall).

One of the challenges of the project is to find the right balance between creating a contemporary identity to give the site a new dynamic, while adopting an approach that respects its past and its heritage value. The way in which the various functions and flows are organised is also a determining factor in guaranteeing quality of use for all future occupants. The key elements to be integrated are the cohabitation of the programmes, access from the public space and to the heart of the building, and the requalification of the courtyards between the different volumes.