The “Brugmannsite,” an urban block of approximately 19 hectares, is a major anchor point in the urban fabric of Laeken. It hosts several large-scale facilities, including the Brugmann Hospital and the Queen Fabiola Children’s Hospital.
The site also holds significant heritage value, primarily thanks to the Brugmann Hospital, which was built by Victor Horta between 1906 and 1923. Horta conceived a hospital composed of pavilions set within a wooded park landscape, resulting in both architecture and open space of exceptional quality.
Since its inception, the site has been continuously evolving. This ongoing transformation presents opportunities as well as challenges, for which the City of Brussels aims to develop a vision and a guiding framework in the form of a Spatial Quality Plan.
This Spatial Quality Plan emphasizes, on the one hand, the (existing) defining elements in terms of spatial and urban quality, for both the buildings and the open space. On the other hand, the plan also sets out objectives and boundary conditions for coherent development in the short, medium, and long term. The plan will be developed with a focus on sustainable development, particularly regarding landscape, water management, and mobility.
The Spatial Quality Plan will be elaborated through research by design, supported by environmental impact analysis. In addition to the traditional consultation with public actors, in-depth dialogue will also be necessary with the private actors who use this large-scale site and who will be responsible for its future development.
SKILLS
To realize this ambition, the City of Brussels is looking for a multidisciplinary and cross-cutting team with expertise in research by design in terms of architecture, landscape, and urban planning; as well as in planning and development strategies; and in environmental impact analysis.
AWARD CRITERIA
- Criterion 1: Quality of the approach to the assignment (55 points)
- Criterion 2: Quality and relevance of references and the team (30 points)
- Criterion 3: Feasibility (15 points)
INDICATIVE TIMETABLE
- Invitation to submit a tender: 05/09/2025
- Site visit and briefing: September 2025 (exact date to be determined)
- Submission of tenders: 06/10/2025
- Presentation of tenders to the jury: 20/10/2025
- Award of contract and start of the mission: November 2025
FEES
The study budget is set at € 139.000 excl. VAT
REMUNERATION
A remuneration of € 2.500 will be awarded to each team that submitted a regular bid but was not chosen as laureate.
If you are interested, we invite you to send an e-mail, before 22.08.2025 at 2 PM, to bouwmeester maître architecte at appel-oproep@bma.brussels, showing your interest, motivation and experience, and giving your contact details and/or those of the planned team (on a maximum of one attached A4 sheet).