The renovation of social housing ensembles is high on the agenda. After all, this housing heritage is at a turning point: the life cycle of various materials is coming to an end, the integration of housing into the urban fabric needs to be reviewed, the habitability and functionality of the buildings, as well as the involvement of residents, deserve broader reflection. All this through an accelerated but thoughtful approach.

The Foyer Laekenois is launching a feasibility study to define the renovation strategy for eight residential buildings on the Heliport-Anvers site. Issues such as housing quality, insulation of the building shell, fire safety, reuse of materials, local energy production, upgrading and greening of the outdoor spaces are central to this.  After a thorough diagnosis of the site, the aim is to draw up a number of scenarios in order to ultimately select a renovation scenario that will be refined and implemented via a follow-up assignment.

In order to feed this feasibility study as much as possible with the insights of the residents and the partners involved (the neighbourhood contract, Brussels Environment, etc.), The foyer Laekenois wants to set up a ‘permanence’. The aim of this ‘permanence’ is for the selected team to know how the site functions and is used, to develop a thorough knowledge of the buildings and their spatial and technical aspects, and to respond to unexpected opportunities that arise.