Urban high-rise

Brutopia, Brussels

In their search for affordable and high-quality housing in Brussels, 29 families decided to buy several old hangars in a closed building block. They hired stekke + fraas architects and created a residential project without the help of a developer. As the first passive building in Brussels, the project was granted several municipal subsidies and was awarded the title of Voorbeeldgebouw or 'exemplary building'.

Brutopia consists of two apartment buildings flanking either side of a communal garden, where residents can interact and where children can play. The apartments vary in size and each have a private terrace on the garden side. Families are free to design their apartments to their tastes and budget, and can even choose the size of their windows and terrace. The apartments will be sold as an empty shell, which makes the project so affordable. External stairs grant residents in the lower apartments access to the garden, which is perfect for families with children. Residents can walk through the garden to reach the other building. A shared laundry room, living room and kitchen will be built next to the garden. Cars and bicycles can be parked in an underground parking area. The ground floor will house three architecture firms, an office for the public centre for social welfare (OCMW) and an office for the local branch of LDR-MIRO. While they have direct access to the street, all of the windows are on the garden side.