What kind of leverage and disruptive models are required to turn complexity into success?
• In which way do innovations inspire private and public players?
• Are they ready for challenges changing our way of working and living such as climate change and adaptation, circular economy, sustainable/flexible/adjustable design, architecture and construction?
• And which lessons can be learned from the past?
Furthermore, stakeholders must deal with ever-changing legislation and different decision-making levels in a rapidly changing society, boosted by the tech revolution, pandemics and globalization.
What rules and regulations and which strategies will influence or facilitate urban development projects or make them even more complex?
Session 1 | Impact of real estate developments around the Brussels ring road. How will this affect other urban developments in the city? Can it be seen as an accelerator for other projects? Case study Brussels Airport - Vilvoorde/Evere axis
Thursday 28th of March 2024, Brussels
A lot is going on in and around the Brussels ring road. In this session, we will focus on real estate developments on the axis Vilvoorde - Evere and the area around Brussels airport. How do they impact other major developments in Brussels? Do they threaten or compete with other urban plans in the city or can they be seen as an accelerator? And how does this affect mobility and accessibility issues in that area?
- Brussels Airport: next stage in the real estate development plans - strategic vision 2040
Mira De Grande, director commercial real estate at Brussels Airport Company
- The spatial policy in the airport region
Jo Decoster, spatial planner, environment department, Government of Flanders
- Brussels-Flemish periphery between Vilvoorde and the airport. Debate about the airport tram and other possible connections alongside the ring road such as the trambus and the impact of these infrastructural measures on further urban development. Tour with the trambus 820 van from Brussels Airport to Vilvoorde station and back.
Joachim Nijs, regional transport expert Flemish periphery and Brussel, De Lijn
Loïc Mignon, head of real estate, STIB-MIVB
Philippe le Polain senior project manager - Transversal System, STIB-MIVB
Session 2 | City renewal contracts and cooperative housing systems as possible instruments for affordable housing in Brussels and Flanders
Thursday 25th of April 2024, Brussels
In the Netherlands, the government invests 40 million in various projects to stimulate cooperative housing initiatives. What measures or actions are being made by the Flemish, Brussels and Walloon governments and how do private investors and project developers perceive this?
Only 25% of the Belgian population can buy a house, 25% of the population wants to buy a house but doesn't have enough means and the rest simply just can't afford to buy at all. In this crooked state of affairs, we need to ask ourselves if governments and real estate professionals are working for the right target groups.
- Affordable housing in Brussels: where are the challenges and what are the possible solutions? Which 'out of the box' measures are being taken and are already being implemented?
Benjamin Cadranel, managing director CityDev
- Cooperative housing in Flanders: what does the cooperative model stands for? How affordable is it?
Peggy Totté, architect/urban planner and director at Architectuurwijzer
- Case study: PAD Heyvaert (obligation to provide 20% social housing in projects >2000m²)
Corentin Le Martelot, project manager Perspective Brussels
Geoffrey De Hemptinne, project developer Revive
- Presentation about and guided tour of Circularium
Gerd De Wilde, project manager Circularium, Makettt
Session 3 | Urban development strategy of the city of Tournai: vision, instruments, decision making and participation process
Thursday 16th of May, Tournai
Living and working in the historical city of Tournai, one of the 3 cities of the Eurometropole (together with Lille and Kortrijk). How is the city being transformed into a healthy place to live, work and relax? Which urban strategy and development plans are implemented to blend the historical past of this city with the growing need for affordable housing? In which way can they attract new businesses and citizens?
- Urban development scheme and other instruments and citizen participation meetings for big projects
Philippe Robert, councillor urban development, city of Tournai
- Some example projects of urban transformation in Tournai
Nicolas Ecrepont, real estate project manager, Bouygues Immobilier & Wim Straetmans, managing director Kairos
- Case study CHWAPI: the construction of one of the largest hospitals in the region and an state of the art example sustainable healthcare real estate. But how will this huge development affect or influence other urban projects in the city?
Nicolas Van Oost, prof. ir. architect & chairman at Archipelago
Didier Delval, general manager Centre Hospitalier de Wallonie picarde
- Short guided tour of the building site CHWAPI and short city walk in Tournai
Session 4 | How to transform monofunctional office deserts into vibrant and liveable mixed-use urban areas. Guided walk through the Leopold and North district
Thursday 30th of May 2024, Brussels
Is the redevelopment of office buildings gradually becoming the new normal? What are the challenges when facing a renovation project?
- How to turn a concrete desert into a healthy and liveable neighborhood
- Which actions are taken to provide more affordable housing (new forms of renting, ownership)
- How can the local economy be revived?
- How can nature be reintroduced in this quarter?
City walk with several stops at: ZIN (Befimmo / 51N4E) – CCN (AG Real Estate) – Noordstation (51N4E) – Victoria (Sureal), Ilot 130 (Whitewhood / Plusoffice) – Seco (BPI)
Explanations by: Pierre Lemaire, Dieter Leyssen, Sunita Van Heers, Valérie Vermandel, Griet Trekels
Guides: Frederik Serroen, staff member team BMA en Aurel Gavriloaia, head of business development AG Real Estate
Session 5 | (Re)Build old and new urban areas in Antwerpen Zuid: by trial and error
Thursday 13th of June 2024, Antwerp
How can we make cities liveable and how can nature and mankind? Depaving and reintroducing nature in cities not only prevents heat stress in summer and floods in other seasons, it also literally and figuratively gives oxygen to the city and its inhabitants. Antwerp aims to become a healthier city by decarbonization, providing smart grids and taking soft mobility measures. Which instruments in this process work and which don't?
Case study Antwerpen Zuid
- Changes and challenges for a real estate owner with a real estate development project at Antwerpen-Zuid.
Bart Huybrechts, former Real Estate Manager CMB Group and initiator Maritime Campus Antwerp
- Approach, policy and strategy of the city of Antwerp
Hardwin De Wever, director urban renewal projects AG Vespa
- How private and public actors can cooperate in order to create new vibrant and healthy neighbourhoods?
Nick Bila, coo Triple Living
City safari by bike hosted by AG Vespa and Triple Living visiting following locations: Zuidpark, New Quais including construction of new quai park and location of the to-be-build bridge over the river, City distribution center, A roof over the ring, Nieuw Zuid, new KMSKA, à la Marine