A shared and progressive study process
The four project owners (the Brussels-Capital Region, the Municipality of Schaerbeek, RTBF and VRT) and their delegated project owner (perspective.brussels) have set up an ‘iterative’ study process.
This makes it possible to assess in parallel the building programme, the plans (the urban design), the impacts on the environment and the project’s financial and operational feasibility. These different aspects of the project are being continually and repeatedly revisited.
The various studies started in 2014 and will end in 2017.
The studies have been entrusted to two separate teams
- A team led by François Leclercq’s firm of architects and urban planners, in charge of developing a Master Plan. This multidisciplinary team includes, besides Agence Leclercq, eight consultancy firms:
- BOB 361 (architects)
- Espinas i Tarraso (landscape designers)
- CITEC (transport consultants)
- Alphaville (urban planning)
- Transsolar (environment)
- MAGEO (networks, roads)
- Buur (urban development, impact study)
- NARTEX (media).
- A team led by Egis Conseil, in charge of examining the financial, legal and operational aspects. In addition to Egis Conseil, a specialist in urban project organisation and governance, the team includes two other consultants:
- Ernst&Young Belgique (financial aspects)
- Publius (legal aspects).
Au cours de ces deux années d’études, le Masterplan sera soumis à une enquête publique dont les résultats pourront éventuellement infléchir ses conclusions.
At the end of the two years, the Master Plan will be approved by the four project owners and will be transcribed in regulatory documents to ensure legal certainty where the designated use of land has been changed.
An ongoing link with the RTBF and VRT projects
The agreements entered into between the Region, the Municipality, RTBF, VRT and perspective.brussels also relate to the coordination of the mediapark.brussels Master Plan with the plans for the new headquarters of the two public broadcasters.
The latter are themselves engaged in organising architectural studies for their future headquarters, but they also have an ongoing involvement in the definition of the Master Plan, which will provide the framework for their construction.
The two buildings will be constructed at the heart of the site, to the rear of the existing RTBF and VRT buildings, with a floor space of 41,000 m² for RTBF and 55,000 m² for VRT. As a result, the current facilities will be replaced without any interruption of the two broadcasters’ services by 2022.
A new public operator in charge of the operational implementation
Once the master plan has been finally adopted, the Urban Development Corporation (SAU-MSI), which is already involved in its preparation, will be responsible for its operational implementation, including coordination. the selection of public and private operators for the construction of infrastructure, housing, facilities and services; the search for investors and so on.