LIÈGE BOOGY WOOGY
The project site is located alongside the new urban axis (Guillemins–Boverie–Longdoz). Taking up a central position both local and (inter)regional. This makes it an ideal location to work and live in a high quality urban environment. The new urban conditions have the potential to transform the Guillemin district in an attractive vibrant area at day and night.
The perimeter of the block.
The perimeter of the building block is formed by an amalgam of different building typologies in different architectural styles. The perimeter is discontinuous, disrupted by unbuilt plots and sudden scale jumps. We propose to close the perimeter and clearly define the building block.
Along the Rue des Paradis we create a new building front that responds to the new urban context. The front consists of three mixed-use buildings: commercial + housing, design centre + housing and a hotel + housing. The new facade makes a gradual transition between the apartment building of Avenue Blonden (R+8) and the 19 century houses (R+2) towards Rue de Serbie and restores the continuity of the perimeter.
The perimeter alongside Rue de Serbie and Rue des XXII is mainly formed by single family houses with gardens and occasional warehouses in the back. We close the building front with housing, following the same height as the adjoining buildings. At street level there are the public entrances giving access to the core of the building block.
The inside of the block.
The inner area consists of wasteland and remnants of an industrial past is underused. Our strategy is to empty the core and fill it completely with a new programme, a plinth of patio housing. On top of the plinth a green landscape of gardens.
The plinth can perfectly connect with the gardens of the houses (Rue des XXII) and at the same time connect with the apartments of Avenue Blonden.
At the side of the apartments of Avenue Blonden we propose a collective space. The collective space connects the apartments with the inside of the block. This connection gives the inhabitants access to the underground parking and the public amenities of the block.
An ideal environment to work.
The inside of the building block contains the remnants of an old industrial past. In today’s knowledge economy the working environment is very different from the old industrial factories. People need flexible places to work, collaborate and develop new ideas.
To realize this new working environment we propose a design centre complemented with “atelier houses” for designers, architects, artists... with a workspace at home.
An ideal environment to live.
For the inside of the building block we propose patio houses. The patio’s have movable screens. You can choose to open the patio and have more space and less privacy. This gives people the freedom to regulate the relationship between the patios and the collective spaces. On level +1 every houses has its private garden where you can enjoy long views.
