Brussels | EU quarter - Redevelopment projects

[Slartibartfas]

Originally Posted by Ermengol Patalín

Why does EC need a new seat? Where is the current one?

Let's make an important distinction first. The "Council of the European Union" is where the national ministers meet and this institution has important legislative power, in most areas shared with the European Parliament. Then there is also the "European Council", this is where the head of states and prime ministers of the member states convene. Before the Lisbon treaty this was not even a proper institution and not so many years ago it was not even based in Brussels but consisted of summits that usually took place in the country holding the Council presidency (of the Council of the European Union, as the other Council did not have a presidency on its own as it wasn't even a proper institution). One can debate the merit, but Lisbon changed that. The European Council still has few hard powers but is now an official institution and the travelling circus was replaced by a fixed place in the heart of the EU quarter in Brussels. So far the European Council uses the same complex as the Council of the European Union. The Residence Palace is already today part of the complex but its where the European Council will get its own facilities.

It is noteworthy that in post Lisbon times and also because of the current crises the intensity of meetings etc of the European Council considerably increased. Moreover there is now a European Council President with his office.

Last but not least, the European Council is rather executive in nature while the Council of the European Union is mostly legislative. Also from that point of view, a clearer separation of both is welcome.

[Ermengol Patalín]

Thank you for the explanation. I understand it totally now!

[Ulpia-Serdica]

When are we gonna see some movement on this project?

[Slartibartfas]

Apparently they've been busy so far to prepare the old building structure as well as creating the foundations for the new part. It certainly does not help that below the building the new Schuman station is under construction as well. They last picture I saw indicated however that they are pretty much done with the foundations now. So the visible new part should be started in a not too distant time.

[Ulpia-Serdica]

Any updates?

[joshsam]

Originally Posted by ced_flanders

Originally Posted by Bazar

Update 18/3:










Het begint er echt spectaculair uit te zien. Sorry voor de donkere foto's (tegenlicht met GSM )

Originally Posted by robert

Update 14-04-2013

Originally Posted by Bazar

Update 14-5-2013:

Originally Posted by Bazar

Update, vandaag ad achterkant vh gebouw

....

[joshsam]

Underground Schuman station platforms:

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Originally Posted by ced_flanders

Ok bedankt voor de uitleg, ik dénk dat ik het begrepen heb nu nog wat fotootjes:

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[joshsam]

Undergroudn Schuman station, building a crosslink between Metro and GEN-rail

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Originally Posted by KAAAZ

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[joshsam]

What the rebuild of the Schuman station underneath the EU quarter should look like when finished:

Originally Posted by Bazar

[joshsam]

17 februari: The new car tunnels are also open for Traffic. Note glass is for lighting the Schuman station wich is below the car tunnels!!!

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Originally Posted by jppalasi

Quelques photos (qui datent du 17 février) du nouveau toit vitré de la station de métro Schuman. Une idée belle et audacieuse, qui va complètement changer la station vu de l'intérieur... .

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[joshsam]

This video is a bit older and in Dutch but I think the immages speak more than words. Brussels is one of the most conjested cities in Euorpe. Trying to fix this will include major infrastructure work for new metro and rail tunnels:

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Originally Posted by Meurisse

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[joshsam]

Belview, new highrise mixed use in the EU quarter making the distric less monotome:

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Originally Posted by CaféTasse

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Originally Posted by robert

Update van 14-04-2013

Originally Posted by Bazar

2 werkers? Dan was dat maar een begin, want vanochtend was het "vollenbak"!

Zie foto's hieronder met de 3 kranen actief:

[joshsam]

A new office tower in the EU-Quarter:

Originally Posted by Bazar

Dit zou het dus moeten worden, website van architecten Buro II & ArchI+I ( http://www.b2ai.com )

Current situation of the lot: An empty hotel tower due to be demolished:

[joshsam]

Some other recently completed office building:

Originally Posted by jppalasi

Une mise à jour sur le square Orban (photos de fin février). La Direction Générale sur la Recherche de la Commission Européenne s'est déjà installée dedans, ils ont été rapides! Les deux immeubles de logement sur les côtés ne sont pas complètement finis. La réalisation est de qualité et l'ensemble rend bien. Le choix des matériaux est en harmonie avec le reste de la place. Par contre le gabarit fait quand même très massif.

[Slartibartfas]

Great summary!

[joshsam]

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Originally Posted by ced_flanders

Top van de toren is aan het versmallen

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[erbse]

We have a nice Brussels thread over at DWF, too

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1616025