On the initiative of several property owners (AGRE, BPI, VDD, Whitewood and Immobel) and as part of their "Rez-de-Ville" project, a first constructive co-creation workshop was held on 8 February 2022 with various departments of the City of Brussels concerning the setting of shops and (semi-) public spaces in the pedestrian zone of the Place de Brouckère in Brussels.

After the City explained the commercial plan for the city centre avenues, the co-creation participants looked for opportunities, tools and actions.  The aim was to create a diversified offer of shops for young people, employees, new residents and tourists, leaving room for local shops and innovative concepts. Solutions for improving connections between neighbourhoods and creating a pleasant experience in the public space were discussed. The idea of the 15-minute city fits into this framework. In a nutshell, it means that the inhabitants of a city or district can find all essential functions within a 15-minute walk or cycle.

Immobel is active in the pedestrian zone with the Multi, Oxy and Brouck'r projects, all of which are located on or near the Place de Brouckère. Now that the pedestrian zone has finally been built, the area must acquire an identity through programming and activation, both of the shops and of the public space.

"At Immobel, we are convinced that our projects can be a great lever to create this identity and we therefore want to show a strong public commitment in different ways", says Sven Lenaerts, CSR manager at Immobel.

The co-creation process that Immobel has set up with AGRE, BPI, VDD and Whitewood and the services of the City of Brussels is essential. The aim is to obtain a comprehensive picture of the needs of the neighbourhood. An offer for employees, tourists, students and at the same time local services for current and future residents will also be sought. The workshop will result in a concrete action plan that will be discussed at the next co-creation event.

In parallel, certain functions will be tested through temporary occupancy. The conclusions and recommendations will then be integrated into the programming of the commercial premises and the public space

DIALOGUE AND SHARING OF EXPERTISE

This comprehensive and coordinated approach of continuous dialogue, sharing of expertise, testing of functions should lead to a differentiated offer of services and businesses. Particular attention is paid to local services and local actors as well as public facilities (culture, health services, training services, etc.) which are aimed at different target groups.

This methodology will also ensure a coordinated filling of public functions in the atriums and roof terraces. It should help to better connect neighbourhoods and balance large-scale events in public space with small-scale activities for students, families and other target groups.

Immobel integrates this public consideration into the various neighbourhoods in which it operates. Our real estate projects are systematically focused on the well-being of users.  We want to respond to the climate and biodiversity crisis, but also to contribute to the public interest, to local identity and to strengthening the local economy