Grande Haie Social Housing

Grande Haie Social Housing
© Nicolas da Silva Lucas

GRANDE HAIE SOCIAL HOUSING

P&P Architectes

ARCHITECTS
P&P Architectes

LEAD TEAM
Arnaud De Lanève, Rachel L'Haridon

DESIGN TEAM
P&P Architectes

OFFICE LEAD ARCHITECTS
Arnaud De Lanève, Lionel Philipperon

GENERAL CONSTRUCTING
Jacques Delens

ENGINEERING & CONSULTING > STRUCTURAL
Tractebel

MANUFACTURERS
Vmzinc

ENGINEERING & CONSULTING > OTHER
Tractebel

PHOTOGRAPHS
Nicolas da Silva Lucas

AREA
4192 m²

YEAR
2025

LOCATION
Etterbeek, Belgium

CATEGORY
Residential Architecture, Social Housing

English description provided by the architects.

Grande Haie Social Housing
© Nicolas da Silva Lucas
Grande Haie Social Housing
© Nicolas da Silva Lucas

A DIALOGUE BETWEEN HERITAGE AND CONTEMPORARY DESIGN IN THE HEART OF BRUSSELS -

On the Street Grande Haie in Etterbeek, in a neighborhood that is both urban and green, a pair of residential buildings from 1924–1925 have been given a new lease of life through a carefully balanced architectural intervention.

Grande Haie Social Housing
© Nicolas da Silva Lucas
Grande Haie Social Housing
© Nicolas da Silva Lucas

Comprising 50 social housing units, the project represents a respectful reinterpretation of the existing built fabric, combined with a clear intent to pursue thoughtful densification and enhance the overall living environment.

AN ARCHITECTURAL APPROACH ROOTED IN HISTORY -

The street-facing façades, emblematic of the architectural character of the 1920s, have retained their original identity.

Grande Haie Social Housing
© Nicolas da Silva Lucas
Grande Haie Social Housing
© Nicolas da Silva Lucas

The project prioritizes meticulous restoration: replacing PVC windows with timber joinery faithful to the original design, reinstating the original entrance doors, and gently cleaning the preserved heritage features.

This act of preservation reflects a desire for continuity with the area's social housing heritage.

Grande Haie Social Housing
© Nicolas da Silva Lucas
Grande Haie Social Housing
© Nicolas da Silva Lucas

At the rear, the south-facing orientation offers excellent opportunities for natural light and openness, which the design fully embraces.

The reconfiguration of the mansard roofs, enhanced with generous dormer windows, respects the original volume while improving spatial efficiency and enabling the creation of homes tailored to the specific needs of the program.

CONTEMPORARY ADDITIONS AND VERTICAL EXTENSIONS -

The architectural language takes on a more contemporary expression at the back, where new volumes extend the existing structure.

Grande Haie Social Housing
© Nicolas da Silva Lucas
Grande Haie Social Housing
© Nicolas da Silva Lucas
Grande Haie Social Housing
© Nicolas da Silva Lucas

Clad in standing seam zinc, echoing the materiality of the original roofs, these vertical extensions are animated by staggered balconies that lend a dynamic rhythm to the rear façade.

Carefully integrated terraces provide valuable outdoor space for residents, while also serving, at times, as sunshades, improving indoor comfort.

At ground level, a treated timber cladding offers a gentle transition to the gardens and anchors the new volumes in the landscape.

Grande Haie Social Housing
© Nicolas da Silva Lucas
Grande Haie Social Housing
© Nicolas da Silva Lucas
Grande Haie Social Housing
© Nicolas da Silva Lucas

Interior interventions remain true to the building's character: original wooden or terrazzo staircases have been preserved and restored, reinforcing the connection between past and present.

OUTDOOR SPACES REIMAGINED FOR COMMUNITY LIFE -

To the rear, the green spaces have been transformed into private gardens, interwoven with soft pathways that link the stairwells to a shared courtyard.

A newly created passageway, opened through Rue Fort de Boncelles, improves pedestrian and cyclist access to the heart of the block, encouraging social interaction.

Grande Haie Social Housing
© Nicolas da Silva Lucas
Grande Haie Social Housing
© Nicolas da Silva Lucas
Grande Haie Social Housing
© Nicolas da Silva Lucas

Shared gardens, seating areas, and a sports pitch complete the landscape scheme, conceived as a natural extension of the living space.


Grande Haie Social Housing
© Nicolas da Silva Lucas
Grande Haie Social Housing
© Nicolas da Silva Lucas
Grande Haie Social Housing
© Nicolas da Silva Lucas
Grande Haie Social Housing
© Nicolas da Silva Lucas
Grande Haie Social Housing
© Nicolas da Silva Lucas
Grande Haie Social Housing
© Nicolas da Silva Lucas


Grande Haie Social Housing
Ground Floor Plan
Grande Haie Social Housing
1st Floor Plan
Grande Haie Social Housing
2nd Floor Plan
Grande Haie Social Housing
3rd Floor Plan
Grande Haie Social Housing
4th Floor Plan


Grande Haie Social Housing
Front Elevation
Grande Haie Social Housing
Rear Elevation
Grande Haie Social Housing
Lateral Elevations and Section


Grande Haie Social Housing
Axonometry