UNILINK

The vision behind Unilink is to link both the Solbosch and La Plaine campus through the Brussels University District (BUD). This implies the need to still feel in a university environment while in between those two campuses.

To achieve this vision, Unilink first proposes to populate the BUD with university facilities such as student housing, study rooms, libraries, administrative offices, research spaces and laboratories. In return, and to make this a fair and equitable exchange with the city, the La Plaine campus will open its borders to allow for more interaction with its new green and cultural spaces.

Unilink then proposes to revisit the mobility management in the BUD by converting the two axes linking the campuses into pedestrian zones and by transforming the transversal axes into one-way streets.

The railway axis and its joined topography act as huge barrier between the campuses, which is why Unilink proposes many crossings above it. This will give life to the new Etterbeek railway station. Translated south from its original position to be more connected to the new pedestrian focused axes and the La Plaine campus entries.

A new delta district will be created proposing a consequent parking infrastructure to allow for a mobility transition from heavy to soft. This infrastructure will be built under the extension of the urban floor of the Delta hospital.

A new program will then be developed above this infrastructure, partially connected to the sports facilities of Ixelles, partially proposing a new student housing, catering and cultural program with green spaces.

On the La Plaine campus itself, the focus of Unilink will be to open the entries towards the BUD and by extension the city. It will reconnect the VUB and ULB on campus by creating an on-level esplanade on its common border to facilitate crossing.

Furthermore, the campus will compartmentalize itself into zones with determined functions. Those functions will determine the rework of its corresponding open, green and water masses.

Finally, Unilink puts in place a new phased building program on campus plus its surroundings left to developed and renovated areas to respond to the future needs of the community.