Place de la Monnaie

Programme: Reorganization of the Place de la Monnaie and its surrounding area.

About: The place de la Monnaie is one of the most central public spaces in Brussels on one of the busiest pedestrian streets in Europe. This large space could therefore be intensively used for events, festivities or daily uses. However a fragmented development from the early 70s prevented a clear reading and easy and convenient use of the space. The project aims to restore a simple and easy reading of the public space allowing various uses and to showcase the Theatre as a monument. To do so, significant underground work was performed in order to: - cover the vents and transfer the hot air sideways into a chimney integrated into a roof; - establish a simple ground topography, showcasing the Theatre thanks to a continuous slope between the high point and low point of the space. The ground is covered with a continuous blue stone surfacing, also pedestrianizing rue Léopold and making it possible to perceive the public space as a whole. The street furniture (benches, railings, etc.) has been specifically designed by MSA-Technum to emphasise the idea of a continuous reading of the space. The brass inserted into the ground around the Theatre brings out its spatial dimensions. The result is an open space, allowing multiple uses, and whose design makes it possible to build a minimal landscape highlighting the urban space.