Towards a metropolitan city centre for Brussels

Vermeulen, Sofie [VUB] Mezoued, Aniss [USL-B] De Visscher, Jean-Philippe [UCL] Fenton, Gabrielle [UCL] Anneloes Vandenbroucke [ULB]

Between 2015 and 2020, the city centre of Brussels witnessed the creation of its fi rst major pedestrian zone, one of the largest urban projects in recent decades. The boulevards between place Fontainas and place De Brouckère are now car free. New public spaces, greenery, benches and lighting have been installed, as well as new entrances for metro stations, two large bicycle parks and other facilities. Has the Brussels city centre fi nally done away with the car hegemony? Can the city centre be extended to become the centre of the Brussels metropolis where everyone can fi nd his or her own place? This book presents scientifi c background to the issue and brings together in words and images the research carried out over the past four years by the Brussels Centre Observatory.