Square Mile "Plan B“,Belval (LUX)

project Cooperative procedure for calling in expert opinion Belval Square Mile – centre line, on the basis of the master plan of Joe Coenen in Belval, a territory of the communities of Esch-sur-Alzette et Sanem client AGORA S.à r.l. et Cie (LUX), company under private law, founded in the year 2000 within the scope of a partnership between the state of Luxembourg and ArcelorMittal planning WW+ architektur + management sàrl, Esch/Alzette (LUX) – terra. nova Landschaftsarchitektur, Munich (GER) – empirica Qualitative Marktforschung, Stadtund Strukturforschung GmbH (GER) – komobile Wien Ingenieurbüro für Verkehrswesen und Verkehrswirtschaft (AT) – BLS Energieplan Ingénieurs-Conseils S.à r.l. (LUX) – BFAG Büro für angewandte Geografie, Jürgen Aring (GER) dimension of the project 9,56 ha gross floor space 175.000 m²

Description of the design - Urban development

The urban concept of “Plan B” can be described as a “flexible block structure”, whereas the flexibility refers to the building line at the central axis, to the subdivision of the building blocks and to the height of the buildings. The ground-floor plan of plan B respects at the same time the old industrial production line. The former industrial interior space corresponds more or less to the new exterior space of the central axis. Although the principle of “real streets” with driveway and pavement remains dominant for the development, “pedestrian pockets” are created in the central axis to improve the experience of the urban space and to increase amenity values. The urban space emerging on Square Mile can be used by inhabitants and visitors in three ways:

(a) referring to urban quarters through characterizing large forms like road grids, central axis as individualized series of squares and flexible block perimeter development,
(b) small scaled by independent squares,
(c) from outside with distinctive long-distance effect.

(a) Central axis (as unique characteristic of Square Mile)

The contours of the former industrial plant characterize the new building lines of the central axis. By moving the block edges the austerity of the central axis is broken and the experience while passing is more varied. Due to the projections and recesses of the blocks the central axis is segmented on the “level of perception street space” and creates already in the development phase small places with a high quality of stay. Temporary and definitive pavilions encourage the area early and help forming space edges. However, the view from the Porte de France through the axis, over the single-storey buildings to the chimneys in the west, remains unaffected and impressive.

(b) Sinterplatz (embedded in the central axis)

The sinter basins and the surrounding area will be developed in good time as new sub-centre for Belval. A cluster arises here in the sense of the draft from Jo Coenen. The sinter basins are a unique space with special genius loci. This makes it easier to develop a special location out of them and around them (gastronomy, night life, …), which will attract interested people. The “Sinterplatz” is made accessible from the ring road by 2 footpaths as well as generous ramp-platforms and staircases.

These will replace the traffic route, which originally lead to the square in a direct and central way. The square is provided more clearly through the development and is kept clear of traffic.

(c) Long-distance effect

Belval has nowadays already an impressive long-distance effect, if you’re heading for the new quarter via the motorway from Luxembourg. The furnaces and the buildings of the Dexia bank rise up in the sky. This long-distance effect is even supported by the flexible block concept with its multi-storey buildings. Every block gets a reserve surface connected to the public space, for the medium- and long-term development of Square Mile. Here it’s foreseen to have multi-storey buildings with up to 20 floors and unique characteristic, which emphasize the importance of the Belval site for the metropolitan region Luxembourg (resp. the greater region Saar-Lor-Lux) and also for the transformation of the southern region around Esch-sur-Alzette.