Lochten Sustainable Micro Neighbourhood, The aim of our plan is to translate the values of the Lochten company in a sustainable, pragmatic and highly rational neighbourhood project that is competitive in terms of property development and whose image evokes the site’s industrial past. The plan attempts to generate social dynamism through the creation of high-quality communal spaces as well as through flexible and varied functions.
© Georges De Kinder
The purpose of these two main ambitions, shored up by a comprehensive approach in terms of sustainability, is to turn the ‘Lochten neighbourhood’ into a powerful symbol, one that is illustrative of an exemplary social project.
© Georges De Kinder
The project emphasizes the creation of two large collective spaces bordered by communal functions and enlivened by green hollows used to manage rainwater collection. The various units are connected by an extensive network involving paths, gardens and the street at ground level and footbridges on the upper floors of buildings.
© Georges De Kinder
These routes, which are all potential meeting spaces, will ensure the possibility of increased social diversity. The residential buildings have been designed as simple, compact units that are easy to build.
© Georges De Kinder
Their design is based on a highly rational structural framework that defines ideally proportioned spaces in its minimal floor space. This makes it possible to design their energy system according to the requested level of investment (including a passive system) without any change to the basic principle.
© Georges De Kinder
Breaks between the residential buildings reinforce the principle of the block’s transparency and the internal perspectives for pedestrians. The use of black metal cladding evokes industrial architecture and alludes to the site’s existing image today.
Project Info
Architects: Urban Platform
Country: Belgium
Area: 6222 m²
Year: 2019
Photographs: Georges De Kinder
Design Team: Martin Janssens, Laurence Lambert, Céline Sauvage, Stéphanie Perrini, Maria Cantizano
Clients: JCX Immo
Sophie Tremblay is a Montreal-based architectural editor and designer with a focus on sustainable urban development. A McGill University architecture graduate, she began her career in adaptive reuse, blending modern design with historical structures. As a Project Editor at Arch2O, she curates stories that connect traditional practice with forward-thinking design. Her writing highlights architecture's role in community engagement and social impact. Sophie has contributed to Canadian Architect and continues to collaborate with local studios on community-driven projects throughout Quebec, maintaining a hands-on approach that informs both her design sensibility and editorial perspective.