Lepoutre

In collaboration with participatory agency MEOW, Plant en Houtgoed was commissioned to guide the ecological and spatial upgrade of Avenue Lepoutre and Place Brugmann in Ixelles.

Originally designed in the early 20th century as a monumental urban axis, the avenue remains structurally intact but suffers from spatial fragmentation. The central green strip is repeatedly interrupted by vehicular infrastructure, creating a disjointed and underutilised public space. Current functions—parking, circulation, seating, green buffers, waste collection, play zones—are juxtaposed without coherence, limiting ecological value and social appropriation.

Despite this, the site holds significant transformative potential. Recent grassroots initiatives, such as a local organic market and expanded terraces, signal renewed public engagement. The project builds upon this momentum with three core objectives:

•Ecological enhancement of the central green corridor through sustainable planting and habitat continuity;

•A participatory design process involving residents, local businesses, and users;

•Tactical activations, including micro-cultural events, play elements, and informal meeting points.

The overarching ambition is to reframe the site as a model for urban ecological transition, where biodiversity, social cohesion, and civic engagement are spatially and functionally integrated.