| Project Id |
3353 |
| Project Name |
Hal 5, Belgium |
| Description |
In 2015, the city of Leuven bought the nineteenth-century railway halls in Kessel-Lo from National Railway Company of Belgium (NMBS), to design them as a residential site with community services. In anticipation of restoration, a partnership of local organizations and companies set up Hall 5 of the 'Central Workplaces' into a meeting and event space with a mix of temporary activities. Hall 5, which is actually an ensemble of three halls, house an indoor food market of sustainable companies, a multitude of events such as flea markets and tango happenings and a movement hall animated by Cirkus in Beweging. Associations and organizations can rent the rooms, except for parties or loud performances. The outdoor space of 1800 sqm serves as a living space and zone for urban agriculture. Earlier, the City of Leuven designed the former Central Park 3010 railway site, a temporary park that will later be given a definitive design. |
| Description of the economic, social and environmental impacts of the project |
HAL 5 transformed the vacant historic railway halls into a bustling, urban and sustainable breeding and meeting place. The project offers room for experimentation and creates clear added value for both place, neighborhood and city. The project creates a new dynamic at the Central Workplaces, the beating heart of Kessel-Lo. Hall 5 houses an interesting mix of initiatives and organizations that focus on food, exercise, community building and sustainable business. People can also rent space for event activities with respect for the neighborhood. This project involves a temporary implementation for five years (from Sept 2017-2022), in which tenants rent the space from the Autonomous municipal company for urban development Leuven (AGSL), until the city of Leuven starts the definitive restoration of the halls. The main principles behind it: 1. Sustainable entrepreneurship 2. Community building 3. Urban renewal - metropolitan experiment. |
| Web links |
http://www.hal5.be/ |
| Country |
Belgium |
| City size |
Intermediate cities (between 50.000-1 million people) |
