The Schuman Square in Brussels has become a vast, hard expanse of concrete that does not invite people to linger or rest. In summer it is scorching hot, in winter it is harsh, windy and exposed. This is the exact opposite of what was once designed and even approved: a vibrant urban square in the heart of the European Quarter.

The ambitious design was developed by the Brussels architecture firm Brut and the Danish architecture firm Cobe, who together created a strong concept with a large metal canopy at the centre as the defining feature of the design. The architects had to take into account a particularly complex context: beneath Schuman Square lies a major railway and metro station as well as a road tunnel, leaving virtually no suitable ground for trees to take root. That is precisely why they looked for innovative solutions to still create shade, cooling and a pleasant place for people to meet. The central green-roofed canopy was the most important element of this.

That canopy is not merely an aesthetic addition, but a functional key element of the urban design:

• it provides shade and cooling on hot days;
• it provides shelter from rain;
• it forms a recognisable urban landmark (like the metal canopy at the Vieux Port in Marseille);
• it gives the square its symbolism as a space for meeting and dialogue in the heart of Europe.

Vooruit.brussels, with Pascal Smet, laid the foundations for the entire project: the ambition, the international architectural competition, the design phase and the planning permit.

The project was later handed over to others and things went seriously wrong in the execution. The current result differs significantly from what was originally approved and designed.

Without the canopy, Schuman Square remains an unfinished design and lacks the appearance of the iconic meeting place it was meant to be.

That is why our demand is simple:
turn Schuman Square into an ambitious square with a canopy, as designed by the architects.