It was in 2005 that the AED (Equipment and Transport Administration of the Brussels-Capital region) asked architecture firm,
Archi 2000, to redesign the entrance to the Brouckère metro station.
The limited site in question is part of a larger reconstruction project for the entire block of the old Galleries Anspach
between Rue de l’Evêque, Rue des Fripiers, Rue Grétry and Boulevard Anspach. Archi 2000 also studied the concept for the
entire redevelopment.
The Brouckère metro station, serving large volumes of passengers, is a hub in the transport network of the Brussels area.
In addition to the functional necessities such as establishing ease of transfer and traffic fluidity, one of the main motivating
factors behind the project was the idea of providing access to people with limited mobility.
The design aims to create a landmark in the urban network using playful signals to exploit the notion of an underground
passage.
The materials used are typical of the metro and are absorbed as indicators in our collective memory.
The introduction of colour, the stretching of vitreous enamel, the piercing of random bubbles, all accentuated by the
movement of the escalators, bring a vibrancy to the scene.
The rock is hollowed out, animated by warped surfaces and dynamic slanted walls. The ceilings and dividing walls have a
sense of movement and seem to accompany the hurried steps of commuters.
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