The 'Craftsmanship Learning Centre' project epitomizes the culmination of comprehensive research into the challenges facing the Thurn & Taxis area in Brussels. This investigation reveals that in the local population, where 35% are unemployed and 30% are aged between 0 and 17, a significant portion of the youth (21%) grows up in income-less households. This situation is particularly dire in the Marina-Christina and Maritiem districts, underscoring the urgent need for initiatives that offer these young people opportunities for a brighter future.

The urban context of Thurn & Taxis is characterized by fragmentation, where four distinct atmospheres coexist: the typical Brussels neighborhoods, new large-scale developments, historical heritage buildings, and the industrial zone. The streetscapes of the Marina-Christina and Maritiem districts reflect the cozy, quintessentially Brussels charm, yet here, the social issues are more pronounced than the urban fabric. Thurn & Taxis, a historic site renowned for its stunning heritage buildings and its past as Europe's largest goods railway station, stands as an isolated island, despite recent developments aimed at integrating it with surrounding neighborhoods.

My project aims to connect these areas by integrating the Marina-Christina district with Thurn & Taxis along a vital axis that also links other neighborhoods. The Dieudonné Lefèvrestraat, adjacent to Thurn & Taxis, hosts a heritage complex known as the Ziegler - a large, abandoned industrial complex on the edge of the park, overlooking both new developments and the industrial zone.

The proposed plan includes a craft school to bolster the social context and establish a connection with the industrial zone. Additionally, a residential area is developed around a courtyard, with front doors facing either the street or the park, thereby integrating the park experience into residential living. This development also addresses the significant need for affordable housing in the area. A large square and passage to the park and Thurn & Taxis, situated through the school, lie on a crucial axis connecting different neighborhoods. The school comprises three buildings: a traditional school building with classrooms, an industrial building with workshops, and on the other side of the square, a new tower that introduces the scale of the new developments with additional workshops and office spaces. Adjacent to the tower begins the residential section. The tower is linked to the initial segments of the residential area, which include student accommodation for local youths in challenging family situations.
In summary, with this project, I am trying to offer a solution to both the social and urban challenges currently prevailing in this region.