The Banks

Project Name
The Banks
Function
Mixed-use urban project consisting of 227 apartments, including 16 duplex units, one commercial space, a 130-room hotel, and an underground car park with 206 spaces.
Surface
Approx. 29,000 m² above ground (GFA)
Location
Havenlaan 12, Brussels
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concept

In Brussels, the canal zone is being transformed from a forgotten industrial area into a vibrant urban district along the water.

The Banks presents itself as a cohesive residential ensemble composed of three 12-storey towers and one elongated low-rise volume that connects the site to the surrounding neighbourhood. The project offers a wide variety of housing types — from large to compact apartments — each with generous outdoor spaces that allow residents to fully enjoy the unique, carefully designed inner courtyard featuring a semi-public park.

Project Description

In 2016, a collaboration between Nicolas Firket Architects, OFFICE Kersten Geers David Van Severen, and Bureau Bas Smets won the competition for the redevelopment of “Havenlaan 12”, a project by developer Triple Living.
At the time, the site was still fully occupied by office buildings situated above an underground parking garage.

Each building volume was given its own identity through a distinct and precisely detailed façade design.
The red tower (T1) houses a hotel on the lower six floors and apartments on the seven upper levels.
The white tower (T2) features a commercial unit on the ground floor and twelve residential floors above.
The green tower (T3) is currently still in the design phase.
The elongated volume, The Strip, contains a series of duplex homes at street level, each with a private city garden connected to the inner courtyard. The three upper floors accommodate apartments, while the rooftop hosts a communal garden for the residents.

The existing underground parking structure is being renovated and brought back into use.

Architectural firms OFFICE Kersten Geers David Van Severen and Nicolas Firket Architects opted for a minimalist and refined architectural language, with each building distinguished by its own façade colour. The tranquil green areas were designed by landscape architect Bas Smets.
To support the realization of the project, Bontinck Architecture & Interior was appointed in 2022 as the executive architect.

* Visualizations: Triple Living