On the edge between town and country, the Bon Air garden estate in Anderlecht embodies the salutary promise of the early 20th century: to convince the people of Brussels, expropriated by major urban development projects, to embrace a new ideal of country living far from the unhealthy city. A hundred years have passed; in the meantime, the Ring Road has been built, and the dream has taken a hit. Enclosed and overwhelmed by cars, the Bon Air garden estate needed a new lease of life. 

When the municipality of Anderlecht launched a call for tenders in 2022, its fundamental question was not entirely clear. The €1.5 million budget was to be used to renovate public spaces, while focusing specifically on Place Séverine at the heart of the estate. But for Atelier DEV, the challenge lay elsewhere. Together with the Aries consulting agency for mobility and landscape architect Ludivine Gragy, their proposal includes the development of a master plan that takes a broader look at the issues facing the neighbourhood and its residents.