At the tip of a triangular city block in Elsene, a new corner building and an old plane tree delimit a pleasant little square. This elegant pas de deux between tree and structure blends into the existing context so naturally that the jury of the Brussels Architecture Prize initially drove by the nominated project without realizing. And yet the design by Brussels-based architectural firm Vers.a is first and foremost the result of a resolutely modern conversation with clients and local residents. The fact that the treatment of the façade grew out of a meticulous study of the immediate vicinity means that the result of that conversation easily conforms to the historical context.

The design of a building shapes the space around it too. What’s more, when you define the contours of a building volume – for example, by positioning a façade – you also define the relation between private and public. In the design of the flats on Vandenbroeckstraat, where the boundaries of the building were not determined in advance, public interest played a decisive role: the residential programme was scaled back during the design process in favour of a more generous square of greater quality. The municipality of Elsene, responsible for both housing supply and the public domain, played an exemplary leading role by looking at the bigger picture and constantly adapting the design brief, in consultation with both local residents and designers, to reflect evolving insights.