WWL - Ura

About

URA is located in Brussels and is characterized by a broad spectrum of projects, varied both in scale and function. 'UR'-the name of the first city- supports a way of working. URA searches for universal, basic typologies and transforms them into a contemporary and precise identity in a specific context. The universal lies within the very specific. URA is led by two partners, Yves Malysse and Kiki Verbeeck.

YVES MALYSSE (°1973) yves.malysse@ura.be

Studied Architecture at Sint-Lucas, Ghent (BE). Worked for Robert Winkel, MVRDV, Bart Clement and Jo Crepain. Visiting Professor at TU Delft (2006-2007) and Academie voor Bouwkunst Rotterdam (2008-2009). Since 2002 he is Jury Member for several Architecture Schools and Institutions in Belgium and abroad.

KIKI VERBEECK (°1974) kiki.verbeeck@ura.be

Studied Architecture at Sint-Lucas Ghent (BE) and Architectural Sciences at KU Leuven (BE). Worked for uapS, OMA, LABFAC, Bernard & Georges Baines and Advisers. Visiting Professor at Sint-Lucas Ghent (2006) and currently teaching at KU Leuven (2010-...). Since 2005 she is Jury Member for several Architecture Schools and Institutions in Belgium and abroad.

COLLABORATORS

Benny Geerinckx (°1975) benny.geerinckx@ura.be
Michiel van der Loos (°1986) michiel.vanderloos@ura.be
Bram Van Sever (°1991) bram.vansever@ura.be
Carmen Vandermolen (°1992) carmen.vandermolen@ura.be
Lisa De Keuleneire (°1995) lisa.dekeuleneire@ura.be
Soetkin Devolder (°1995) soetkin.devolder@ura.be
Jonathan Vanhove (°1993) jonathan.vanhove@ura.be
Vincent Vergote (°1994) vincent.vergote@ura.be
Tuomas Peippo (°1995) tuomas.peippo@ura.be
Eva Vermeulen (°1997) eva.vermeulen@ura.be
Louis Lories (°1995) louis.lories@ura.be
Ruben Otter (°1997) ruben.otter@ura.be
François Vande Perre (°1994) francois.vandeperre@ura.be

FORMER COLLABORATORS

Egon Pollers / Milène Senden / Pauline Truyens / Heleen Eskens / Mathieu Jeukens / Sindri Sigurðsson / Jasper Aerts / Eva Lo / Ruth Van de steene / Ana Horvat / Tim Belaen / Maarten Lambrechts / Charlotte Biesbrouck / Felice Van Tieghem / Marius Vaneeckhoutte / Pauline Durand / Florence Mareen / Lisa Van Com / Jonathan Robert Maj / Isaura Doumen / Jeroen Kessels / Diane Engels / Anton Parys / Harold Vermeiren / Wim Dirickx / Alexander Smedts / Adeline de Vrij / Kaat Volckaert / Pieter Burssens / Tom Broes / Garin Boghossian / Jan de Moffarts / Elena Dragu / Dora Freier / Sila Giriftinoglu / Carlota Marchena Lopez / Frederic Karam / Laura Navarro / Pablo Olmeda Puertas / Angel Pérez Rojas / Olivier Roegiest / Sara Rondou / Giulia Scirocchi / Lorenzo Stroobant / Toon Vanobbergen / Gaspard Van Parys / Francis Vanden Baviere / Mira de Middeleer / Sofie Lieben / Sofie Liesenborghs / Andrea Neri / Alessandro Luraschi

Text

WWL
Collective housing
AGSL (city development agency of Leuven)
Leuven (B), 2016-2023
17.000m²

The plot is the last unbuilt parcel of the Centrale Werkplaatsen, an 8.5 ha former railway workshop in Kessel-Lo, 2 minutes walk from Leuven train station.
Since years, the site is developed into a diverse area with housing, reconversion of the existing sheds, a park and two squares. The project stands in the middle of these 2 squares and offers a combination of public functions and housing. In the plinth, a new music conservatorium, a grand café and a day care interacts with the direct surroundings. On top, a wide variety of housing typologies is developed along a 3-dimensional road, with views to the surrounding, collective functions and open spaces like squares and roofgardens. It determinates a subtle volumetry of a large plinth which dialogues with the existing sheds, and a slim tower with retracting terraces which offer view on the city, and connects with the larger scale of the city.

In collaboration with Tractebel and Denis Dujardin
Photos by Jeroen Verrecht