It was announced by Vincent Callebaut Architectures that a bold eco-neighborhood will be built at Tour & Taxis in Brussels, Belgium. The plan calls for redeveloping the early 20th-century Gare Maritime and building three private “vertical forests” that are 100 meters high. The whole area will be 135,000 square meters. The architect’s final goal is for the neighborhood to embrace new technology, green building practices, and the restoration of historic buildings.

The industrial park at Tour & Taxis was built in 1907 and is northwest of the city center of Brussels. It was first used as a shipping and customs complex. The Gare Maritime (Marine Terminal) still shows the style of buildings from the industrial era, even though its original purpose is no longer needed since European customs borders were opened.

The suggested master plan calls for turning the 40,000-square-meter terminal into an eco-campus where people can work and play. The Gare Maritime has five parallel “vessels” made of cast iron and glass. Each will have its unique architecture. The modern additions to the five spaces are separate from the original building, which shows how flexible the project is. The current building is made of industrial wrought iron, but the eco-campus will be made of solid wood and cross-laminated timber, which will lower the project’s carbon footprint.

When all five parts are put together, they make a flexible mixed-use campus with open working space, places to play and relax, shops, bars, restaurants, and greenhouses. A public park and canal will be added to the Gare Maritime, making gardens across the port that are both tropical and continental. This will create a conversation between new ideas, nature, and history.

For 85,000 square meters north of the Gare Maritime, the architect wants to build different types of homes in three “Vertical Forests.” The three buildings are lined up across the width of the Gare Maritime. Their heights range from 24 to 100 meters. Large roofs with beautiful shapes have balconies for vegetables and fruits and a lot of solar panels. The builder wants to build “Sky Villas” with vertical gardens that are above the city of Brussels. These villas will combine the best parts of living in the country and the city.