Christian de Portzamparc aims to "humanize" Brussels

Brussels - French architect Christian de Portzamparc has been chosen to "humanize" the Brussels quarter of European institutions, which is considered in Belgium an example of failed urbanization from the 1960s and 1970s. His selection was announced today by the European Union and the administration of the Brussels region.
    De Portzamparc will primarily be tasked with improving the appearance of rue de la Loi, where the buildings of the European Commission and the EU Council are located, and around which European institutions are concentrated.
    "Many see the European quarter as a ghetto," said today European Commission member for administration Siim Kallas. According to him, it is necessary to abandon the concept of "nothing but offices" and develop "a strong urban and architectural project." The Commission desires "fewer buildings, but larger, emblematic buildings that will give the quarter a positive appearance." It will also be necessary to adhere to the strictest environmental standards.
    The chosen project from the team led by the French architect, according to the AFP agency, does not determine the final form the quarter will take but outlines its main lines. It plans to create public spaces, increase greenery, and also build a circular tram line. The transformation is to be gradual and will take at least fifteen years, said the head of the Brussels region, Charles Piqué.
    Sixty-five-year-old de Portzamparc won the Pritzker Prize in 1994, which is the most prestigious award for architects. He has designed, for example, buildings in modern Parisian districts Défense and La Villette, the City of Music in Rio de Janeiro, and the New York headquarters of the French company LVMH.