Little Switzerland's Sustainable neighborhood contract

City of Ixelles + Neighborhood contract unit
Res Derelictae & ARIES
"Neglected until now, this mixed neighborhood located in the heart of the universities in the southern part of Ixelles is the first to benefit from a neighborhood contract."

The Little Switzerland district is a residential area, steeped in the effervescence created by the surrounding universities. A residential and student mix that can sometimes be difficult to reconcile. Although the presence of the universities is undoubtedly a boon for the district, the intense dynamic of the shop and restaurant industry, which also makes the district a mecca for student nightlife, sometimes disturbs the desired peace and quiet.

Although the district seems to have swapped its industrial charm for luxury student residences, it nevertheless has a good mix of residents. Two notable negative points have been raised by residents and users: the poor quality of the public spaces, which are few in number, too concrete, run-down and dirty, and the lack of diversity in the facilities on offer.

For the future, its residents and users want the district to become more sustainable, responding to the climatic challenges of our time by reducing the effects of heat in particular. They want it to be more user-friendly, by improving the visibility of the work of neighbourhood associations, creating more permeability between different users, sharing spaces and allowing different worlds to meet.

The Sustainable Neighbourhood Contract proposes a number of very concrete actions to address all these issues, in addition to the regional obligations that must be met: creation/renovation of a kindergarden, creation of a neighbourhood centre and training centre, renovation of the Rotonde de la Plaine de la Petite Suisse, creation of housing, improvement and extension of existing public spaces, calls for citizen projects, a project to prevent the night-time code and risky behaviour, etc.