Royal palace Brussels

competition for the design of the front gardens of the Royal palace in Brussels

client . Quartier des Arts - Kunstwijk
location . Brussels (BE)
timing . 2024-2025

type . semi-public garden

surface . 7.500 m2

team . Pomco vzw

program . heritage, green space, raingarden, urban furniture, climate adaptation

procedure . competition

awards . second prize winner

The redesign of the forecourts of the Royal Palace offers a key opportunity to enhance the cultural offer and strengthen the urban fabric of the Arts District. We propose to read the palace forecourts as a single spatial composition: a parvis royal together with the Place des Palais and the southern edge of Brussels Park. For this reason, our proposal not only addresses the gardens themselves, but also outlines a possible redesign of the square and the park edge.

The project reinforces the distinct identity of these three urban spaces while creating a coherent ensemble. The palace façades, new plantings on the square, and a new tree line along the park form a strong spatial framework. This monumental square becomes both an impressive setting that highlights the grandeur of the palace and a flexible space for diverse urban activities. We believe this ensemble can evolve into a unique public space for Brussels: a place for residents to relax, a destination for visitors, and an international-scale venue for events.