Northern area: four new towers to replace the old CCN

No more “business district” dedicated to offices only. Make room for housing (518 units are planned), shops and renovated public space, as well as offices that will not become obsolete. In July 2023, the Brussels government welcomed the adoption of a new PPAS (Special Land Use Plan) for the western zone of the Northern Quarter. For the NOR.Bruxsels project (on the former CCN site), this PPAS provides for at least a third of housing, including a share of public housing, green areas, etc. So, should NOR.Bruxsels represent the neighborhood? Not really because the “tower” principle is kept as well as the office space: 80,000 m2 planned compared to 79,000 so far. “In the end the neighborhood will be even denser than before“, says Jean-Michel Bleus, project manager at ARAU, Urban Research and Action Workshop.