Dame Blanche DistrictBrussels

Located in the southeast of Brussels, at the junction between city and nature, the Dame Blanche district aims to transform an underutilized space into an exemplary neighborhood, combining landscape integration, environmental respect, and quality of life. Connecting the city to the Sonian Forest, it reinvents the garden city concept by creating a park district where row houses and small residential buildings are arranged around courtyards and shared gardens.

The district extends the Sonian Forest into the urban fabric, from its edges to public spaces, collective courtyards, and private gardens. This vision of nature is expressed through a variety of landscape designs that promote biodiversity and encourage residents to take ownership of their surroundings.

The project unfolds a rich network of public spaces designed to foster social interaction and community spirit:
- A welcoming clearing at the entrance of the district, featuring vegetable gardens and playgrounds.

- A network of small forest-inspired squares, offering diverse spaces for multiple uses.

- A landscaped valley designed as an open-air stream, managing rainwater while serving as a living ecological feature that evolves with the seasons and water levels, enriching the local ecosystem.

Pathways and trails form an inviting network, encouraging exploration on foot or by bike. Cars take a back seat in favor of a peaceful living environment, with a limited and discreetly integrated parking offer.

The project is based on a sustainable management of natural resources:
- Open-air water management helps reduce flood risks while creating a dynamic landscape feature.

- Shared gardens and vegetable plots encourage local food production and collective practices.

- Landscape integration strengthens ecological continuity between the district and the forest.

This project proposes a responsible urbanization model where nature is not merely preserved but becomes a central actor in daily life. By creating seamless connections between natural spaces, public areas, and homes, the park district at the edge of the Sonian Forest offers a new way of living in the city—human-scaled and environmentally respectful.