Winner 'Bronze Award'
Category: Commercial and Public Spaces

CLIENT

Gemeente Brakel

ARCHITECT

BRUT architecture and urban design
in partnership with ARA Atelier Ruimtelijk Advies

CONTRACTOR

Bouwbedrijf Persyn

CLAY PAVERS

SeptimA Amarant
SeptimA Sepia
SeptimA Vanille

PROCESSING

herringbone bond (pavements, mix of Amarant and Auburn)
elbow bond (roadway, mix of Amarant and Auburn)
nuanced block bond (zone around the church, mix of Amarant, Auburn and Vanilla)

Photos: © Steven Neyrinck

Until recently, traffic infrastructure dominated the centre of Brakel. On one side of the church was a busy street and on the other side, a large asphalted car park. The result: conflict between the traffic function and the residential function in a town centre full of shops, schools and eateries. A wide variety of street furniture, materials, obstacles and ad hoc solutions only led to further fragmentation of the limited space. The construction of a bypass that would relieve the street in the centre of through traffic provided the perfect opportunity to create a new traffic-calmed and attractive centre.

The realisation of the Markt was a long drawn-out process. Intensive consultation with parties including the police and De Lijn ensured that the necessary care was taken to integrate the complex traffic situation in the attractive area.

An attractive carpet of clay pavers has created space for spending time, meeting friends and playing. Pleasant terraces, seating areas and playful water features around the church have breathed new life into the town centre. The clay pavers stretch from façade to façade so that the whole presents itself as one large square. Subtle variations in laying patterns are used to delineate different zones and flows. For instance, the clay pavers have been laid in a distinctive pattern around the church so that it occupies a central position within the area. The edges of the square are outlined with simple posts which define a terrace zone.

A water feature with fountains around the church serves as a spirit level, highlighting the height difference between the town centre street on the crest of the hill and the river valley. On the street side, this becomes a body of water at pavement level which reflects the church and is accessible for children to play in. Together with Oude Lindeboom, the monument to the town’s war veterans and a number of benches, this creates a unique space.

The choice of clay pavers enhances the town, giving it a warm and spacious feel, and makes it clear that the residential function takes precedence over the traffic function. The material fits in perfectly with the brick façades in a variety of colours. The natural colour variation of the clay pavers breaks up the scale and softens the view. The choice of street furniture and detail design was also intended to create a human scale and a homely atmosphere.

The carpet of clay pavers is subtly interrupted by linear elements such as coping stones, edging, flush kerbs and benches. At the same time, these lines follow the various traffic flows and delineate the individual paved areas. All these lines were designed in concrete in the colour of bluestone (dark grey) in order to create a uniform look.

Various meeting places were created in the Markt, each including a number of benches combined with a planted area, trees and bicycle parking facilities. The positions chosen mark the most important functions around the Markt such as the town hall, the library and the bus stop. On the other hand, these areas break up the uniform whole and in each case, the trees serve as markers which are visible from the adjacent streets. The ‘green’ of the Markt is clearly visible from a distance.

Each corner of the Marktplein was given its own character by choosing three different species of trees: Tilia europea ‘Euchlora’ (Caucasian Lime), Fraxinus angustifolia ‘Raywood’ (Narrow-leaved Ash) and the American Sweetgum. In the spring, the trees give off a wonderful fragrance which pervades the square. They have a long life expectancy and are highly resistant in an ‘urban’ context.