GARE MARITIME

Historical study and value assesment for the Gare Maritime Tour & Taxis

Year ︎︎︎ 2016-2020
Status ︎︎︎  Completed
Surface ︎︎︎ 39,000 m²


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The historical study is being drawn up in support of the Gare Maritime reconversion project. For this we are working together with Inge Bertels of the VUB. The Gare Maritime was built between 1902 and 1907 by SNCB on the multimodal logistics in the port, Tour & Taxis. This was an open area to the north of the city at the port of Brussels where for centuries the horses of the Turn & Tassis family courier company had grazed. This would require an impressive mutimodal hub to accommodate the growing trade and logistics flows for Brussels industry. Built by the first railway engineer Frederik Bruneel, the Gare Maritime was the largest freight station in Europe at the time. It was to remain in service until the unification of European markets, after which it became empty and deteriorated rapidly.The original complex was an astonishing example of industrial architecture. The ingenious steel structure was built with three-hinged arches and decorated in the Art Nouveau style so characteristic of Brussels.