The little Place du Samedi located between De Brouckère Square and Sainte-Catherine will soon be transformed from a nondescript empty place to a square with its own unique character.
Urban.brussels has granted planning permission to the City of Brussels for the redevelopment of Place du Samedi, a square in the heart of the Béguinage district. The plan was developed in consultation with residents and shopkeepers and will cost €1.1 million.
"Place du Samedi will become a fully-fledged square for the first time in its history," said Ans Persoons, Secretary of State for Town Planning and Heritage, who announced the news on Tuesday.
At the request of residents and local businesses, a charming, intimate square was designed with furniture made of classical materials in the style of the historic beguinage neighbourhood. A total budget of €1,130,000 has been made available for the project.
Reinforcing identity
The central Brussels square was closed to motorised traffic in 2014, however its layout and configuration still show signs of its past with a road surface that is uncomfortable for cyclists and pedestrians and coping stones separating the roadway from the pavement.
To resolve this the square will be evened out, similar to works being carried out around Place Sainte-Catherine. The renovation will also help it blend better into the local visual identity as the rest of the Beguinage neighbourhood with similar cobblestones in natural stone, lighting and street furniture.
The existing trees in the square will be retained and the green space will be expanded with more plants. A second planting zone is planned on the Rue de Laeken side (to the north) to visually shield the square from the busier surrounding streets.
Benches will be added making the space more convivial and bike racks will be installed around the square. Finally, the soil of the square will be softened to encourage rainwater infiltration.
The leapfrog fountain will be refurbished and returned to public space. Credit: Ans Persoons Cabinet
To add to the square's identity, an ancient Bruegel fountain, which once stood on De Brouckère Square, will be placed centrally. In the 1980s, the City of Brussels decided to install 12 Bruegel fountains – the bronze sculptures inspired by scenes found in paintings by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, such as a bagpiper and a monkey.
These were initially scattered around the city but works on the central avenues in 2017 led to them being relocated. The Bruegel fountain on De Brouckère Square, depicting two children playing leapfrog, was temporarily moved to the city depot. The fountain will first undergo a renovation before being placed back in the public space. Six other Bruegel fountains can still be found in the city centre.
The City of Brussels plans to start the redevelopment by the start of spring 2024 and aims to complete much of the work in time for the return of the terraces in early summer.
