(Brussels, August 13, 2008) JDS Architects is short-listed as the youngest one of five offices in what turns out to be a OMA three tier generation competition.

The planning competition launched last April for the restructuring of the European quarter has now come to the end of the crucial preliminary stage, 5 teams from the initial 35 have been selected. This choice was made after receiving the recommendations of the advisory committee set up for this public contract, which met mid June in Brussels. And it turns out to be an interesting mix of generations, 3 of the 5 have worked together at different times. Both Julien de Smedt and Xaveer de Geyter passed through OMA’s office at the beginning of their careers.

Aerial view on Brussels’ European Quarter

The planning competition launched last April is organized by the Brussels-Capital Region, in close collaboration with the European Commission and Brussels-Town.

The area covered by the competition is the zone around the “rue de la Loi” between the inner metropolitan ring and the “chaussée d’Etterbeek”. This public contract corresponds to some of the objectives of the European district structure plan adopted by the Regional government on 24th April last. It aims to create an eco-district bringing together the main European administrative center, diversified housing and cultural and leisure facilities which are accessible to all. This project also meets the shared wish of the European Commission and the regional authorities to reorganize the Commission’s existing premises along the “rue de la Loi”. This would bring the Commission’s holdings within this zone from the current 170.000 m² to 400.000 m² (projected surface area).

The competition hopes to create a strong local identity, with buildings that promote high quality in terms of the environment, architecture and energy consumption.

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