Flagey Square
Encyclopedia
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
: Place Eugène Flagey, in Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
: Flageyplein, usually shortened to Flagey by locals), is a square in the Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
municipality of Ixelles, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. It was named in honour of Eugène Flagey, mayor of Ixelles from 1935 to 1953. With ten streets converging at Flagey Square, it is one of the busiest crossroads in the city
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, directly adjacent to the neighbouring Ixelles Ponds
Ixelles Ponds
The Ixelles Ponds are two freshwater ponds in the Brussels municipality of Ixelles...
(the street separating them now will disappear). A large flood control reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
(necessary due to the low-lying terrain and high groundwater
Groundwater
Groundwater is water located beneath the ground surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations. A unit of rock or an unconsolidated deposit is called an aquifer when it can yield a usable quantity of water. The depth at which soil pore spaces or fractures and voids in rock...
level) and a parking lot have been built under the square.
The area comprising the square was covered by the Ixelles Ponds until 1860 when one of the original ponds was drained as part of new urban design.
Beginning in 2002 the square was extensively renovated. Prior to the renovation the square had been primarily used as an open air parking lot. The project was infamously delayed many times and all activity had to grind to a halt for sometimes months on end. The plans were remade in 2004 partially on the demand of the local residents' association. Among their demands were the complete ellimination of above ground parking in the square. The original plan was not deemed ambitious enough and a new competition was launched for international bids from different architects. Latz&Partner and D + A International eventually won the contract.
Official celebrations for the reopening of Flagey Square took place in July 2008. Events held included fireworks, concerts, guided visits and film screenings. However, at the time of the official opening, and still as of 2010, the subterranean parking which was built below the square was not opened. The risk of flooding as well as other structural problems forced authorities to keep the facility closed.
Place Flagey is famous for the art deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
building occupying its entire southern side, the former Maison de la Radio (renamed to "Flagey" in 2002 and now hosting a cultural center). The building on the opposite side of the square houses the first supermarket ever opened in Belgium (on 18 December 1957), a Delhaize
Delhaize Group
Delhaize Group is a food retailer headquartered in Belgium which operates in eight countries and on three continents. The principal activity of Delhaize Group is the operation of food supermarkets.-History:Delhaize Group was founded in Belgium in 1867....
.