When Thanh and I planned an outing to Brussels for the Senne Park, the Pannenhuis Park also known as L28 Park and the Maritime Station, the weather forecast announced snow (!), then rain but in the end the weather gods were clement and it was dry and sometime sunny. The date was 11 April 2021.
After Senne Park, L28 Park and Pannenhuis Park we walked to Gare Maritime. The former freight station on the on the Tour & Taxis site was built in 1907. Some 110 year, Extensa redeveloped the site as a humongous event space.
The developers claim to be energy neutral. “The building’s energy is renewable and is generated on site. Heat and cold are produced geothermally and electricity is generated using solar panels. Fossil fuels are not used anywhere in Gare Maritime for heating or cooling.”
“The building skin has been optimised so that as little energy as possible is lost and in order to benefit the most from natural daylight. Triple-pane, insulating, dynamic solar glass contributes to circularity and reduces energy requirements. The building is equipped with the latest state-of-the-art technical installations for ventilation, heating, cooling, sun protection and lighting.”
Timber
Gare Maritime is coined “the largest timber project in Europe” and indeed there’s timber everywhere. It gives a cosy and light atmosphere to the place.
Most photos of Gare Maritime don’t do justice to the sheer size of this massive area. One’s imagination can only run wild will all possibilities for events.
It was warm inside. I wonder what the greenhouse effect will be in summer.
Tour & Taxis
The Gare Maritime is part of the Tour & Taxis site, named after the Thurn und Taxis family. Francisco I de Tassis moved to Brussels around 1516 and used the locations for his postal horses.
The area is a neighbourhood, which is in (re)developement. Event spaces, offices, coworking spaces, homes and green areas. It’s not far from Brussels-North Railway Station and Thurn and Taxis Railway Station.
Exploring Brussels
- Brussels’ Pannenhuis Park and L28 Park.
- Brussels’ Senne Park.
- The Hotel. Brussels.
- REVIEW | Train World exhibition ‘From Peking to Hankow: a Belgian adventure in China’.
- Ducal and Imperial Palace of Coudenberg in Brussels.
- MIMA – Millennium Iconoclast Museum of Art in Brussels.
- Villa Empain in Brussels.
- Pullman Brussels Centre Midi.
- Autoworld automobile museum in Brussels.
- Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History in Brussels, Belgium.
- REVIEW | Thalys Lounge at Brussels South/Midi station.
- PHOTOS | Train World railway museum in Brussels.
Trip By Trip 
23 Comments Add yours