Jean Rey Square

Place Jean Rey is a square in the European Quarter of Brussels (Belgium) inaugurated in 2001.

Design and location

The square is paved with natural stone, bordered by plant boxes and benches facing 24 water jets in the centre which mirror the Maelbeek collector and storm basin below. Trees line the western side (not open to traffic) mirroring the axis starting at the entrance of Leopold Park across the street to the south. It is named after President Jean Rey and occupies a space between the Justus Lipsius building (headquarters of the Council of the European Union) and Leopold Park (next to the Espace Léopold of the European Parliament). It was inaugurated at the start of the Belgian EU Presidency on 26 June 2001.cite book|last= Demey |first= Thierry |others= S. Strange (trans.) |title= Brussels, capital of Europe |year= 2007 |publisher= Badeaux |location= Brussels |isbn= 2-9600414-2-9 |page=297-400]

History

The reason it was only inaugurated in 2001 is that its construction has been delayed due to controversies surrounding the area around the Justus Lipsius building. The square was included in plans for Justus Lipsius in 1984 but had been put off or delayed due to new competitions and legal difficulties including failed schemes such as plans do demolish a large residential area. Belgian authorities created the space in 2001 as it was thought their reputation would be tarnished if they did not manage to improve the foreboding image of the European quarter.

Future

Plans for the rebuilding of the quarter would see the renovation of Chaussée d’Etterbeek into a tree lined avenue. The rennovated section would terminate at Jean Rey Square which would become a traffic island with the west side being turned into a road. This would remove the tree lined area mirroring the entrance to Leopold park but there would be trees lining the opposite sides of the road to the north, west and east, a new fountain in the south west corner and the possibility of a tram line cutting across the square following the Chaussée d’Etterbeek. The car park to the west would see new buildings built on it, as the east side has been. [http://www.bruxelles.irisnet.be/cmsmedia/fr/sd_fr_vdef_pdf.pdf?uri=ff8081811982727701198459e828002f Schéma directeur du quartier européen] , Brussels-Capital Region] The bland facade of the Justus Lipsius building, overlooking the square, is also to be renovated with the possibility of the lower floors being demolished to provide a visual link across the square between Leopold Park and the Berlaymont building.cite web|last=Clerbaux|first=Bruno|title=The European Quarter today: Assessment and prospects|publisher=European Council of Spatial Planners|url=http://www.ceu-ectp.org/inc/cgi/pl/pl20061209.pdf|format=PDF|accessdate=2007-12-09]

ee also

* Brussels and the European Union (details on the quarter)
* Leopold Quarter (a more historic area in which the square resides)

References