Northern Quarter (Brussels)

Skyline of the Northern Quarter with the Botanical Garden of Brussels in the foreground

The Brussels-North railway station

The Northern Quarter (French: Quartier Nord, Dutch: Noordruimte) is the central business district of Brussels, Belgium. Similarly to the Zuidas in Amsterdam or La Défense in Paris, the Northern Quarter consists of a concentrated collection of high-rise buildings.

The Northern Quarter roughly covers the area between Willebroek Quay, railways along the Brussels-North railway station and the north side of the small ring. The territory is thus split between the municipalities of Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, Schaerbeek and the City of Brussels.

The area is characterized by high-rise buildings, most around 100 meters tall. Over half of the 20 tallest buildings in Belgium are located in the Northern Quarter. The Northern Quarter has around 1,200,000 m² (13,000,000 sq ft) of office space occupied by 40,000 workers. It has an additional 8000 residents.

The Northern Quarter

History

The creation of the business district was controversial. The demolition of a residential area to make room for a new business district was not universally appreciated. Over 15,000 residents were forced out. Shortly after the buildings were demolished, an economic crisis struck, leaving a gaping hole in the city. The area has since filled up with skyscrapers.

The first towers in the area date from the 1970s, including the World Trade Center. Now that the area is an established business district, more and more companies in addition to federal and regional administrations have offices in the area.

After a lull in building in the nineties, projects began again in the 2000s. The 137 meter tall Dexia Tower, finished in 2006, gave more character to the skyline. The Zenith Tower anchors the area on its northern end.

Brussels' red light district is just west of the financial district, and is also considered part of the Northern Quarter.^{[citation needed]}

Coordinates: 50°51′29″N 4°21′33″E / 50.85806°N 4.35917°E / 50.85806; 4.35917