Leuven - Kessel-Lo Junction

With the redevelopment of the Kessel-Lo Junction, the city of Leuven aims to increase traffic liveability and improve quality of life in the area north of the Leuven multimodal station, at the level of Diestsepoort, Blauwputbrug and Diestsesteenweg. This assignment comprises the preparation of a target-situation study and the all-inclusive study assignment for the construction of infrastructure, landscape and public space for the Kessel-Lo Junction. The city of Leuven has allocated a budget of €22,500,000 excl. VAT and fee for the construction. 

Leuven’s ambition is to become one of the most caring, green and prosperous cities, a pioneer in various fields and in collaboration with committed residents, organizations, knowledge institutions, entrepreneurs and companies, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. Leuven also wants to continue playing a pioneering role in Europe as a knowledge city in terms of innovation and climate policy. 

The project zone is an essential part of the district development of Leuven North. It involves a complex urban junction that faces enormous challenges: cyclists and pedestrians cannot get around the junction safely, there is no quality staying space, car traffic cannot flow smoothly and thus impedes punctual public transport. In addition, future urban developments in the area are going to create more mobility. Therefore, in consultation with the stakeholders De Lijn, the Road and Traffic Agency (AWV), NMBS/SNCB, Infrabel and the province of Flemish Brabant, the city of Leuven has already worked out in recent years scenarios for the project area for a thorough adaptation of the infrastructure and public space. These are related to neighbouring areas awaiting development that need an optimal connection to the station in the context of the modal shift, such as the Leuven-North science park and new urban programmes in the station area. The city of Leuven now wants to achieve a new climate-adaptive urban space. 

The assignment starts from the objective to optimize Diestsesteenweg N2 as a regional transport axis, providing space for a shuttle and a stop between the Science Park and Leuven station, connecting three bicycle highways and optimizing crossing points on Martelarenlaan. This provides an opportunity to redesign the entire zone and in doing so to make room for improved flow for all modes of transport, with higher traffic liveability, improved staying quality and maximum greening. The qualities of the southern Belle-Vue Park should thereby be able to filter through into the project zone. It should become a place that once again gives a face to both Kessel-Lo and Leuven station and that forms a strong link for the northern redevelopment of the former railway grounds into a new and innovative urban district. A place that breathes life back into the surrounding functions and creates opportunities for new urban development, connected regionally and locally by the new infrastructures required for this.

In preparation for this ambitious project, the city decided in 2019 already to acquire and demolish an entire city block in collaboration with AWV. A first phase of this demolition work has already been carried out, and a second phase is scheduled for 2025. The first plans for the redevelopment of the entire Diestsesteenweg between Kessel-Lo and Tielt-Winge were shaped together with AWV, but need to be integrated and optimized specifically for the project zone.

The requested target-situation study includes research into the urbanistic and landscaping integration of both the new infrastructure and the (new) built environment, water management, image quality, a traffic analysis and micro-simulations, financial and technical feasibility, as well as support in harmonizing with all stakeholders. The design must offer sufficient guarantees in terms of safety, accessibility, flow and traffic accessibility, based on the guidelines in the decree on basic accessibility. The all-inclusive study assignment for the construction of infrastructure, landscape and public space for the Kessel-Lo Junction – feasibility study, project paper, implementation, etc. – will be based on this target-situation study. 

The research zone of the target-situation study is broader than the project zone of the construction. Indeed, the target situation also includes a study into the integration, volumetrics and image quality of a new multifunctional building with station facilities in combination with other urban functions, the possible transformation of the streetscape on the north side of Diestsesteenweg, a pedestrian bridge over the tracks and the connecting road network to the project zone (Martelarenlaan, Leuvensestraat, Vuurkruisenlaan, etc.). The target situation therefore defines the preconditions for future construction projects. 

At the time of applying, the city of Leuven is mainly looking for a quality designer who, on the basis of design research, can translate all ambitions spatially into a supported future scenario. The other experts considered necessary to the design team are not yet required at the time of applying, but should be added to the design team at the time of tendering.