Rauter Park Anderlecht

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Rauter Park in Anderlecht was originally the garden of a director’s villa. On the site where that villa once stood, noAarchitecten designed a building that no longer centres around the private. The contemporary villa is open to the public and serves a social purpose as a ‘home’ for the local community. This is also reflected in the building’s design; at first glance, the simple, quadrangular volume has few pretensions and mainly aims to be welcoming. Tall windows offer a view of the park and welcome visitors inside. The ground floor has a community centre with catering facilities. On the first floor is a multifunctional room that can be used for sports activities or neighbourhood celebrations. A hidden mezzanine under the polygonal ceiling houses dressing rooms for the auditorium. In the park itself, sightlines, structures and paths were restored, and large elevation differences were bridged with stepped levels that also function as seating.

Text: Febe Seghers

Photos: Eline Willaert