



KLIMAATWIJK WALLE
Location: Kortrijk
Client: Omgeving Vlaanderen, city of Kortrijk
In spring 2020, the Department of Environment, the Flemish Government Architect team, and the Flemish Energy Agency launched a call to support neighborhood-scale reconversion projects combining renovation and climate measures. Kortrijk was selected with the “Bouwblok Walle” project. The city is developing a plan to transform the Walle block into a self-sufficient, CO₂-neutral neighborhood, based on energy exchange between a central company site and the surrounding residential fabric. The block is considered a key “heat network pearl” within a future regional heat network, illustrating energy symbiosis between industry and housing. The study explores renewable energy sources—geothermal, solar, wind, and biomass—and their distribution to both businesses and homes. It also addresses innovative operational models, legal frameworks, and synergies between different users. In parallel, a transition toward circular urban housing is proposed. Existing row houses will be adapted under multiple scenarios into circular row houses, two-family homes, or row apartments.