Five proposals shortlisted for housing project around Stade Josy Barthel

The City of Luxembourg launched the urban housing competition in 2020, and is now approaching the selection of a winner. The goal of the contest is the transformation of the district surrounding the old Stade Josy Barthel into an "agreeable quarter with high living quality, green areas, and open spots for recreational activities", Luxembourg City Mayor Lydie Polfer noted. After reviewing the final number of proposals over the course of the summer, the jury will chose and announce a winner between the end of October and the beginning of November.

Five projects have been retained for this third and final phase of the competition.

© Maurice FICK / RTL

The five models will be exhibited at the "Rocade" building (3 Rue du Laboratoire) in Luxembourg City until 14 May. People have access to the building from Monday to Friday between 8.00 a.m. and 5.00 in the afternoon. "People are welcome to come inspect the models and provide comments and feedback. We will pass them on to the respective teams", Mayor Polfer explained.

Sonia Gengler, chief architect at the municipality of Luxembourg City, provided further insight into the projects, which propose "between 102,000 and 123,000 square meters to accommodate 1,500 to 2,000 inhabitants". All of them have one thing in common, namely that they leave a destination of choice for the old barracks of the fire brigade and horse stables right behind the district.

Here is an overview of the five shortlisted projects:

An "urban forest"

The Luxembourgish-Spanish coproduction entitled "Living in the Forest - Wunnland" prioritises a natural habitat above all. A forest is envisioned to extend from Rollingergrund towards Belair, with housing opportunities in its midst. The creators "integrated half of the stadium stands and designed a closed roadside front on the side of Route d'Arlon", Gengler summarised.

Wunnquartier Stade Projet "Living in tge Forest - Wunnland"

Three types of buildings have been designed for the housing opportunities, including so-called "flower houses". Gengler noted that this project proposes the "highest and densest buildings" out of the final contenders.

"Jardins de Luxembourg" favouring the former stadium

This project was put forward by an international team, including members from Luxembourg, France, Italy, Switzerland, and Germany. It is entitled "Jardins de Luxembourg" ("Gardens of Luxembourg") and stands out for making use of three quarters of the former stadium stands and thereby creating an open centre space for the future living district.

Wunnquartier Stade Projet "Jardin de Luxembourg"

The authors of the project envision four residential quarters with individual styles: dense and tall apartment buildings along the Route d'Arlon, a residential garden area along the Rue Napoléon, a residential forest area in Rollingergrund, and at the Eastern side, four tall apartment buildings with view on Limpertsberg.

"CityZen" without private garages

The project created by Luxembourg and French offices, called "CityZen", places "a strong emphasis on soft mobility and social mixing with a whole network of green spaces and public squares". A whole chain of public spaces, which is to ensure that "no home is far from a natural space", Sonia Gengler summarises.

Wunnquartier Stade "Cityzen"

Two large mixed-use buildings are planned along route d'Arlon, with housing, commercial spaces, and two large car parks "accessible from route d'Arlon in order to free the area from cars. There will be no private garages in this area," Gengler explains.

"Belved'air" with a diagonal green space

This project, designed by French and Luxembourg offices and called "Belved'air", is organised around a diagonal urban park that returns to the original topography of the site, before the Josy Barthel stadium became the "centre". The park is supposed to connect the surrounding neighbourhoods and create a link with Rollingergrund.

Wunnquartier Stade "Belved'air"

In the historic buildings of the barracks and stables, studios and a "Maison de Transformation" (House of Transformation) will be created. A large neighbourhood square will be created on route d'Arlon.

"SmartQ – Central Park"

The project designed by Luxembourgish, French, and German teams, called "Wunnquartier stade 'SmartQ - Parc central'", is organised around a large central park which extends over the entire length of the site with two access points, route d'Arlon and rue Rollingergrund. There will be a direct connection to the new tram stop.

Wunnquartier Stade "SmartQ - Parc central"

The residential buildings will be built on either side of the park, in the form of open residential blocks. A wide variety of housing models and building forms are envisaged, with "a mix of subsidised housing ('low-cost housing') and privately financed housing options, family-oriented housing models".