Park Lane, is the new residential project on the historic Tour & Taxis site. Nextensa went above and beyond to create an urban development in Brussels. Julian De Bisschop and Charlotte Segers, a young couple working for the Flemish government, bought an apartment in the Hampton building. We are curious about their motives to choose this project.

Hello Julian and Charlotte! How did you get to know T&T?

Charlotte: In 2017 we visited Couleur Café, a music and food truck festival on the Tour & Taxis site, where I felt completely at home. When you’re there, you feel like a global citizen, like you’re part of another world.  At that point, I already thought it was a very remarkable site.

Julian: When Charlotte and I were still studying, we got to know Brussels and now we love it. Like Charlotte says, you end up in another world, the language doesn’t matter. At Tour & Taxis there was always something to do – musicians, circus school artists etc.- and since July last year we’ve been working for the Flemish government in the Herman Teirlinck building. From then on we were on the site every day.

Everything is nearby: our work, the station, the city, that’s sustainable living.

What attracted or convinced you to live on Park Lane?

Charlotte: When we heard there were coming new apartments, we contacted them immediately.

Julian: We went into the Residential Information Office and looked at the model and the materials. The bold vision of choosing for a green and car-free environment inspired us.

Charlotte: The idea of building an entire village, for all ages – young and old, people in their twenties, fifties and retired people – also attracted us very much. It was clear that the real intention was to turn this neighborhood upside down and create a whole new atmosphere.

What are the main benefits for you to buy an apartment here?

Julian: We have a dog so a green area or a park was a crucial element for us to choose Park Lane. No other offer in the neighborhood could compare to this, hence …

Charlotte: We’re city people, but we also want to enjoy the peaceful and quiet vibes. Tour & Taxis is a green oasis, yet ideally situated, close to the centre.

Julian: And last but not least, our apartment has a terrace of 15m² and the whole site is car-free. That’s daring, ‘bold’, awesome.  The apartment and the building are fantastic as well, especially the shape of the building and the rounded corners stand out. The building has character thanks to the vision of the architects. That is very special.

Charlotte: Our building, Hampton, has something unique and timeless. It has personality. We had an immediate connection with the building. This was exactly what we were looking for.

Julian: Another argument to buy a Hampton apartment was its sustainable character. Sustainable living is important and matters to us.

Charlotte: You can leave your car on the side and easily get to the station by bike. We’re vegetarians, the environment and sustainability really are part of our way of living, so it’s an apartment that fits our vision. Think about the passive construction and the solar panels, the water recuperation to water the green zones, etc.

Julian: Also the limited number of floors, the building has a limited height, which was also important to us. Everything is nearby: our work, the station, the city, that’s sustainable living. And in the long run, our children can go to school in the old tobacco warehouse. What else do you want?

What type of apartment did you buy: building, floor, view?

Julian: We chose the first floor, an apartment with terrace towards the park. It shouldn’t be too high – and not the ground floor either – so it’s easy to leave the dog outside quickly.

How did the purchase go?

Julian: As mentioned before, we were very well received in the Residential Info Office in the Royal Warehouse. We got all the information we needed, it was a clear story on plan, the digital pictures and the required text and explanation did the rest. We were quickly convinced of the value of this project.

Did you still have enough ‘freedom’ to choose the finishings (kitchen, bathroom, floors)?

Charlotte: Certainly, we chose the parquet floors for the finishing inside, we had a number of options, but the choice for dark brown was a no-brainer. We could also opt for bathroom cabinets and for the tiles in the kitchen, bathroom, shower and so on. The colour of the tiles became a lighter grey, the sales representative had tested which colour made the dog’s hairs the least visible, so we didn’t hesitate.