by
New University Space, Louvain-la-Neuve
A two-stage competitive tender for the adaptive reuse of a historic farm into a transdisciplinary university third-place campus in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
The project concerns the transformation of the Ferme de Lauzelle, a historic farm complex located at the entrance to Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, into a university third place dedicated to transdisciplinarity, innovation, and societal transition. Conceived by the Université catholique de Louvain as Portes de la Transition, the project is strategically positioned between the main university campus and the adjacent science park, operating as an open and inclusive interface rather than a faculty-specific building. The site is envisioned as a lively, visible destination that extends the university beyond its traditional boundaries, welcoming academics, students, researchers, entrepreneurs, public authorities, associations, artists, and project initiators to collaborate on contemporary challenges linked to ecological, social, and economic transitions.
The programme calls for a flexible, mixed-use arrangement including laboratories and workshops, office spaces, meeting rooms, representative and ceremonial rooms, as well as residential accommodation, all housed within the existing farm structures. The commission covers a full architectural and engineering design study for the renovation and adaptive reuse of the complex, from initial concept to completion, with a strong emphasis on heritage integration, architectural identity, and atmosphere. Particular importance is placed on sustainability, circular economy principles, and the use of biosourced or reclaimed materials, aligning the project’s spatial ambitions with its educational and environmental values, within a maximum construction budget of €4 million excluding VAT.
Location
Sector
education, retrofit-refurbishment, science-research
Intervention
Renovation
Website
Tender Portal
Tender Stage
Qualification for design competition
Deadline
12 Mar 2026
Project Value/Scale
€4 million
Consultant Team
Architect
Structural engineer
Building services engineer (MEP)
PEB / energy performance consultant
Structural engineer
Building services engineer (MEP)
PEB / energy performance consultant
Submission Criteria
3 – 5 teams will be selected to the second stage.
2nd Place – €3k, 3rd Place – €2k – only payable if the submission scores at least 60/100.
Qualification Deliverables:
– Completed European Single Procurement Document (ESPD)
– Application form
– Consortium declaration (if applicable)
– Third-party capacity commitment letters (if applicable)
Relevant Project References:
– Heritage or listed-building transformation Project
– Farm renovation or adaptive reuse Project (minimum construction value: €500k)
– Project using biosourced or reclaimed materials (minimum construction value: €500k)
For each Project:
– Maximum 2 × A3 pages, single-sided descriptive report
– Site plan
– Plans and elevations
– Photographs of the completed project
– Certificate of satisfactory completion (signed by the client or competent authority)
Project Team Composition:
– Named multidisciplinary team
Minimum professional experience:
– Architect, structural engineer, MEP engineer: 15 years minimum
– Energy performance consultant: 10 years minimum
CV-style profiles including:
– Qualifications and degrees
– Professional role in the project
– Years of experience
2nd Stage Deliverables:
Pre-Design / Outline Concept Proposal:
– Architectural vision for the Ferme de Lauzelle
– Spatial organisation responding to the mixed-use programme
– Integration of heritage value and site identity
– Design approach to transdisciplinarity and shared use
– Initial sustainability and circular economy strategy
– Design methodology statement
– Project governance and management structure
– Cost control strategy