Leuven, Belgium
The City
Leuven is a centrally positioned city both within Belgium and Europe. It is a historical city with a rich cultural heritage, known for its high-ranking university and Belgian beer. Leuven has become a dynamic international community, with over 170 nationalities and many students living in the city centre. In 2020, the city was elected as the European Capital of Innovation and offers several opportunities for co-creation. Since 2022, Leuven is one of the 112 cities participating in the EU Mission to deliver 100 climate-neutral and smart cities.
The Pilot: Hertogensite- Regeneration of former hospital site
The pilot area for VARCITIES is a former hospital site in the medieval centre of the city called ‘Hertogensite’. This fully built area is in a process of transformation to become a green district, where re-opened rivers, the Dyle and the Aa, recreate a connection between the city centre and the river landscape.
The area is becoming a multifunctional neighbourhood with different housing typologies, economical functions like hotels, shops, restaurants and cafés and co-working spaces. Cultural attractions like the new performing arts hall for the city (with a capacity of 1500 spectators) and a museum site on the history and future of health care will be the heart of this area. By 2026, most of the site should be finished.
Discover the Pilot!
The Visionary Solutions
VS1, Olevodroom, is a mobile art installation which unites meeting, cultural programming and movement, installed in place of the Velodrome in Leuven. It will be removed when the construction works start for the new performing arts building, and be relocated in the center of the new park in Hertogensite. In February 2024 the installation was built together with the neighborhood community and was officially opened of March 2024. Discover more about the installation on Arch Daily.
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To better understand the impact of greening and climate adaptation in the city, VS2 focuses on installing smart sensor systems that monitor both climatic conditions and water quality in real time. Two climate stations were installed in the newly developed park area. to measure key environmental parameters including air quality, temperature, humidity, and precipitation. Five Sensedge sticks were also deployed to monitor heat, air pressure, and relative humidity, helping to assess urban heat island effects and overall thermal comfort in the area. As part of the river restoration efforts, sensors are monitoring the water quality of the Dijle River, specifically looking at the impact of riverbank greening and re-opening of the watercourse, to help track ecological improvement and ensure safe, clean water conditions.
VS 4 introduced a smart lighting pole equipped with sound sensors to monitor ambient noise levels in real time When the system detects potential noise pollution, it automatically increases light intensity—a subtle but effective way to influence and calm excessive or disruptive behavior in the area. This promotes a more peaceful and respectful public environment, especially during evenings and gatherings.
VS 5 supports data-informed urban mobility planning by monitoring the movement of cyclists and pedestrians along the newly established connection between Kapucijnenvoer and Onze-Lieve-Vrouwstraat. Using Telraam devices and traffic counters, this solution captures detailed mobility flow data, helping the Municipality assess how the new infrastructure is being used and informing broader interventions in the public space. In addition, an air quality sensor monitors local environmental conditions, offering insights into the relationship between mobility patterns and urban air quality.
VARCITIES H&WB Platform acts as a bridge connecting the tangible reality of Novo Mesto with its digital twins, offering users a seamless, user-friendly experience to access time-series environmental data through interactive dashboards and insightful 3D renders.
Explore the dynamic transformation of our Pilot site in Leuven and embark on a transformative eco-gaming experience with VARCITIES GoNature Game with full AR/VR 3-D render!
