New city district Burenberg officially opened, property developer ION hands over park garden to the City of Leuven
17/10/2026
We have succeeded in creating a remarkable new quarter for Leuven. Burenberg truly has it all. Student rooms and coliving in the renovated monastery. A residential care centre with extra-care housing. Social housing. Family homes with gardens. Apartments, from studios to three-bedroom flats. Hospitality venues in the restored chapel. At the heart of it all, a park garden of no less than 4,600 m². 350 units across 18,500 square metres, completed in less than ten years. And all of it delivered sustainably, featuring a geothermal heat grid. We are especially proud of this achievement today.
A future-focused vision with respect for heritage
The city authorities are equally enthusiastic. Throughout the entire process, they provided support wherever needed, especially for the repurposing of the monastery building—a historic property of significant heritage value.
Arguably the most striking part of the project is the renovation of the former monastery building of the Brothers of Charity. Here, we approached every stage with meticulous care. The less valuable wings were carefully dismantled first, with the bricks being recovered, treated and then reused. In the chapel, a colour study was carried out in close collaboration with the Heritage Department of the City of Leuven. This allowed us to determine the exact original colour of the walls and features. Thanks to this research, the chapel has been restored to its authentic splendour. Altogether, Burenberg is a complete project that treats the past with respect while looking to the future.
A welcoming community
During the festive opening, the central park garden was officially handed over to the City of Leuven, making it publicly accessible from now on. For many people in Leuven, the car-free Burenberg site and its public park garden will be a true revelation, as it has been a secluded part of this neighbourhood for decades.
The public park garden also holds a powerful symbolic meaning. It demonstrates that this is much more than just a residential project—what’s emerging here is an entirely new part of the city, open to all residents of Leuven. Burenberg has everything it takes to create a vibrant community. There is space for everyone.
Both the city council and the property developer took the time this afternoon to expressly thank local residents for their patience and positive attitude throughout the entire construction process. Burenberg is developed in collaboration with architects from POLO, C+S, OYO, aNNo and BUUR, together with contractors Houben and VDS Vanderstraeten.
