Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – January 19, 2026 – Mabo Brussels has completed construction of its new playground, sports hall, and school building after two years of teaching amid ongoing works. Students and staff transitioned into the fully operational facilities this week. The project addresses long-standing capacity needs in the multilingual education network.
Pupils at Mabo Brussels returned to a transformed campus following the official handover of the new school building, sports hall, and playground on January 15, 2026. Construction began in January 2024, requiring adaptive teaching arrangements including modular classrooms and temporary outdoor spaces during the build phase. Brussels education authorities confirmed all facilities meet current safety and accessibility standards.
Project Timeline and Construction Challenges
Work commenced on the site adjacent to the existing Mabo Brussels campus with ground breaking attended by local officials. Phase one cleared the area and installed foundations for the three-storey school building housing 24 classrooms. Delays from supply chain issues in summer 2024 extended the sports hall completion by three months, but contractors met the revised December 2025 deadline.
Teaching continued uninterrupted through phased relocations, with 650 pupils split across temporary structures and partner schools. Noise mitigation measures included acoustic barriers and restricted heavy machinery hours to after-school periods. The Flemish Community Commission (COCOM) oversaw compliance with bilingual education mandates throughout.
Final inspections verified structural integrity, fire safety systems, and energy performance rating B under Belgian norms.
New School Building Specifications
The 4,500 square metre school building features 24 classrooms accommodating 750 pupils, up from current capacity. Laboratories for sciences, IT suites with 120 computers, and a library occupy the ground floor. Upper levels house staff rooms, administrative offices, and inclusive spaces for special needs education.
Sustainable design incorporates solar panels generating 30% of energy needs, rainwater harvesting, and triple-glazed windows. Classrooms measure 60 square metres each, exceeding minimum standards by 20%. Lift access ensures full wheelchair mobility across floors.
Furniture suppliers delivered ergonomic desks and interactive whiteboards installed during the holiday break.
Sports Hall Design and Features
The 1,200 square metre sports hall supports indoor basketball, volleyball, and gymnastics for physical education classes. Timber flooring meets EN 14904 standards, with wall padding and ceiling height of 8 metres accommodating net sports. Spectator stands seat 150 for school events and community use.
Changing rooms include six team cabins, showers, and accessible toilets. Storage for equipment lines one wall, with foldable goals and basketball hoops standard issue. Natural ventilation and LED lighting achieve 40% energy savings over older facilities.
Booking systems integrate with the school’s timetable for after-hours club access.
Playground Development and Safety Measures
The 2,000 square metre playground divides into age-specific zones with synthetic turf, swings, slides, and climbing frames compliant with EN 1176 norms. Rubberised safety surfacing underlies all play equipment, rated critical fall height up to 3 metres. Benches, shaded areas, and bike racks serve daily use.
Fencing encloses the perimeter with double gates for supervised entry. Inclusive swings and sensory paths accommodate diverse abilities. Maintenance contracts ensure weekly inspections and annual certifications.
Landscaping includes native planting beds managed by pupils through gardening clubs.
Educational Impact and Capacity Expansion
Mabo Brussels, part of the GO! Scholengroep Brussel network, serves Dutch-French-English streams for 4-18 year olds. New facilities alleviate overcrowding, reducing class sizes from 28 to 22 pupils average. Sports programming expands with dedicated PE slots tripling weekly hours.
Leave a Reply