Brussels has taken a major step toward building its first new outdoor public swimming facility in years. The Brussels-Capital Region has approved the launch of the tender for a rooftop swimming pool that will be built on the former Abattoir site in Anderlecht.
The long-awaited project is designed to give residents a modern place to swim, relax, and cool down during the summer. Officials say the need for public outdoor swimming spaces has grown as heatwaves become more frequent across the Belgian capital.
Brussels is currently the only European city with more than one million residents that does not have a permanent outdoor public swimming pool. City leaders believe the new complex will help close that gap and improve access to affordable recreation.
The project was first approved by the regional government in 2022 as part of a larger redevelopment plan for the historic Abattoir site in Cureghem. Over the years, the area has changed from a former slaughterhouse into a busy center for markets, food production, and community activities.
Although the proposal received strong public support, progress slowed while officials completed legal, financial, and operational planning. Several public organizations have worked together to prepare the project, including the Brussels-Capital Region, the Flemish Community Commission, the municipality of Anderlecht, and the Brussels Urban Development Corporation.
Brussels Secretary of State for Urban Renewal Ans Persoons announced that the regional government has now approved the next phase by authorizing the public tender.
Persoons said access to places where people can cool down should be available to everyone, not only to those with private gardens or swimming pools. She added that rising temperatures make the project more important every year.
The project will move forward through a Design, Build, Finance, Maintain, and Operate partnership. Under this model, the selected private partner will be responsible for designing, constructing, financing, operating, and maintaining the entire swimming complex.
The contract is expected to be awarded in 2028. Construction is not expected to begin before 2029, meaning residents will still need to wait several years before the facility opens.
Preparations have already started. Around €4 million has been secured from the Brussels-Capital Region and the Flemish Community Commission. Engineers have also completed work to strengthen the roof of the Manufakture building, where the pools will be located.
The swimming complex will sit on top of Manufakture, a new food production center that is currently under construction. An energy-saving system will reuse heat produced by refrigerated storage areas inside the building to help warm the pool water, improving energy efficiency.
The plans include a 25-meter indoor swimming pool for schools and sports clubs, a smaller teaching pool for swimming lessons, and a second 25-meter outdoor pool that will operate during the summer season.
Visitors will also have access to recreation areas, relaxation spaces, and views across the Brussels skyline. Officials hope the rooftop location will create a unique experience while providing a much-needed public facility.
Once completed, the swimming complex is expected to operate for at least 3,500 hours across 50 weeks each year. It will welcome school groups, sports organizations, and members of the public.
Admission prices are expected to remain similar to those at other public swimming pools in Brussels. Reduced prices will also be available for schools and eligible community groups to encourage broad public access.
Officials estimate that nearly 400,000 people could visit the facility each year, making it one of the busiest public recreational sites in the capital.
Brussels has lost many outdoor swimming areas over the past several decades. As older facilities closed, residents increasingly relied on private clubs or traveled outside the city to swim during the summer.
Several earlier proposals to restore outdoor swimming opportunities were never completed. Plans for a natural swimming pond in Neerpede faced local objections, while a larger canal swimming project was canceled because of funding challenges.
With the rooftop swimming pool project now moving into the tender stage, Brussels has taken an important step toward expanding public recreation and creating a modern outdoor swimming facility for future generations.
