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“ situated in the heart of brussels, tour & taxis is more than just a historic landmark. it's a crossroads of experiences , art and discoveries . once a central customs facility, this iconic site has been reinvented to offer visitors a deep dive into brussels culture. from art exhibitions and local markets to gourmet restaurants and cultural events , tour & taxis is the must-visit destination to experience brussels in all its glory. ”, what's going on .

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Tour & Taxis

Top ways to experience Tour & Taxis and nearby attractions

• IJzer • 9 min walk

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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Tour & Taxis - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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• (0.02 mi) La Fabbrica Tour et Taxis
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• The History Of Tour Taxis...

The History of Belgium’s Tour and Taxis Site in One Minute

The historical Tour & Taxis site on the Brussels Canal is the beating heart of the city’s art scene. Standing tall since the 19th century, the huge former industrial site showcases world-renowned cultural events.

A former international postal service, train station and shipping yard, the Tour & Taxis site has lived many lives. Developed by the German von Thurn und Tassis family (in French really only pronounceable as Tour et Taxis) – European postmaster royalty in those days – the original swampy piece of land rapidly evolved into the spine of Brussels’ economy. And while the grounds haven’t served any transit purposes since the ’60s, the grand industrial decor makes for a great backdrop to the capital’s biggest cultural events. Ongoing renovation works since 2001 have made sure not to disturb the old industrial charm pervading the place. The former railway station still has old tracks running through it, and the mammoth halls known as the Sheds have kept their original metallic framework and saw-tooth ceiling. And even though the four-storey-high, glass-roofed Royal Depot has become a thing of beauty as a multipurpose hub for shopping, dining and general relaxation, Tour & Taxis remains mostly known as a venue for reputable fairs and festivals. The world-class Couleur Café Festival, one of the most diverse culinary and musical experiences in the country, has become a permanent summer fixture. The grand scales of the Old Maritime Station and the Sheds have proven perfect for big springtime events such as Art Brussels, Brussels Design Market and the BIFFF film festival. During the winter, the Brussels Book Fair, the Affordable Art Fair and the prestigious BRAFA (Brussels Antiques and Arts Fair) warm up the cold weekends. Over the centuries, what started as a postal service has become an urban cultural nucleus, attracting the best and biggest happenings all year-round.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

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Tour & Taxis

Top ways to experience Tour & Taxis and nearby attractions

• IJzer • 9 min walk

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travellers

TOUR & TAXIS: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

• (0.49 mi) Yadoya Hotel
• (0.24 mi) Guesthouse JustforSleep
• (0.86 mi) The Hoxton Brussels
• (1.34 mi) Art de Sejour
• (0.74 mi) Hotel Noga Brussels
• (0.01 mi) Le Pain Quotidien
• (0.02 mi) La Fabbrica Tour et Taxis
• (0.09 mi) QuickFriends
• (0.13 mi) La Creche des Artistes - Le Canal
• (0.11 mi) The Waffle By Belgaufra
• (0.01 mi) Zein Oriental Spa
• (0.10 mi) Pixel Museum
• (0.06 mi) BattleKart Tour&Taxis
• (0.06 mi) Magasin 4
• (0.06 mi) Titanic Exhibition

Tutankhamun The Exhibition

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Tour & Taxis site in Brussels completely car-free from 2023

In recent years, an urban development project on the Tour & Taxis site has triggered the revival of historic buildings of Brussels, from the Royal Depot to the Gare Maritime. As part of ambitions to make the area even more liveable, it will be made entirely car-free from 2023.

The large former industrial site, located on the Brussels Canal in the City of Brussels, has in recent years undergone a complete overhaul in the hands of the real estate investor and developer, Nextensa, which is now planning major mobility changes in its urban district which will see cars disappear from its streetscape.

"Tour & Taxis is the epitome of a vibrant and liveable '5-minute neighbourhood'. Everything you need is within walking distance," the CEO of Nextensa, Michel Van Geyte, told Belga News Agency. "When car traffic becomes redundant, soft mobility gains the upper hand."

From next year, the main entrance to the multipurpose event venue at 86c Avenue du Port will no longer be accessible to cars, while the passageway will be widened to give pedestrians and cyclists easier access to Place de la Musique and the Tour & Taxis' park itself.

The space in and around the Tour & Taxis as seen from above. The entire private site will be car-free. Credit: Nextensa

Meanwhile, the existing shuttle service that connects the city district to the North Station will also no longer stop in front of the Royal Warehouse, but instead, new stops will be created on Avenue du Port and Rue Picard, where there will also be a zone for taxis and deliveries.

From next year, parking on the Tour & Taxis site will also only be possible underground. The Esplanade car park, which will have new access via Drève Anna Boch, will have space for 300 cars and the Park Lane car park, near Gare Maritime on Rue Picard, will have space for 900 vehicles.

A new 700-space underground bicycle parking facility in the basements under the Sheds will also be created.

Well-connected area

As the site is privately owned, the cabinet of Brussels Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt was not consulted about these mobility changes, however, it has welcomed the announcement with open arms.

"Of course, we welcome this decision. In an office district like this one, we know that the quality of life is better with fewer cars," her spokesperson, Marie Thibaut de Maisières, told The Brussels Times.

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Tour & Taxis is well-connected to various public transport networks, and following the opening of the Suzan Daniel Bridge  — an important link between the site and the North Station allowing pedestrians and cyclists to cross the canal via a shorter route  — was made even more accessible.

"All these alternatives to cars were developed by the public sector. Now, the developer can offer people working and living here a space that is much calmer and more peaceful," she added.

Copyright © 2024 The Brussels Times. All Rights Reserved.

Tour & Taxis

Vast inclusive and sustainable multipurpose site

Contact Hélène Van Elst

Avenue du Port 86C, 1000 Brussels

• Type Mixed usage
• Surface 33 ha
• Status Under development

More information about

Spectacular renovation of a historic local site to create an inclusive and sustainable multipurpose living space

A major urban redevelopment project in brussels.

Let’s start with a little history… The Tour & Taxis site was created in the 16th century when the von Thurn und Taxis family, which founded the European postal service, made it a gateway to Europe. At the turn of the 20th century, Tour & Taxis then became one of the world’s first multimodal goods transport platforms, integrating water, road and rail. The site subsequently fell into disuse in the post-war period, with the abolition of customs duties.

Nextensa therefore decided to offer this place steeped in history a new lease of life by harmoniously combining past and present to create a versatile, attractive and inclusive environment including housing, offices, shops,event areas, restaurants and public facilities. An extension covering nine hectares of an existing park is also planned.

Particular attention is paid to active mobility, mixity, the enhancement of heritage and sustainable development.

Nextensa aims to bring a modern and sustainable dimension to the historic buildings on this site, while respecting their authenticity and their architectural heritage. The result is the creation of an inspiring living space for the innovators of the future, while respecting the history and architectural heritage of the past.

The site, strategically located along the canal very near the historic centre of Brussels, contains several buildings that service a variety of purposes:

• Hôtel des Douanes (Offices)
• Sheds (Events)
• Gare Maritime (Mixed-use)
• Maison de la Poste (Conference and meeting centre)
• Entrepôt Royal (Mixed-use)
• Park Lane (Residential)
• Lakeside (Future residential project)
• Produits Dangereux (Events)
• Quai aux Poissons (Events & Bar)
• Atelier des Tracteurs (Food)
• Park (Entertainment)
• Herman Teirlinck (Flemish Community) - Sold
• BIM (Bruxelles Environnement) - Sold

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Tour & Taxis

The historical logistics platform of Tour & Taxis presents a number of buildings of exceptional size and architectural value: the Royal Depot, the Sheds, the Hôtel des Douanes, the Hôtel de la Poste and the Gare Maritime. A modern interpretation is given to the historic buildings on the Tour & Taxis site, with great respect for their authenticity and heritage value. The site is ideally located on the tourist routes, between the Brussels old city centre and other tourist attactions such as the Atomium. The green areas and the evolutionary park are central features and an inherent part of the philosophy behind the Tour & Taxis development. Tour & Taxis is becoming a reinvented neighbourhood with residences, culture, offices and public services all in one, creating a positive alternative for people looking for new experiences. The Sheds welcome different major events including antique and art fairs. With eateries, bars and activities on the site, there’s something to suit everyone’s taste. Tour & Taxis offers you the chance to discover the industrial heritage of this unique site using our App, which comprises of an audio guide working together with historic photos. You can download our App for free at: www.tt-app.be

Location: Avenue du Port, 86c, 1000 Brussels

TOUR & TAXIS

Energy-Plus Masterplan, Metamorphosis of the Gare Maritime and Construction of 3 Vertical Forests,

Brussels 2016,

TYPE: Architectural Commission

ARCHITECT: Vincent Callebaut Architectures, Paris

CLIENT: Extensa, T&T Project S.A.

CONTRACT LOCATION: Tour & Taxis, Brussels, Belgium

PROGRAM: 85 000 M² Housing (Zone B) + 50 000 M² Office + Retail + Leisure (Gare Maritime)

SURFACE AREA: 135 000 M²

STATUS : W.I.P.

TOUR ET TAXIS : TOWARDS A MIXED-USE ECO-NEIGHBORHOOD

Whereas most developing countries can write their future starting from a blank slate, European cities face the challenge of transforming their built heritage to secure their energy, social and economic transition towards post-carbon, circular and interdependent urban living.

It means being determined to act as forward thinkers, and to bring our new project “Tour & Taxis” into the 21st century in terms of uses, technological progress, social innovation, and sustainable building principles. Today's architecture is capable of implementing "energy solidarity" between a piece of architectural heritage -- industrial in this case -- and a contemporary project. The latter provides the necessary energy to the former by integrating renewable energies, thus limiting carbon emissions as recommended by the COP 21.

Built between 1902 et 1907, Tour & Taxis used to be a large customs clearance and storage complex in the 20th century, located at the river, road and railway gates of Brussels, now Europe's capital city.

Covering 40 hectares (c. 100 acres) of former wetlands, this industrial park is a worldwide symbol of industrialization's golden age – its engineering, ironwork, stonework and natural light.

It lost its utility with the progressive lifting of Europe's custom borders, but the Tour & Taxis neighborhood is currently undergoing a major renewal, and is once again on the verge of becoming an important vehicle for the economic and cultural development of Brussels, bringing in a sense of well-being and community.

The warehouses and sheds have been repurposed with corporate sustainability and the knowledge economy in mind, and a dedication to energy saving and the reuse of renewable energies.

The ultimate goal is to create a genuine mixed-use eco-neighborhood where it is pleasant to be, work, live and play; an eco-neighborhood along the Brussels canal, articulated around three axes: revitalization of the built heritage, sustainable communities, and water.

This redevelopment is combined with the creation of a bridge for public, non-motorized and shared transportation that will link the Rue Picard on the south side of the site to the Gare du Nord train station.

The project presented herein focuses on the "metamorphosis" of the Gare Maritime (Marine Terminal) into 50,000 square meters (c. 538,000 square feet) of mixed-use space composed of professional activities (offices, workshops, etc.), retail activites (markets, showrooms, shops, fablabs, etc.) and public amenities. Across from the pediment of the Gare Maritime, the project also includes the eco-design of three residential "vertical forests" totalling 85,000 square meters (c. 915,000 square feet), as well as the creation of a large pond bordered by a natural and biological pool which links the Tour & Taxis park to the Brussels canal.

THE METAMORPHOSIS OF THE GARE MARITIME

The Gare Maritime is uniquely large and majestic, and is divided into five parallel iron, cast iron and glass "vessels". These days, it sits empty and is one of the largest terminals in Europe, with a floor area of 40,000 square meters (c. 430,000 square feet) .

In his time, Frédéric Bruneel, the railways' chief engineer, decorated it like an Art Nouveau masterpiece, with wrought iron and stylized vegetal forms that still adorn the pillars and arches today.

Our concept proposes to bring the new public park and the canal inside the Gare Maritime along the 280-meter (c. 920-foot) length of its naves, creating a genuine BIOCAMPUS (eco-campus) where it feels good to work and relax.

The two median naves are thus "innervated" with vegetation and water. These interior gardens – tropical to the east and continental to the west – climb along the façades of the various functional spaces, forming cascades of exotic and endemic plants.

The various styles of contemporary architecture resolutely assert their time. Biomimetics inform their shape and structure, as well as the biosourced materials used according to flexible and modular construction principles. Contrasting with the wrought iron of the five naves facing it, the BIOCAMPUS is built in solid wood and cross-laminated timber (CLT) to reduce the intrinsic carbon footprint of the construction, while bringing warmth and comfort to the microclimatic interior landscape.

The spatial organization of the BIOCAMPUS promotes innovation, interdisciplinarity and transversality – all aimed towards co-working and the circular economy of this early 21st century, based on the "Triple R" theory: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

The BIOCAMPUS establishes an individual architectural identity for each of the five naves – enhancing the industrial heritage while guaranteeing visual permeability between the large three main naves:

- The "Waves" in the western nave: include retail on the ground floor and open-space offices on the upper floors.

- The "Containers" in the eastern nave: offer leisure space on the ground floor, with modular offices and a hotel on the upper floors.

- The "Boat hulls" in the central nave: act as genuine idea labs for meetings and brainstorming sessions.

- The "Geodesic domes" between the two median naves: incorporate restaurants and bars, as well as sports and leisure spaces.

- The "Greenhouses" along the Main Street : bring agriculture back into the heart of the city, with urban farms dedicated to organic farming.

The rule for all these architectural entities is to be completely detached from the existing structure and façades, highlighting them while ensuring the reversibility of the project.

The recurring theme is to offer living and working spaces of different scales that promote chance meetings and multidisciplinarity while boosting innovation. These spaces – each of different but always human, Roman piazza-inspired sizes – are linked together by ground-level bicycle paths, while over 6.6 meters (c. 22 feet) above, tree-perched footbridges offer unique perspective views of the wrought iron floral motifs designed by Frédéric Bruneel.

All the co-working, e-business and e-sharing spaces can be allocated to multiple long-term businesses, or be turned into a start-up cluster. The interior space planning is flexible and easily adjustable, thanks to raised floors pre-installed with plumbing, HVAC and NICT. They only use biosourced materials that are recycled and/or recyclable according to "cradle to cradle" standards.

Wrapped in waterproof and airtight façades with high thermal inertia, the majestic "vessel" forms a microclimatic space that reduces energy needs. It also incorporates the concepts of passive bioclimatism and cutting-edge renewable energies, such as: rainwater harvesting; earth-air heat exchangers for natural ventilation; evapotranspiration gardens; biomass cogeneration; geothermal stations; a wind farm with 88 magnetic levitation vertical axis wind turbines located on the cornices (88 x 770 kWh/year = 67,760 kWh/year); solar and heat energy roofs (18,000 square meters or c. 194,000 square feet x 120 kWh/square meter/year or c. 11.15 kWh/square foot/year = 2,160,600 kWh/year); and southern façades made of silicon cells (9,600 square meters or c. 103,300 square feet x 60 kWh/square meter/year or c. 5.6 kWh/square foot/year = 576,000 kWh/year).

All of these contribute to the development of a BEPOS (energy-plus building) that generates 186% of its annual needs, i.e. 2,803,760 kWh/year for an energy-efficient consumption estimated at 1,500,000 kWh/year (50,000 square meters or c. 538,000 square feet x 30 kWh/square meter/year or c. 2.8 kWh/square foot/year). Self-sufficient, the Gare Maritime provides 86% in value-added energy that can be redistributed in real time to the neighborhing historic buildings and future sustainable housing units across from it.

THE ECO-CONCEPT OF VERTICAL FORESTS & SKY VILLAS (ZONE B)

The "Zone B" faces the northern pediment of the Gare Maritime, and is dedicated to the development of 85,000 square meters (c. 915,000 square feet) of multiple-scale housing units as well as convenience stores.

The concept of the "Vertical Forests" is to build "Sky Villas" surrounded by vertical gardens, i.e. individual homes with private food gardens and community orchards high in the Brussels sky, thus combining the advantages of both rural and urban living. This vertical village concept addresses the increasingly obsolete geographical segregation between one's private life in the countryside and professional life in the city. It challenges the car-centric culture of the 20th century, and reinstates the notion of a pedestrian city focused on ecomobility. Less time wasted in one's car means more time for oneself.

The project takes advantage of the trapezoid-shaped area bounding the construction zone. Large rooftops with elegant curves outline fruit and vegetable corbel balconies, with unparalleled views of the Brussels historic core and the Koekelberg basilica. Tilted south, these rooftops are covered with solar panels (12,500 square meters or c. 135,000 square feet) that provide some of the housing units' energy needs.

The three vertical forests total 85,000 square meters (c. 915,000 square feet), and are divided from east to west into three lots of roughly 32,500 square meters (c. 350,000 square feet), 28,000 square meters (c. 301,400 square feet), and 24,500 square meters (c. 263,700 square feet) respectively. These forests align along the width of the Gare Maritime, and are separated from each other by gardens that are 35-meter (c. 115-foot) wide.

The façades reveal the social diversity of the project, like a giant Tetris that fits vertically together with all the sky villas – from the smallest to the largest one. Using inclined ramps that shelter the ground-level orchards and common areas, the Tour & Taxis park extends over green roofs, offering strolls overlooking the large central pond.

To the south, the height of the towers does not exceed 24 meters (c. 79 feet), thus aligning with the ridges of the Gare Maritime's three large naves. To the north along the future Avenue Tour & Taxis, their height reaches 100 meters (c. 328 feet) on over 30 floors, with panoramic views of Molenbeek, Laeken, and the Atomium further away.

Three distinct urban components articulate between the vertical villages and the Gare Maritime: 1. a large marsh pond attracting Brussels' biodiversity; 2. the former Halle aux Poissons et Huiles (fish and oil covered market) converted into a bar and restaurant; 3. a giant lilypad offering exhibit and event space, as well as an open-air rooftop auditorium.

This urban complex connects the large esplanade located nord-east of the Entrepôt Royal (Royal Warehouse) with the parc created to the north-west on the old rail forks' trail. The lilypad sets a double vanishing point: for the perspective from the Gare Maritime's central nave on one side; and for the perspective from the bridge coming from the Gare du Nord train station on the other side.

Each master plan zone is thus stitched to the other like an avant-garde "TEGPOS" (Positive Global Energy Territory), as a symbol for the desired perfect symbiotic relationship between man, technology and ecosystems.

Metamorphosis means the transformation of the caterpillar into a butterfly.

Metamorphosis doesn't mean eradicating the past, but rather integrating the best of the past into our future.

Metamorphosis means privileging writing a story over another.

Metamorphosis means selecting which components of the past will form the foundations of a future still to be imagined.

The role of architects extends beyond mere conservation or restoration: it involves advocating for a hybrid history.

To stretch the limits and think ouside the box; to have courage for oneself and for others; to challenge old structures and advance society and our way of life: that's the most difficult task in the world, because it confronts the beliefs of predecessors and decision-makers. Our proposal for Tour & Taxis attempts to turn this ambition into a reality – one step at the time.

Brussels, 2016

Copyrights: Vincent Callebaut Architectures, Paris

TEXTE FRANÇAIS

Tour et taxis, vers un ecoquartier multifonctionnel.

Tandis que de nombreux pays émergents écrivent leur futur à partir d’une page blanche, les villes européennes relèvent le défi de la métamorphose de leur patrimoine intrinsèque afin d’assurer leur transition énergétique et socio-économique vers une urbanité définitivement post-carbone, circulaire et solidaire.

La volonté est d’agir comme des prospectivistes pour propulser «Tour & Taxis» vers le 21ème siècle en termes d’usages, d’avancées technologiques, d’innovation sociale et de principes constructifs durables. En effet, l’architecture est capable aujourd’hui de mettre en œuvre le concept de « Solidarité Energétique » entre un patrimoine – industriel dans ce cas - allié à un projet contemporain. Le second fournissant l’énergie nécessaire au premier par l’intégration des énergies renouvelables pour atteindre un bilan sobre en carbone sur le plan environnemental comme le recommande la COP 21.

Construit entre 1902 et 1907, Tour & Taxis était au 20ème siècle un gigantesque complexe de dédouanement et d’entreposage aux portes fluviales, routières et ferroviaires de Bruxelles, désormais Capitale de l’Europe.

Couvrant 40 hectares d’anciennes prairies marécageuses, le parc et les bâtiments industriels du site représentent au plan mondial l’âge d’or de l’industrialisation, du génie civil, du travail de la ferronnerie, de la pierre et de la lumière naturelle.

Sa raison-d’être rendue caduque par la levée progressive des barrières douanières européennes, le site de Tour & Taxis est aujourd’hui un quartier en pleine révolution en phase de redevenir un vecteur important du développement économique et culturel de Bruxelles inspirant un sentiment de bien-être et de mieux vivre ensemble.

Les entrepôts et les sheds ont été transformés sur les thèmes de l’entreprise durable et de l’économie de la connaissance aux ambitions affirmées en termes d’économie d’énergie et de réutilisation de l’énergie renouvelable.

L’objectif à terme, est la naissance d’un écoquartier réellement multifonctionnel où il fait bon vivre, travailler, habiter et se divertir; un écoquartier bordant le canal de Bruxelles et articulé autour de trois axes : le patrimoine redynamisé, les communautés durables et l’eau.

Ce développement s’accompagne par la création d’une passerelle pour les transports publics et le trafic doux qui reliera la Rue Picard au sud du site à la Gare du Nord.

Le projet ici présenté porte sur la métamorphose de la Gare Maritime en 50 000 M² d’espaces multifonctionnels avec un mélange d’activités économiques (bureaux, ateliers…) et commerciales (marché, showrooms, magasins…) ainsi que des équipements collectifs. Face au fronton nord de la Gare Maritime, le projet porte également sur l’écoconception de trois « forêts verticales » résidentielles de 85 000 M² et sur le développement d’un vaste étang bordé d’une piscine naturelle biologique reliant le Parc de Tour & Taxis au Canal de Bruxelles.

LA METAMORPHOSE DE LA GARE MARITIME

Immense et incroyable, la Gare Maritime est divisée en cinq vaisseaux parallèles de fer, de fonte et de verre. Actuellement vide, elle présente une superficie au sol de de 40 000 M² (4 ha) et est l’une des plus grandes gares d’Europe.

A l’époque, Frédéric Bruneel, l’ingénieur en chef des chemins de fer, l’a teinté - tel un chef d’œuvre d’Art Nouveau - de dentelles de fer aux motifs végétaux qui ornent encore aujourd’hui les pilastres et les arches aériennes.

Notre concept est de faire rentrer le nouveau parc public et le canal dans la Gare Maritime tout au long des 280 mètres de ses nefs pour créer un véritable BIOCAMPUS où il fait bon travailler et se divertir.

Les deux nefs intermédiaires sont ainsi innervées par des coulées végétales et aquatiques. Ces jardins intérieurs, tropical à l’Est et continental à l’Ouest, grimpent sur les façades des entités fonctionnelles formant ainsi de véritables cascades de plantes exotiques et endémiques.

Les architectures contemporaines affirment résolument leur époque. Elles s’inspirent du biomimétisme autant dans leurs morphologies et leurs structures, que dans les matériaux biosourcés qu’elles mettent en œuvre en adoptant des principes constructifs flexibles et modulables. En effet face aux dentelles de fer des cinq nefs, le BIOCAMPUS est construit en bois massif et en bois lamellé-entrecroisé (Cross Laminated Timber) pour baisser le bilan carbone intrinsèque de la construction tout en réchauffant le sentiment de bien-être de ce paysage intérieur microclimatique. A travers son aménagement spatial, le BIOCAMPUS prône ainsi l’innovation, l’interdisciplinarité et la transversalité, le tout visant vers le co-working et l’économie circulaire de ce début de siècle basée sur la théorie du “Triple R” : Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

Le BIOCAMPUS développe une identité architecturale spécifique pour chacune des cinq nefs magnifiant le patrimoine industriel tout en assurant une perméabilité visuelle entre les trois grandes nefs principales :

- Les « Vagues » dans la nef occidentale : développent du retail en rez-de-chaussée et des bureaux en open-space aux étages.

- Les « Containers » dans la nef orientale : proposent des espaces de loisirs en rez-de-chaussée et des bureaux modulaires aux étages ainsi qu’un hôtel.

- Les « Coques de bateau » dans la nef centrale : sont de véritables incubateurs d’idées destinés aux meetings et aux séances de brainstorming.

- Les « Géodes » dans les deux nefs intermédiaires : intègrent les restaurants, les bars ainsi que les espaces de détentes et de sports.

- Les « Serres » le long de la Mainstreet : rapatrient l’agriculture au cœur de la ville sous forme de fermes urbaines dédiées au maraichage biologique.

Toutes ces entités architecturales se sont fixées pour règle de se désolidariser complètement de la structure et des façades existantes pour les mettre en valeur d’une part et assurer la réversibilité du projet d’autre part.

Le leitmotiv est ici de proposer des espaces de vie et de travail à diverses échelles propices à la rencontre et à la multidisciplinarité et à l’accélération de l’innovation. Ces espaces à dimensions variables mais toujours humaines (comme les piazzas à la romaine) sont reliés au sol par des pistes cyclables tandis qu’à plus de 6m60 de hauteur, des passerelles perchées dans les arbres offrent des points de vue inédits sur les détails végétaux en ferronnerie dessinés par Frédéric Bruneel.

Tous ces espaces de co-working, d’e-commerce, et d’e-sharing peuvent être dédiés à plusieurs entreprises ayant une vocation durable ou devenir une véritable pépinière de startups. Les aménagements intérieurs sont flexibles, facilement transformables grâce aux double-decks pré-innervés par les fluides et les TIC. Ils mettent en œuvre uniquement des matériaux biosourcés, recyclés et/ou recyclables adoptant la chartre “Cradle to Cradle”.

Enveloppé de façades étanches à l’eau et à l’air et à haute inertie thermique, l’immense vaisseau forme un espace microclimatique réduisant les besoins à la source. Il intègre ensuite les règles du bioclimatisme passif et les énergies renouvelables de pointe telles que : la récupération des eaux pluviales, les puits canadiens assurant la ventilation naturelle, les jardins évapo-transpirants, la cogénération biomasse, une ferme de 88 éoliennes axiales à sustentation magnétique (88 x 770 KWh/an = 67 760 KWh/an) implantée sur les corniches, des toitures à énergies solaire et thermique (18 000 M² x 120 KWh/M²/an = 2 160 000 KWh/an), des façades sud en cellules de silicium (9 600 M² x 60 KWh/M²/an = 576 000 KWh/M²/an).

Tout concourt ici à la création d’un BEPOS, c’est-à-dire un Bâtiment à Energie Positive produisant 186 % de ses besoins annuels, soit 2 803 760 KWh/an pour une consommation raisonnée estimée à 50 000 M² x 30 KWh/M²/an = 1 500 000 KWh/an). Auto-suffisante, la Gare Maritime présente donc une plus-value énergétique de 86 % à redistribuer en temps réel à ses bâtiments voisins historiques ou aux futurs logements durables lui faisant face.

L’ECOCONCEPTION DE FORÊTS VERTICALES ET DE SKY-VILLAS (ZONE B)

La « Zone B » fait face au fronton Nord de la Gare Maritime et est dédiée à la construction de 85 000 M² de logements d’échelles diverses et de commerces de proximité.

Le concept des Forêts Verticales est de construire des Sky-Villas, c’est-à-dire des maisons individuelles avec potagers privatifs et vergers communautaires dans le ciel de Bruxelles, bref tous les avantages de la vie à la campagne et en ville enfin réunis. Ce concept de village vertical correspond à la ségrégation géographique, aujourd’hui obsolète, entre le lieu de vie privée à la campagne et le lieu de travail en cœur urbain. Il combat le tout à l’automobile de 20ème siècle pour réintégrer le concept de la ville pédestre dédiée aux transports doux et partagés. Moins de temps dans sa voiture, c’est plus de temps pour soi !

Le projet tire profit du gabarit trapézoïdal délimitant la zone constructible. En effet, de grandes toitures aux courbes élégantes dessinent des terrasses maraîchères en encorbellements avec vues imprenables vers le centre historique de Bruxelles et la Basilique de Koekelberg. Inclinées plein sud, ces toitures sont tapissées de panneaux solaires (12 500 M²) fournissant en partie l’énergie dont les logements ont besoin.

Les trois Forêts Verticales (d’une superficie globale de 85 000 M² répartie respectivement d’Est en Ouest en trois lots de 32 500 M², 28 000 M² et 24 500 M²) sont alignées sur la largeur de la Gare Maritime et largement espacées entre-elles par des jardins de 35 mètres de large. Les façades traduisent la mixité sociale de l’ensemble tel un Tétris géant emboîtant à la verticale toutes les sky villas de la plus petite à la plus grande. Par des rampes obliques, recouvrant de vergers les parties communes situées en rez-de-chaussée, le Parc de Tour & Taxis s’étire ainsi sur des toitures végétales proposant des promenades bucoliques en surplomb du grand étang central.

Au Sud, la hauteur des tours ne dépasse pas 24 mètres afin de s’aligner aux faîtages des trois grandes nefs de la Gare Maritime. Au Nord, le long de la future Avenue Tour & Taxis, elles atteignent 100 mètres de hauteur sur plus de 30 étages avec vue panoramique vers Molenbeek, Laeken et l’Atomium au loin.

Entre ces villages verticaux et la Gare Maritime vient s’articuler une rotule urbaine composée par trois entités distinctes : 1. un grand étang marécageux attirant la biodiversité bruxelloise ; 2. l’ancienne Halle aux Poissons et Huiles reconvertie en bar et restaurant ; 3. un nénuphar géant accueillant un espace d’exposition évènementiel et un auditorium en plein air sur son toit.

Cette composition urbaine permet de faire le lien entre le grand parvis situé au Nord-Est de l’Entrepôt Royal et le Parc aménagé au Nord-Ouest sur les traces des anciennes fourches de rails. Le nénuphar fixe un double point de fuite : pour la perspective depuis la nef centrale de la Gare Maritime d’une part et pour la perspective depuis le pont provenant de la Gare du Nord d’autre part.

Chaque zone du masterplan est ainsi couturée l’une à l’autre à l’image d’un TEGPOS avant-gardiste, symbole de la juste symbiose souhaitée entre les hommes, les technologies et les écosystèmes.

Métamorphoser, c’est transformer la chenille en papillon.

Métamorphoser, ce n’est pas faire table rase du passé mais bien au contraire intégrer le meilleur de chaque époque à notre avenir.

Métamorphoser c’est prendre parti pour une histoire à écrire plutôt qu’une autre.

Métamorphoser c’est faire le choix de juger quels éléments du passé composeront le socle d’un futur à imaginer.

Prendre position pour une histoire métissée, c’est le rôle de l’architecte bien au-delà de la simple conservation ou restauration.

Sortir du cadre, penser "out of the box", avoir de l'audace pour soi et pour les autres, bousculer les vieilles structures, bref, faire évoluer la société et nos modes de vie, voilà bien la chose la plus difficile à faire en ce monde, car c'est nécessairement mettre en péril les croyances de nos prédécesseurs et de nos décideurs. Notre projet pour Tour & Taxis tente de transformer cette ambition en une réalité … pas à pas !

Bruxelles, 2016

Copyrights : Vincent Callebaut Architectures, Paris

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MVRDV Transorms the Tour & Taxis District in Brussels with Qualitative Masterplan

• Written by Nour Fakharany
• Published on October 25, 2023

Seven architecture studios, including MVRDV , have designed separate buildings in the long-anticipated master plan for the Lake Side development in Brussels . To introduce diversity, the master plan has been designed by MVRDV and aims to bring about a denser and more vibrant life on the Tour & Taxis side, offering various amenities for its residents. The newly designed site also includes different workspaces and a nine-hectare park that promotes a more car-free communal environment . The project’s entirety is supervised by MVRDV , who also designs one of the 17 buildings within the new master plan.

Tour & Taxis is situated near Brussels North Station and plans on becoming a dynamic living and working district. The master plan for the Lake Side includes various housing options, like co-living apartments and workplaces, leisure facilities, and green public spaces. Divided into three sections, the master plan follows a certain logic. The eastern side of the plot boasts a mixed office and housing campus. The middle section comprises a courtyard with 14 buildings surrounding a public garden. The entirety of these buildings have energy-producing roofs. Other schemes in this zone feature private terraces or inaccessible green roofs to promote biodiversity.

Finally, the third section of the masterplan seamlessly blends the neighborhood into the Tour & Taxis Park, and it includes the “Park Building.” For the entire scheme, MVRDV established a framework of qualitative rules to ensure “non-uniform, humane, and essential ‘Brussels’ quality in patina and form, with a strong connection to the historic urban fabric.” In collaboration with the coordinating architect Bureau Bouwtechniek , MVRDV Is working with six other teams to realize the complete master plan. The teams include three Belgian offices ( Binst Architect, Polo, and Hub ) and three Danish offices ( 3XN , Cobe , and Effekt Arkitekter ).

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The widespread material used in the majority of the buildings is brick, creating seamless continuity with the Belgian traditional architectural style. Additionally, landscape architect Bureau Bas Smets has designed three landscape typologies to complement each section of the master plan. In fact, a shady forest was designed for the Eastern Zone, small hills were included in the courtyard plan, and the valley park filled the remaining space of the plan.

MVRDV has activated many buildings and master plans all over the world. In fact, the studio’s Shenzhen Women & Children Center renovation has been completed and is open to the public. Situated in Shenzhen’s Futian district, the design comprises a mixed-use tower featuring an array of public functions. In June, construction began at MVRDV’s complex of three mixed-use office towers and a conference center in Chengdu. Finally, MVRDV was recently selected to lead the Hangzhou Oil Refinery Factory Park design, an extensive project aiming to transform the former industrial district into a cultural center set in a green environment.

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Tour & Taxis’ sustainable reimagining in Brussels

Tour & Taxis, a former mail facility in Brussels, is reimagined as an eco-led, mixed-use quarter by Belgian developer Extensa and an array of leading architects

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In the early 16th century, the aristocratic family of Thurn und Taxis bought a 45-hectare parcel of marshy land on the then-outskirts of Brussels. They had been appointed postmasters by Philip the Fair, the Duke of Burgundy, and held a similar position for the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I. Their acquisition would become the centre of Europe’s first international postal service, a Thurn und Taxis enterprise connecting the Spanish Netherlands, Burgundy and Spain with the rest of Europe. The road that crossed the site’s collection of industrial buildings and horse-feeding pastures took the family name, translated into French as Tour et Taxis, giving birth to the district of Tour & Taxis.

By the beginning of the 20th century, it had evolved into a busy logistical ecosystem; goods arrived via train and canal and from there, they were dispatched. Everything passed customs and registration at the Gare Maritime, the complex’s central station. Unfortunately, with the arrival of the EU Customs Union, and later the Schengen Area, customs gradually became irrelevant and the operation obsolete. Tour & Taxis remained disused for 20 years until it was bought by local private developer Extensa in 2001.

Since then, Tour & Taxis has been undergoing something of a reimagining, swapping logistical revolution for sustainability as it seeks to reinvent itself as an eco-friendly district. The area, situated by the Brussels canal and just to the north-west of the Belgian capital’s centre, currently mostly consists of large converted warehouses and offices of brick, iron and glass next to the magnificent, historic, castiron-frame freight station. Extensa’s vision is anchored in the refurbishment of the existing historic buildings to ‘return Brussels’ heritage’ to its inhabitants, as well as a few new-builds. The first renovations and completions started opening in 2005. The aim is to create an eco-led, mixed-use district by restoring as many existing buildings as possible and introducing renewable-energy and energy-saving technologies.

The district’s industrial heritage means that most of the existing buildings are characterised by large volumes, so are well suited to become event spaces and offices. One of the first buildings to open in 2005, the Sheds – a sawtooth storage warehouse designed in 1903 by Ernest Van Humbeeck and reimagined for Extensa by local studio Archi 2000 – has four event spaces, accommodating 10,000 guests each, while Maison de la Poste – a 1904 Frédéric Bruneel building renovated by architects Altiplan in 2019 – is now a conference centre consisting of 15 event spaces that showcase its carefully restored industrial architecture. There are galleries in the refreshed Hôtel des Douanes (a 1907 building also by Van Humbeeck) and more are to come, repurposing the remaining historic buildings in the area. Meanwhile, the few new-builds on site include offices by Neutelings Riedijk (a project that is currently the largest Passivhaus scheme in Belgium), Cepezed, and Samyn and Partners.

The district’s flagship building is the Gare Maritime, whose architectural works were completed in autumn 2020. The retail and food hall within are scheduled to launch in September 2021, marking an important landmark in the area’s redevelopment. At around 45,000 sq m, it was Europe’s largest freight train station at the beginning of the 20th century. The building has now been refreshed, and 12 new cross-laminated timber (CLT) pavilions have been added within.

Gare Maritime is the area’s commercial heart, housing hospitality, shops and offices. It has been carefully restored and redesigned by a team consisting of architects Neutelings Riedijk, Bureau Bouwtechniek and JDMA, and engineers Ney & Partners and Boydens. One of the key design drivers was adherence to the circular economy, salvaging existing materials but also making sure that all interventions are both light-touch and demountable. It boasts the largest CLT structure in Europe and the building is energy neutral. Gardens, designed by landscape architects Omgeving, help regulate the internal temperature and are watered using the rainwater harvesting system.

Additionally, the site uses geothermal heat and 17,200 sq m of photovoltaics on the roof, marking the biggest move to solar energy in the capital. The developers are even bringing a tram line to the area by creating a new bridge over the canal (the water created a barrier that had so far been an obstacle in bringing public transport to this part of town). This, and the fact that many of the streets in Tour & Taxis are pedestrianised, means car use will be discouraged, although there will be underground parking space.

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A number of apartment buildings are currently in construction. They are the start to what Kris Verhellen, Extensa’s CEO, hopes is a whole new residential neighbourhood, called Park Lane. Verhellen is acutely aware of the inevitable gentrification of the neighbouring area of Molenbeek, which has a sizable Maghrebi immigrant population. He talks about the scheme’s tax contribution and the state’s responsibility to create an economic system where immigrants aren’t priced out. While the scheme’s sustainability credentials are undeniable, one wonders whether more could be done to ensure links are created to existing communities.

It is true that some of the residential offerings will be rent-capped so that they remain affordable, while future plans include a school and a retirement home. A nine-hectare publicly accessible park, currently in construction, will include a community farm and a garden in an expanse of green that connects the site to the canal, making it one of the biggest parks in Brussels.

Do these interventions go deep enough into the fabric of the existing local community to engage them with the scheme in a meaningful way? Could more be done? One thing is for certain; if Tour & Taxis does deliver, it will provide a precedent of reuse and eco-friendly redevelopment that can be used in other historic settings. Which is exactly why it is important to ensure that social balance takes the same priority as environmental, as it has become increasingly clear that they are inseparable in the quest for sustainability.

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Work has restarted at the Tour & Taxis site in Brussels

The sentinel building at the entrance of the site, shot from the crane by the project architect, Koen Schaballie.

Tour & Taxis

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24 October 2023

Plan Announced for 17-Building Complex in Brussels

The much-anticipated masterplan for Brussel’s new development area Lake Side on the site of Tour & Taxis consists of a collection of 17 buildings varying...

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The Tintin, the Immersive Adventure event is over.

Book online

The immersive adventure 

09.27.2023 – 01.07.2024  location tour & taxis in brussels.

In the autumn of 2023, an unprecedented exhibition devoted to the most famous Belgian comic strip characters will be held at Tour & Taxis in Brussels: TINTIN / KUIFJE, THE IMMERSIVE ADVENTURE. The fruit of a close collaboration between Culturespaces and Tintinimaginatio, the event was a huge success in Paris in 2022.

The transfer from paper to digital is but a short step, which the two partners decided to take by combining their expertise. Tintinimaginatio, the exclusive holder of the world rights for the exploitation and representation of Hergé’s work, is collaborating with Culturespaces, a pioneer in the production of immersive exhibitions that are unique in the world.

Extending over a 1,600 m² projection surface, the digital creation will enable children and adults to immerse themselves in the world of Tintin.

From the first edition of Tintin in the Land of the Soviets in 1929 to the most recent editions, Tintin, the Immersive Adventure honours the famous reporter with the quiff, the great traveller whose adventures around the world have been an integral part of popular culture for almost one hundred years. It promises to be a unique and immersive re-reading of Hergé’s work, Tintin, the Immersive Adventure allows young and old ‘from 7 to 77’, to (re)immerse themselves in the creative and fictional universe of one of the greatest comic strip authors of the 20th century.

This event features the entire ‘paper family’ of the famous saga. Tintin, Snowy, and the faithful ‘close guard’ formed by Captain Haddock the Thom(p)sons, Professor Calculus, Castafiore and many others. Not forgetting, of course, the unpleasant - but oh so unavoidable - villains.

Meet on 27 September 2023 - 77 years after the creation of the Tintin newspaper - at the Tour & Taxis site to discover this colourful aesthetic experience.

Production: Culturespaces Digital ® | © Tintinimaginatio Conception and animation: Spectre Lab | Musical collaboration : Start Rec

THE GENESIS OF TINTIN

immersive creation opens with the famous covers of all the albums in The Adventures of Tintin , gradually coming to life before our very eyes. The clear line of the famous reporter and his faithful companion Snowy will evolve over the albums, first in black and white in Tintin in the Land of the Soviets , then rapidly in colour with The Shooting Star .

TINTIN, THE GREAT REPORTER

Tintin is above all a great reporter. Our young hero takes the visitor along with him, traveling thousands of kilometers and using all means of transportation on land, air and even under the sea with the famous bathyscaphe, a shark-shaped submarine.

CAPTAIN HADDOCK AND THE ENTOURAGE

Regardless of the adventure, who would be Tintin without his faithful friends? There is Snowy, his most faithful companion, as well as Captain Haddock and his fiery temper, Professor Calculus as a dizzy genius, the clumsy policemen Thomson and Thompson, among many others.

THE BIG BAD GUYS

Tintin and allies must also thwart the plans of unscrupulous characters such as the dreadful Rastapopoulos, the vile Mitsuhirato or the terrifying Rascar Capac who plunges the visitors into a collective hallucination. We see strange creatures of the Cigars of the Pharaoh , mirages of black gold, gigantic mushrooms of The Shooting Star ...

TO ADVENTURE AND BEYOND

Constantly pursued, our heroes take the visitors in a rocket going to the Moon, in the jungle of the Picaros and in the cabin of flight 714. Tintin and his faithful friends happily emerge victorious and always celebrate the triumphant end of their adventures.

Tintin, the Immersive Adventure ends on the famous blue endpapers of the Adventures of Tintin albums, before giving way to Hergé drawing his favourite character one last time.

Tour & Taxis

See you in shed 3 for tintin, the immersive adventure.

Tour & Taxis is a unique place in Brussels. Located in the heart of the Belgian capital, this site, with its exceptional architecture, is home to residents from a variety of backgrounds, events, various shops, restaurants, services, and an urban project that will bring benefits to the entire district. A restored former industrial site, it is also a place for exhibitions and major cultural events throughout the year. Tour & Taxis provides an urban experience in a historical and charming environment.

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Opening times

From 27 September 2023 to 7 January 2024 Open every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and until 8 p.m. from Friday to Saturday. The gift shop is open during the opening hours of  Tintin, the Immersive Adventure .

Closed on 4, 11 and 18 December.

Book in advance and benefit from preferential rates!

Tickets can also be purchased on site. Payment by credit card only.

Come whenever you like! Discover our flex tickets

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TOOTBUS BRUXELLES , OUR PARTNER Tootbus Brussels is the World ’s 1st Sightseeing compagny with a fleet of 100% electric panoramic buses! Check out all the wonderful things Brussels has to offer in a day or two when you hop on board the Tootbus Brussels Discovery tour! Commentaries are available aboard in 11 languages. Free walking tours available on the Tootbus App.

TOUR & TAXIS Avenue du Port, 86c, Shed 3, 1000 Bruxelles By car : Esplanade car park via Drève Anna Boch or Parklane car park via 13 Rue Picard By public transport : Bus 57, 86 and 88 to Tour & Taxis (nearest stop), bus 14 and 20 to Suzan Daniel stop By metro : Lines 2 and 6. Yser, Ribaucourt and Pannenhuis stops By train : 15 minutes walk from Gare du Nord station

Tintin, the Immersive Adventure  is accessible for people with reduced mobility.

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CARACAScom Agency Contact ✉  [email protected] Download the press kit Access to the Press Area

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Morning Rundown: Russia's European sabotage campaign intensifies, Sen. Bob Menendez's bribery trial gets underway, and Steve Buscemi attacked in NYC

Taylor Swift kicks off European tour in Paris with setlist changes

Taylor Swift fans from North America are going the extra mile — literally.

The pop star kicked off the 18-city European leg of her “Eras Tour” on Thursday in Paris, where she was joined in the París La Défense Arena by thousands of American Swifties who flew overseas to see her.

Thursday’s concert introduced a new setlist that reordered certain eras — including by moving “Red” up to earlier in the night — and combining the “Evermore” and “Folklore” eras, according to social media users who posted from the concert. She also performed songs from “ The Tortured Poets Department ” for the first time .

More than a quarter of tickets for the four Paris shows this weekend were purchased by Americans, according to Frédéric Longuépée, CEO of the París La Défense Arena. Tickets for the venue’s shows all sold in under an hour, he added.

“To the best of my understanding, a lot of Americans chose to come to Paris to attend this show and obviously visit our beautiful city,” said Longuépée, who estimated “something like 25–30%” of the crowd would be Americans, “which is big.”

Kennedy Smith, 21, skipped her college graduation to fly with her mother, Kathleen Smith, 56, from Texas to Paris to attend Swift’s concert instead.

Kathleen Smith said getting to see the singer was “nothing short of a miracle” — the pair stayed up all night in hopes of securing tickets, which cost them around $1,500 each. The two were first in line Wednesday to purchase merchandise at the venue, walking away with two bags full of Swift-themed gear.

Her daughter called the experience the “trip of a lifetime.”

“This is my graduation-from-college gift at Texas A&M,” she said. “And I’ve always wanted to come to Europe. ... And then to be seeing Taylor Swift, it’s just a dream come true.”

Securing tickets for the North American “Eras Tour” initially proved so difficult that the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing criticizing Ticketmaster’s “monopoly” after the platform canceled ticket presales in November 2022 amid overwhelming demand.

Some fans had reported that their invite codes failed to work, while others said they abruptly lost the tickets they had already placed in their cart. The chaos, which garnered a response from Swift herself , led Ticketmaster to offer some scorned fans a second chance at buying tickets.

The saga continued last year when Ticketmaster halted ticket sales for the “Eras Tour” shows in Paris and Lyon, after the website crashed amid technical glitches and hourslong wait times plaguing the more than 700,000 fans in the queue.

Zoe McCormack, a Canadian fan who experienced the Ticketmaster crash , said she managed to get tickets the following week for multiple nights in Paris, where she now lives. She said her non-VIP tickets here cost €190 each, or about $205, making them more affordable than U.S. tickets.

Many tickets for Swift’s shows in Europe cost only a fraction of what tickets cost for her U.S. dates, making them more financially accessible for North American fans who either failed to secure tickets in the U.S. last year or found prices too exorbitant. Some resale tickets sold for tens of thousands of dollars.

“I’m so happy that she came to Paris, especially since she has that ‘Paris’ song. I’ve been waiting for this moment ever since I moved to Paris,” McCormack said. “I’m so excited to be here. I can’t believe that it’s already here because we got the tickets almost a year ago. So it’s been a whole year of anticipation, getting the costumes ready, getting our bracelets ready.”

Traveling to see concerts abroad is not a new phenomenon, as buying tickets for concerts in the U.S. has become an increasingly competitive and highly expensive ordeal for fans of popular artists such as Swift, Beyoncé and Olivia Rodrigo . Many American fans of Beyoncé also opted to see her “Renaissance World Tour” in Europe instead .

Swift’s next stop, in Stockholm, expects to see about 10,000 American attendees, Stockholm Chamber of Commerce Chief Economist Carl Bergqvist told The Associated Press . Airlines have also added extra flights from bordering Nordic countries, he added.

The pop star was lauded last year by the U.S. Federal Reserve and several municipal governments for her economic impact as “The Eras Tour” boosted tourism revenue nationwide. Europe may experience the same effect, as Bergqvist said Stockholm’s 40,000 hotel rooms are sold out for Swift’s three tour dates there, and that “Eras Tour” concertgoers are expected to inject around 500 million Swedish krona, or more than $46 million, into the local economy.

Angela Yang is a culture and trends reporter for NBC News.

Nancy Ing is a Paris-based producer.

Amazon’s self-driving robotaxi unit Zoox under investigation by US after 2 rear-end crashes

DETROIT (AP) — Amazon’s self-driving robotaxi unit is being investigated by the U.S. government’s highway safety agency after two of its vehicles braked suddenly and were rear-ended by motorcyclists.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in  documents posted on its website Monday  it will evaluate the automated driving system developed by Zoox.

Both crashes happened during the daytime hours, and the motorcyclists suffered minor injuries. In both cases, the agency confirmed that each of the Amazon vehicles was operating in autonomous mode leading up to the crashes.

The agency said the probe will focus on the performance of the company’s automated driving system during the crashes, as well as how it behaves in crosswalks around pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.

A message was left early Monday seeking comment from Zoox.

Zoox reported the crashes under an order to automated vehicle companies issued in 2021.

Amazon  acquired Zoox in June of 2020  for a price that analysts pegged at over $1 billion. In 2023 the Foster City, California, company said one of its funky-looking four-person shuttles  autonomously carried employees  on public roads on a mile-long (1.6 kilometer) route between two Zoox buildings.

The company later planned to launch a shuttle service exclusively for its employees. Analysts say they expect Amazon to use the Zoox system for autonomous deliveries.

Zoox vehicles don’t have a steering wheel or pedals. The carriage-style interior of the vehicle has two benches that face each other. It measures just under 12 feet (3.7 meters) long, about a foot (a third of a meter) shorter than a standard Mini Cooper and can travel up to 35 miles per hour (56 kph).

Zoox  already was under investigation by NHTSA . In March of 2022 the agency began looking into the company’s certification that its vehicle met federal safety standards for motor vehicles.

The agency said at the time that it would look into whether Zoox used its own test procedures to determine that certain federal standards weren’t applicable because of the robotaxi’s unique configuration.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem Drops Out Of Interviews Amid Tumultuous Book Tour

By Ted Johnson

Ted Johnson

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South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem embarked this week on one of the more tumultuous book tours in recent memory, as she was peppered with questions about an anecdote about killing her dog Cricket, and another story about meeting North Korean leader Kim Jung Un. Major doubts were raised that the latter story was true.

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Now Noem has started to cancel media appearances.

CNN ‘s Dana Bash told viewers today that, after booking her for Inside Politics weeks ago, “she abruptly canceled last night.” Noem also canceled an interview with Greg Gutfeld on Fox News’ Gutfeld! last night, with the host telling viewers that she canceled due to the weather, per Mediaite.

“Blames the weather,” Gutfeld said. “I don’t believe it. I just think it is a little late to keep her on a short leash.” He then went on with Dana Perino “standing in” for Noem, while continuing to mock the governor.

Noem has addressed the severe weather in South Dakota in posts on X/Twitter today.

Noem has defended the decision to kill the dog as an example of the rare politician who has told the truth — “this dog was vicious, it was dangerous, it was killing livestock for the joy of it and attacking people,” she told Fox News’ Jesse Watters. But she has refused to say whether she actually met with the North Korean leader, telling interviewers that she will not talk about her meetings with world leaders, even though she wrote about just that in the book.

“When I became aware of the content, we had it changed,” she told Finnerty. “And that is the way that it is. Should I have put that in, included in the book? I am not going to talk about my meetings. I am not going to talk about my conversations with world leaders.”

Finnerty told her he didn’t think the meeting actually happened.

A spokesperson for Noem’s publisher, Center Street, did not immediately return a request for comment on the plans for the book tour.

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