In Brussels' European Quarter there is a square that was supposed to become greener, more liveable, and better suited to increasingly hot summers.
Today it is nicknamed "Europe's biggest frying pan."
The redevelopment of Place Schuman, in front of the European Commission and the Council of the EU, called for a large steel canopy with a green roof. It was meant to provide shade, shelter from the rain, and transform a traffic-dominated junction into a public space.
The canopy was never built.
Rising costs, inflation, and the political deadlock that followed Brussels' 2024 regional elections gradually whittled the project down. The element that would have provided most of the shade was cut, leaving behind a vast paved surface with few trees and few places to escape the sun.
The result is most visible on the hottest days.
While many European cities are adding trees, permeable surfaces, and shaded areas to limit the urban heat island effect, one of the European Union's most symbolic public spaces was completed with almost no protection from the sun.
The Brussels regional government has announced a new review of the project, with more greenery, shaded areas, and possible water features. The goal is to complete the work by 2028.
For now, the square that was supposed to prepare the European Quarter for the heat has become one of the places where the heat is felt most.
