On Sunday 26 May, the annual Belgian initiative 'Open Sites Day' attracted 55,000 visitors to various sites and 215,000 virtual visitors. Despite the rainy conditions across the country, more visitors than ever braved the weather to explore the inner workings of multiple construction projects. This seventeenth edition of Open Sites Day, organised by the construction federation Embuild, was again a great success.
Congratulations to the organizers and colleagues who welcomed visitors and provided information and activities throughout the day. Your efforts ensured a memorable and informative experience for all participants!
Across the country, 116 remarkable sites were opened to the public, including five from the BESIX Group, which welcomed some 7,000 visitors in total:
1. The two Oosterweel Link projects which opened their doors that day welcomed together more than 6,000 visitors. In partnership with DEME, Stadsbader Contractors, and Jan De Nul, we opened the doors to the dry dock in Zeebrugge. Here, eight elements of the future Scheldt tunnel, each 160 meters long, are being constructed. Once completed, these elements will be floated and towed via the North Sea and the Scheldt to Antwerp.
2. The Scheldt tunnel site in Antwerp, also part of the Oosterweel Link project, was open to visitors as well. The tunnel will connect the left and right banks for motorised and bicycle traffic. On the Left Bank, we are constructing the entrance to the tunnel under the Scheldt. In the construction pit, 25 meters underground, the first part of the tunnel is being built.
3. Our subsidiary Vanhout opened the site of the Lago Bredene Grasduinen swimming pool to about 600 visitors. This DBFMO project comprises the construction of the first completely CO2-neutral swimming pool in Belgium, featuring geothermal drilling up to 1,250 meters deep, a first for the country.
4. In Nijlen, Vanhout’s subsidiary CIRCL showcased a house built with their flexible, sustainable, and circular building concept. The site attracted 120 visitors, with 80 potential customers receiving a personal tour. Visitors came from all over the country, even from as far as the coast.
5. In Visé, our subsidiary Socogetra opened the doors of a new water treatment station designed to process wastewater with a capacity of 9,300 population equivalents. The site saw 250 visitors participating in various activities, including a workshop on water science, a viewing platform 30 meters high, and a construction-themed bouncy castle.
