On the Arenberg campus of KU Leuven, the Incubation and Innovation Center ‘CRADLE’ is being realised. The design, created together with architecture firm Archiles, emerged as the winning entry in a 2019 competition. This innovation hub, spanning approximately 6,800 m², is designed to accommodate start-ups and scale-ups affiliated with the university, enabling them to establish themselves and grow further.Facilitating growth and accommodating the diversity and unpredictability of the users’ spatial needs, required a highly adaptive building. The primary objective was an open structure where spaces can be continuously reconfigured and adapted.
The building is strategically situated on the perimeter of the master plan developed by KCAP Architects & Planners for the Arenberg Science Park in Heverlee. This master plan aims to strengthen Leuven’s knowledge economy by integrating clusters with a dynamic, untamed landscape where wildlife and water flow freely.
The project is scheduled for completion in 2025.