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published on 24.05.2023

Urbastyle: concrete and responsible

Urbastyle designs around a hundred public spaces around the world each year. It works on these projects with some of Belgium’s leading designers and architects. Jan and Bart Laroy, sons of a “street furniture” manufacturer before the term existed, are still at the head of the company, which is preparing to take on new challenges.

Which of your collaborations with designers are the most symbolic? 

The Galet Collection (2013), by the architectural collective L’Escaut Architectures, has become iconic. We used it for the Liège site of Val Benoît, near Guillemins TGV station. The Salta bench (2019), by landscape architect Bas Smets and graphic designer and decorator Eliane Le Roux, is also one of our flagship products. It sums up our approach. Its concrete is light and efficient and its design (inspired by the shape of mediaeval bridges and pointed arches) is original and innovative. We always listen to designers, while respecting the needs of the industry and users.

You have been delivering large projects in Europe and beyond since 2001. How do you work in Belgium and abroad?

For projects in Europe, production takes place in Tournai. It is obviously more respectful of nature to manufacture here in Belgium than to bring in construction elements from elsewhere. For projects outside Europe, we have partners in the Middle East and Morocco, the United States, Canada and even Australia. We also have one in Germany which produces concrete slabs and paving stones. Our concrete compositions and finishing operations are all coordinated to ensure that we carry out projects from A to Z.

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