17th house : Le Bois Marcelle

Constellations in association with Bois Marcelle Asbl

Since 1980, the non-profit organisation Bois Marcelle has been welcoming children with mental and developmental disorders to Marcinelle, in a wooded setting near Charleroi. This day centre currently supports 60 children, providing individualised and caring support.

A project in the spotlight: rebuilding L'Ancrage for autistic children

Among its various sections, L'Ancrage is a space dedicated to 28 autistic children aged 3 to 8, most of whom are non-verbal and require intensive, structured care tailored to their specific needs.

The current buildings in this section are now very dilapidated and no longer meet reception or safety standards. Unlike other parts of the centre, a minor renovation is not feasible.

A complete reconstruction is necessary, at a cost of €2,380,000.

This new building will also create five additional places, providing an urgent response to the ever-growing waiting lists for this type of support.

A building designed for children with ASD

We are convinced that a well-designed space can transform the support provided. For children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the environment plays a decisive role. Stress, crises and difficult behaviour often originate from everyday sensory elements: noise, bright lights, poorly defined spaces.

The architectural project therefore aims to create a soothing, structured and sensory-friendly environment, with meticulous attention paid to acoustics, natural light, ease of movement and clarity of spaces.

The building will accommodate four groups of seven children, each with:

a Zen space where they can retreat in complete safety,
a Snoezelen space that gently stimulates the senses,
a separate, calm and reassuring dining area,
a functional, safe and ergonomic kitchen and bathroom,
functional storage space to support the work of the teams,
and carefully designed acoustics to reduce anxiety-inducing echoes.

A project already well underway. The planning application was approved in mid-July.

The project is progressing rapidly: the building permit application has been approved, and the specifications will be finalised by the end of the year, then submitted to the authorities with a call for tenders scheduled for February 2026 and construction set to begin in autumn 2026.

87% of the necessary funding has already been raised. We are hoping for support from the Walloon Minister for Disability, who will be visiting us in early March 2026.

At Constellations, we believe in this project. We actively support it, convinced that the quality of care provided also depends on the quality of the location. Through our support, we hope to contribute to making this future building a true refuge offering safety to the most vulnerable children.