The Kirchberg Fund, Immobel, and Prefalux Announce the Launch of the “Kiem 2050” Project

On Wednesday, June 7, the Kirchberg Fund, Immobel, and Prefalux, in the presence of François Bausch, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Mobility and Public Works, announced a partnership for the development of the “Kiem 2050” project.

The agreement concerns the transfer of emphyteutic lease rights covering four plots within the PAP “Domaine du Kiem”, allowing for the development of a total surface area of 23,460 m². This public-private partnership will enable the creation of a majority of affordable housing units within a mixed-use, sustainable project on the Kirchberg plateau in Luxembourg.

A Pilot Project Rooted in Circular Design

Kiem 2050 is a pilot project designed with a circular approach and based on wood-steel hybrid construction. Located just 350 meters from the future tram stop, along Boulevard Pierre Frieden and facing the future Laangfur district, the project will feature:

148 high-quality apartments, including 135 affordable housing units;
nearly 3,000 m² of mixed-use space (retail, offices, services, HoReCa);
and 6,000 m² of landscaped green areas, representing 55% of the total site surface.
“Circularity and sustainable development, at the heart of the Kiem project, are key issues for Prefalux Home in addressing urban planning challenges. They provide effective responses to demographic growth and evolving lifestyles. Wood, by its nature, is the most suitable building material for such approaches. With well-considered design, it can be assembled, disassembled, and reassembled easily while remaining environmentally friendly.

The very principles of the Kiem 2050 project are based on this ‘Cradle to Cradle (C2C)’ philosophy, which promotes material reuse and waste reduction — values that Prefalux Home applies across all its developments. For Kiem 2050, Prefalux, together with the project management team, explored numerous C2C and sustainability strategies, most of which will be implemented,”
said Laurent Nilles, CEO of Prefalux Group.

Affordable Housing for the Future

Marc Widong, Director of the Kirchberg Fund, expressed satisfaction with the creation of new housing units that will be sold at capped prices, significantly below the free market rate:

“The partnership with Immobel and Prefalux fully reflects our goal to facilitate access to home ownership and provide a high quality of life, even amid the growing housing shortage,”
said Widong.
The housing units will be sold under an emphyteutic lease—a long-term lease that grants the buyer full enjoyment and property rights. In case of resale, the Fund buys back the apartment at the same price (plus indexation), with depreciation limited to 1% per year.

The First Real Estate Project in Luxembourg Designed with a Circular Approach

The initial concept for the project was developed by the project management consortium, comprising Witry & Witry (LU) and SeARCH (NL) for architecture, Betic and SGI Ingénierie for technical studies, and Areal for landscaping. It originated from a call for tenders launched in December 2019 by the Kirchberg Urbanisation and Development Fund (FUAK).

The goal of this consultation was to create an exemplary project in Luxembourg—a mixed-use ensemble designed according to the “Cradle to Cradle®” circular design philosophy. Prioritizing healthy, reusable materials, the project aims to enhance biodiversity and building efficiency through:

• greywater recovery;
• passive cooling using a Canadian well;
• renewable energy production; and
• construction methods enabling disassembly and material reuse for future buildings.

To meet the numerous selection criteria set by the Kirchberg Fund and the project management team, Immobel and Prefalux brought in Steven Beckers (Bopro), an international expert in circular economy. The project team, working collaboratively in a Bouwteam structure, focused on seven positive-impact themes:
well-being, water, energy, social equity, mobility, outdoor spaces, and circular design principles.
These human and ecological pillars of sustainable development are applied from design through construction to operation.

Rethinking Residential Living: “Sharing More Than Just an Address”

In addition to its sustainability measures, the Kiem 2050 neighborhood will introduce new housing typologies to meet the needs of a diverse, intergenerational population.

Residents will have access to shared spaces — 700 m² indoors and 4,950 m² outdoors, including 825 m² of communal terraces — managed by a local concierge. These shared facilities foster social connection and inclusion, providing amenities rarely available in individual apartments (such as playrooms, winter gardens, libraries, multipurpose rooms, and yoga studios), while reducing costs and resource use.

Other innovative housing concepts include:

• “Cluster apartments” for newcomers, interns, or individuals seeking cohabitation — hybrid homes between shared living and studios, with private rooms and bathrooms complemented by shared living areas.
• “Working-living apartments” combining workspace and residence, with street-facing entrances for professional activities and private access via a rear communal park, centered around an interior patio.

A Representative Public-Private Partnership

The signing of this agreement will lead to the construction of four residential buildings, housing approximately 500 residents and including a mix of offices, shops, services, HoReCa spaces, and an incubator.
With its active ground floors (“rez-de-ville” and “rez-de-parc”), the project will revitalize the local economy by offering services that meet everyday needs.

Kiem 2050 aligns with the Kirchberg Fund’s “short-distance neighborhood” strategy, which promotes proximity to all essential services and provides sustainable mobility alternatives to private car use.
The project includes 368 bicycle parking spaces (one per bedroom) on the ground floor.
Once the K2 tram line serving the future Laangfur and Kuebebierg districts is completed, the nearest stop will be less than 500 meters away.
Behind the buildings, a public park will connect Kiem, Boulevard Frieden, and the newly developing neighborhoods, serving as a meeting place for residents.

Commercial launch is scheduled for the first half of 2024, with construction expected to begin in late 2024.

Driven by urban innovation and an ambitious vision for new ways of living, this public-private partnership between the Kirchberg Fund (FUAK), Immobel, and Prefalux supports Luxembourg’s national affordable housing strategy.
It illustrates a shared commitment to expand the supply of quality housing in the country.

“Kiem 2050 is a flagship project for Luxembourg and for the Immobel Group.
We are proud, in these challenging times, to join forces with the Kirchberg Fund and Prefalux to bring such an ambitious and large-scale project to life.
Our team has been working on it for over three years because we truly believe in its values.
We are convinced that the future of construction lies in innovation and in sustaining collaborative and circular models.
This project perfectly embodies the foundations of our sustainability strategy: a holistic approach based on carbon reduction, circularity, biodiversity restoration, and community well-being,” said Muriel Sam, Managing Director of Immobel Luxembourg.

Press release issued by the Ministry of Mobility and Public Works, the Kirchberg Urbanisation and Development Fund (FUAK), Immobel Luxembourg, Witry & Witry SA, and Prefalux Group.

Source: Ministry of Mobility and Public Works – Official Website (07.06.2023)