Description

Bruxelles Environnement is the governmental authority on sustainability in the Belgian Capital Region, and in 2013 it moved into one of the capital's largest and most important urban renewal areas, the Tour & Taxis site on Havenlaan. Given that the body decrees ambitious sustainability guidelines, its own accommodation must function as a high-level national and international example.
The building is characterised by a compact volume with stepped receding floor fields under a curved and largely transparent roof. A central atrium acts as a continuation of the adjacent square, which includes the large-scale historic buildings of the Royal Warehouse and the Shed halls, which were recently renovated and now house offices, restaurants, design retail and cultural events, among others. The lower two floors contain a visitor centre on ecological themes, an auditorium, a media library, a meeting centre and a restaurant. The ground floor also houses a laboratory, whose transparent walls offer visitors a good view of the tests and trials carried out by Bruxelles Environnement. The offices are located above the public areas from the third floor upwards. A prominently positioned, continuous cascading staircase connects to open galleries and encourages people to use the stairs rather than the lift.
The new Brussels Environment building is designed according to passive building standards. It has a relatively small façade area and is well insulated, including by using triple glazing in a thermally broken façade system. Against heating up in summer, the glass is highly solar control and combined with an exterior shading system that reacts to the heat load. Individual spray devices in the facades also prevent excessive temperature rises in summer. A minimum of mechanical ventilation and concrete core-activated floors connected to an underground heat and cold storage system also ensure that the building meets the passive criteria. The atrium plays an important role in the installation concept, partly because the heat it captures is reused. It also contributes greatly to the transparency of the building.

Address: Havenlaan, Brussels, Belgium
Client: Project T&T, Brussels, Belgium
GFA: 19,652 m2
Realisation: 2013

14.00h Reception in the Entrepot Royale
(in itself a sight to behold)
14.15 - 14.30h Explanation of Tour & Taxis by Michel de Bièvre (Tour & Taxis)
14.30 - 14.50h Explanation of the plan by Jan Pesman (Cepezed)
14.50 - 15.20h Explanation of the sustainability ambitions by Paul van Bergen (DGMR)
15.30 - 16.30h Tour of the construction site

Location

Brussels Environment

Avenue de la Port, Brussels, Belgium

Organiser

Construction

Name and contact details for information

Jesse de Vries at the e-mail address below

bouw@kiviniria.nl