Near Brussels Airport a brand new office building was opened in August 2021. The complex was designed by assar llox architects, the surroundings by Urban Landscape commissioned by assar llox architects. The main building tenant will occupy 22,400 m² of space; the remaining 7,700 m² will be occupied by others, following a co-working concept created by the developer.
At the request of the employees of the main tenant, it was decided to locate their new headquarters near the airport. In terms of mobility, this location is very advantageous for staff. The site is a stone’s throw from Diegem station and is easily accessible by bicycle and public transport. The cycle highway to Leuven runs alongside the site, and the future airport tram stops right outside the door.
The entrance area of the building had to become an attractive, green space where people could meet in a cosy atmosphere. In contrast to the austere design of the building, an organic design of architectural elements was used. In this way, a cosy transition space is created in the subconscious between the public road and the office and an awareness of the way here.
The necessary circulation on the entrance square in hard materials was softened by the use of greenery on different levels. The choice of precast concrete elements stemmed from the material’s flexibility in shapes, strength, ease of maintenance and resistance to wear.
The flexibility in shapes allowed the material to be used for the raised planters, the seating elements and the paving, which brought unity to the design. Also, the wide choice of different colour pigments and finishes of the material ensures a good fit between the building and the paving.
The use of precast concrete elements has the additional advantage that execution times can be shortened, which contributes to an efficient implementation of the project.
Image and Text Credits: Urbastyle
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