REFRAMING TIME

There was just one watchword for the upgrading of this site: preservation! The spirit of the place lives on, its superb materials showcased as never before. Indeed, modern and sustainable amenities ensure unparalleled comfort.

The majestic entrance hall has been preserved and opens onto the various functions present in the base of the building.

Subtly positioned at the junction of the hall and the access to the car parks, this new atrium with its monumental staircase guides visitors through the building.

The original design afforded breathtaking views through the wide glazed areas on all floors, and still enables visitors to admire the park from the different spaces at Souverain 25.

The centrepiece of the entrance hall is a grand auditorium: the venue of choice for your conferences, events or seminars from now on.

With a growing headcount and flourishing business during the 1960s, Royale Belge had a space problem: their offices in central Brussels could no longer keep pace with their ambitions. A relocation of 1600 employees to the city outskirts was not a project to undertake lightly, but the management were keen to innovate. They needed a design which would not only look good, but be pleasant to work in. It had to win support, generate enthusiasm for the move and turn the project into a team-building exercise in its own right.

For Royale Belge, R. Stapels and P. Dufau were a natural choice as architects. The company was eager to stand out and create a timeless building in resolutely modern style. As the designers of the Belgian pavilion at Expo 67 in Montreal, the twosome were famous for their expertise and for their ambitious projects. Pour cette œuvre cruciforme, ils se sont inspirés du siège de John Deere, basé dans l’Illinois aux Etats-Unis.

The outstanding site was viewed as the canvas on which the architectural work would take shape. No effort was spared to exploit the natural setting. Lakes reflect the mood of the sky and playfully mirror the building. Glazed expanses give you the sense of being part of the natural world, while the terraces offer an outdoor experience while maintaining home comforts.

The architects opted for a layout in the shape of a cross which would make the most of the ample 8 hectares of land. It took 2,566 tonnes of steel to erect the carcass of the building (more than the Eiffel Tower), and 14,000 square metres of glass façade was fitted to immerse visitors in the natural surroundings. The figures, commensurate with the large scale of this project, speak for themselves.

The building’s original interior décor featured clear, low lines, interlaced with bare concrete and furnished in minimalist fashion, all forming a continuum with its modern architecture. A unique work by the French artist Pierre Sabatier surrounds the auditorium. 800 square metres of pewter forms a huge wall which no visitor to the building, facing it on arrival, will ever forget.