In Etterbeek, opposite the Parc du Cinquantenaire, a Brutalist office block dating from the 1970s is soon to be given a new lease of life!
Urban has granted the planning permission for its conversion into a residential complex comprising 83 housing units.
This project, led by the company Nerviens Development*, illustrates the contemporary challenges involved in transforming 20th-century heritage: preserving iconic architecture, meeting today’s standards of comfort and sustainability, and adapting a building originally designed for offices to residential use.
* Nerviens Development is leading this project, of which the design has been entrusted to the architectural firms Tab Architects and Bureau Bouwtechniek (TM Tab-BB), in cooperation with the M-gineers technical office.
Repurpose rather than demolish
The conversion of office buildings is now a key means of meeting the region’s housing needs, while minimising the environmental impact associated with demolition and reconstruction. The “Nerviens” project is a particularly good example of this approach.
The building is situated on the corner of the Avenue des Nerviens and the Rue du Cornet, and is a fine example of the Brutalist architecture of the late 1970s. Its identity is particularly based on a load-bearing façade, punctuated by prefabricated concrete elements. It is listed in the architectural heritage register and is a remarkable testimony to that period.
Converting office buildings into housing complexes
However, converting this type of building into a housing complex presents a major challenge. The building was originally designed to house offices, and features deep plans, low ceilings and relatively small façade windows. In contrast, a residential development requires more natural light, with outside views and comfortable living spaces.
The main challenge of the project will be to improve the liveability of the future housing units while preserving the features that give the building its heritage value. This means that the concrete façade elements will be preserved and restored, while the existing openings will be slightly enlarged by means of localised cutting, which will be barely noticeable from the public space. This solution will provide more natural light and better views, without changing the overall architectural reading.
The project also includes French balconies (full-height bay windows fitted with railings) and loggia-style terraces, integrated into the depth of the façade, providing outdoor spaces for the future residents while enhancing the interplay of depth and shadow that characterises the building’s Brutalist style.
Enhancing the existing situation and optimising the new uses
Another distinctive feature of this building is that, right from the original design stage, the service ducts were integrated into the vertical elements of the façade. The refurbishment project makes the most of this existing layout by reusing these ducts to house the drainage pipes and ventilation systems. This decision will minimise structural modifications of the building and eliminate the need to install suspended ceilings everywhere, thereby preserving maximised ceiling heights, which improves the comfort level of the future housing units.
In addition to creating new housing units, the project aims to better integrate the building into its urban surroundings. The ground floor will therefore be reorganised to accommodate a mixed-use space (offices/co-working space), with a new main entrance opening onto the Rue Sainte-Gertrude. The existing outdoor spaces, in particular the back area and the distinctive planters of the complex, will be redesigned to improve their quality and enhance their role as meeting places.
Balancing heritage, quality and sustainability
For Urban, this project is a fine example of a conversion balancing heritage-related, environmental and residential ambitions. The discussions held during project meetings prior to the planning application made it possible to map out the site’s main challenges, refine certain aspects of the project and end up with a balanced proposal. This dialogue phase contributed to the quality of the final project and ensured a smoother processing of the planning application.
The Nerviens project therefore demonstrates that it is possible to adapt an iconic building to new uses without compromising its architectural identity, while meeting contemporary comfort and sustainability requirements.
To go further
(Re)discover two issues of Urban’s magazine “Brussels Heritage” to find out more about the conversion of office buildings in Brussels and about concrete.
Brussels Heritage no. 39 • Converting offices
This issue of the magazine examines the evolution of the service sector and the challenges posed by the rising vacancy rates of office buildings in Brussels. Through analyses and case studies, it explores the urban, heritage-related and environmental challenges associated with their conversion.
Brussels Heritage no. 30 • Concrete
Concrete plays a central role in 20th-century architecture, and has become an integral part of our built environment. It is associated with modernity and innovation, and nowadays, it is also recognised as part of our heritage. This issue explores its many uses and the challenges involved in preserving it.