Tall & Urban News

An architectural team comprised of international firm Rafael de La-Hoz, London studio Perkins + Will, German landscape architects and urbanists Latz + Partner, and Spanish engineering consultants TYPSA and MC2, have taken first prize in a blind competition to design the new two-million-square-foot (185,806-square-meter) European Commission headquarters in the heart of Brussels.

The winning team will oversee the creation of the new complex, which will further reinvigorate the central European Quarter of Brussels. Alongside the new European Commission headquarters, which will house more than 5,000 people, there will also be extensive public amenities, a gallery, and landscaped gardens that will benefit both staff, visitors, and the local community. The new site plans to welcome over 345,000 visitors a year.

The design was selected among several hundreds of projects by a jury of internationally renowned architects, and was later approved by the European Commission on the grounds of it offering a future-proofed, resilient, and innovative solution to replacing the aging European Commission offices that currently stand on the site.

The new buildings are expected to generate 50 percent less CO2 emissions and consume 70 percent less energy in comparison with the Commission’s existing offices. By concentrating on modern and more efficient buildings, the Commission will generate greater savings when compared to renovating its existing buildings or renting alternative office space elsewhere.

The project was also commended for the valuable addition it will make to the ongoing expansion of the European Quarter of Brussels, where an array of EU institutions and organizations are located.

Rafael de La-Hoz has said: “Our design proposals seek to open up the site to all, creating a public space that is not only for European Commission employees, but also for visitors to the new Rue de Loi and the wider community. We are honored to be playing such a central role in creating a new public-orientated heart for Brussels and European democracy. It is a real pleasure to be working with such a talented team on what will be an exciting, long-term project.”

Steven Charlton, managing director of the London studio of Perkins + Will also said: “Major urban renewal projects are once in a generation opportunities to help places evolve and it is vital that such projects are sensitive to the history and heritage of their surroundings, while also providing the best environment possible for people to live and work.”

Tilman Latz gave a statement as well, stating: “We are proud to be part of such an exciting and exceptional project which will create accessible and inviting spaces for all the different people who will be visiting, working, and living within and around the new complex, enjoying the luxury of maximum open space in the busy European quarter.”

Pablo Bueno, CEO of TYPSA Group added on: “We are proud to have contributed to our joint success, providing innovative and sustainable engineering solutions that not only minimize the carbon footprint of these iconic buildings and provide energy efficient designs, but also optimize operation, maintenance, and lifecycle costs.”

For more on this story, go to AECCafé.