The Faculty through the eyes of the architect
When we first visited the building, some classrooms still seemed to be in regular use. Our starting point for the design was therefore to preserve as much as possible of the building's existing finishes, mouldings, parquet, mosaic floors, etc.
It was our ambition to turn this 19th-century building into a contemporary business and conference center with a low energy consumption. Together with our study team, we looked for adapted insulation that would allow us to insulate the building from the inside (leaving the historic facades unchanged). We designed contemporary installations for air treatment, cooling, heating and lighting and continuously calculated the effect of the various interventions on the building's energy consumption. Ultimately, the building consumes less than 60kWh/m² per year for heating, making it the first listed building in the Brussels region to meet the low-energy criteria.
We made the building ready for its new functions, through smart division of premises. Through some limited interventions, such as making well-chosen openings or removing doors and walls, we created 6 independent office platforms, each with its own character and possibilities: from individual offices with authentic historical finishes to complete freely configurable, contemporary office landscapes under the monumental roof.
We convert the basement into a floor with multifunctional meeting rooms, some with natural light and access to a terrace, others perfect for a private video presentation in twilight. A recreation room provides space for team moments, creative sessions, or even a birthday drink.
On the building's beautiful second floor - the former floor of honour - we convert the existing proclamation hall into an auditorium. This heavily decorated hall was preserved as much as possible in its original state, but equipped with all contemporary comforts. The school's old ballroom will house a restaurant and bar, together with an enclosed multi-purpose room on a new mezzanine level. From the entire second floor, large arched windows offer views of the park, the other listed buildings and the wider surroundings.
Little will change on the monumental, protected exterior of the building. The facades are polished and 2 sober, transparent stair volumes bring the building up to date with current safety standards. They signal that the building is again ready for the next 100 years.
