Herman Teirlinck

CONIX RDBM Architects worked on the Herman Teirlinck project together with an architectural agency from Rotterdam, Neutelings Riedijk Architects. With approximately 45,000 m² of above-ground surface area, it is the largest passive office building in Belgium. This new landmark on the Tour & Taxis site scores particularly highly for sustainability. And it’s not just the high-tech approach to HVAC, lighting, energy and heat recuperation that contribute to this: the overall accessibility, use of sustainable materials and employee comfort all play a part. It’s the new workplace for about 2,600 employees for the Government of Flanders.

The Herman Teirlinck building is to be found in the Havenlaan in Brussels, on the Tour & Taxis site. This historic location is characterised by monumental industrial buildings from the beginning of the last century; they give the neighbourhood a characteristic radiance.

The Tour & Taxis site forms one of the last large-scale development locations in the heart of Brussels and has been designated as one of the areas with regional interest in the development vision of the capital city. This ambitious urban project will expand into a new high-value city neighbourhood, 30 hectares in size, in the centre of Brussels. The heart of the neighbourhood will be formed by a 9-hectare public park that connects the Emile Bockstaellaan with the Kanaalzone like a green ribbon.

Opposite the Herman Teirlinck building is the Koninklijke Pakhuis—also successfully redeveloped into a multifunctional building. Covering an area of 70,000 m², other historic buildings, such as the Sheds, the Hôtel de la Poste and the Hôtel des Douanes have also been renovated and converted to create ‘a city where it never rains’. This work has been completed in line with a mixed urban programme following a design by Neutelings Riedijk Architects in collaboration with CONIX RDBM Architects. At the moment, there are also several city blocks on the site, with hundreds of apartments being developed.