OFFICE 198
MEDIA HOUSE (RTBF) – Brussels
The headquarters of Belgium’s francophone broadcasting corporation is envisaged as a simple square volume with an inclined roof. Situated next to the VRT building (OFFICE 184) in the midst of a new urban development in the east of Brussels, the project creates a public square in front while relating to the small-scale housing at the rear. A metal fence defines the square plan, enclosing a series of volumes that adhere to the 8m x 8m concrete column grid. Each volume accommodates its own distinct set of functions, such as entrances, studios, offices, workshops and a garage. Their individual perimeters, in addition to the perimeter defined by the fence, negotiate the permeability of the threshold, allowing different levels of public space. Supporting a single giant roof, the volumes step up in height, creating a sheltered landscape of studios. The roof is made of the same metal grid as the perimeter facade and is oriented to the south to exploit the best lighting and environmental conditions. A series of inner gardens fills the occasional voids throughout the plot.
Year
2015
Location
Brussels, BE
Type
Culture, Office, Public, Media,
Status
Unbuilt
Surface
33 000 m2
Client
Radio Télévision Belge Francophone
Collaborator(s)
Bureau Bas Smets, Bollinger+Grohmann, Studiebureau R. Boydens, Bureau Bouwtechniek
Design team
Kersten Geers, David Van Severen, Nenad Đurić, Ronan Murray, Andrea Panzeri, Stefaan Jamaer, Hugo Mazza, Antoine Souché, Justine Rossillion, Enea Facoetti, Andrea Pizzini