Gare Maritime: BIM designed

Historical Background and Restoration

The “Gare Maritime” building in Brussels is an early 20th-century structure that was previously used as a freight station and has been vacant for some time. Its unique architectural features, both in detailing and spatial proportions, prompted the owner, Extensa, to restore the building and develop commercial and office spaces within the large volume.

To achieve this, the main hall was renovated into a well-insulated envelope that accommodates office volumes. Within the hall itself, acceptable indoor climate conditions were created through this insulation package on one hand and through intelligent control of opening elements in the facade and roof surfaces on the other, allowing certain activities to take place for most of the year.

Energy Efficiency and Sustainability

The moderate temperature maintained in the hall also benefits the energy consumption of the installed units. By allowing these to adjoin the unconditioned hall, losses to the external environment are significantly reduced compared to a traditional new-build situation. In terms of sustainability, maximum emphasis was placed on circularity, designed according to the principles of circular building. The result is an energy-neutral building that is completely independent of fossil fuel use.

The offices and retail zones themselves are climate-controlled, using a geothermal ring system fed by an open source system, to which individual heat pumps are connected. Cooling is achieved entirely passively, while heating always involves the intervention of these heat pumps. The system also results in the valorization of the simultaneously occurring heating and cooling needs in the different buildings, thereby reducing the load on the geothermal system and achieving optimal efficiency.

The project received the ARC20 Architecture Award. This award is granted to recently completed projects that innovatively combine high performance in sustainability in the broadest sense with surprising architecture.

Building Envelope and Technical Installations

The building envelope has been optimized to minimize energy loss while maximizing the use of natural daylight. Triple insulating and dynamic sun-shading glazing contribute to circularity and the reduction of energy demand. The latest state-of-the-art technical installations were provided for ventilation, cooling, and lighting.

The building exemplifies flexibility and well-being. Gare Maritime will feature shops, offices, and restaurants, along with a central open promenade where events can be organized. Despite its size, the project exudes a friendly atmosphere, thanks to the scale of the pavilions, which open to the hall via balconies, and the construction method.

The choice of prefabricated CLT elements has not only shortened construction time but also allows for future disassembly of the buildings and reuse of components due to the use of mechanical connections.

Ecological Footprint and Sustainability Aspects

The limited ecological footprint during and after the renovation was achieved through intelligent choices regarding energy consumption, energy production, cooling, ventilation, water usage, and material usage. Throughout the project development, simulation software was used to pay special attention to a wide range of sustainability aspects: temperatures, light, material usage, etc. These were also validated within a BREEAM assessment methodology. Finally, a significant number of photovoltaic panels were added to the project to reduce the ultimately consumed electricity demand.