New headquarters for Solvay by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects
Channel: A As Architecture
Date: 2019-07-05

Solvay, an advanced materials and chemical company, selected Danish architectural firm Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects to design its new headquarters in Brussels. The new campus signals a shift for Solvay towards a more open, sustainable culture amidst a recent radical transformation of its business portfolio. The company's dedication to its green ambitions are evident throughout the design of the zero carbon footprint, near zero energy building and green campus.

The Esplanade is the "urban carpet" that welcomes people to the premises and has a more formal, urban character than its surroundings, featuring planters with benches, solitary trees, and small reflective pools. The new large green roof, designed as a geometric garden, offers unobstructed views of the surroundings. It also features skylights and large sunken gardens that provide the workshop areas beneath with access to the outdoors. The existing park on the west side of the entrance will become a dedicated forest, and will reintroduce the 18th century old water stream linked to the Senne. 

Rainwater across the campus will be harvested and reused as much as possible, and the stream will amplify the natural rainwater ponds to boost biodiversity while creating microclimates. An open-air amphitheatre in the Yard on the north side of the campus will connect the headquarters with the new restaurant. Inside the building, an impressive atrium, bathed in natural light, will offer social and visual connectivity between floors and departments. The first two floors house the laboratories and workshops, while the offices occupy the upper four floors. Source by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects. Info project https://bit.ly/2XFsaq7

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