The ‘Brunfaut’ building restored to its emblematic glory in the Brussels skyline, Brussels (BE)

The social housing tower was built in 1964 by architect Julien Roggen. The building’s structure was made up of a steel skeleton. In 2019, the housing company SLRB – BGHM, commissioned A229 and Dethier Architecture to adapt the 16-storey tower to contemporary standards of sustainability and safety, while keeping the same number of housing units. In addition, there was a need for a greater variety of housing types to meet the needs of both singles and large families. To free up more surface area for the 98 homes, A229 and Dethier Architecture proposed extending the tower in width and height by five additional floors. This almost doubled the surface area: from 6,500m² to more than 10,000m². In 2016, the project became laureate of be.exemplary because it offers a complete and qualitative response to current urban challenges: densification, restoration of the tower as an urban landmark and redevelopment of public spaces. A technical added value is derived from the preservation of the existing structure, the addition of an ingenious construction system and the choice of materials, including on the basis of their life cycle. The architects, A229 and Dethier Architecture, worked on this major renovation, with the contractor In Advance sa and the collaboration of the engineering offices Arcadis and Ney & Partners, Ney & Partners WOW as well as AT Osborne. copyright image: Marc Detiffe.