The Curve

Project Name
The Curve
Function
Office building with meeting center, multipurpose hall, and dining facilities
Surface
11.881sq m GFA above-ground, 3.113sq m GFA underground, parking spaces: 247 above-ground, 60 underground, and 67 bicycles underground
Location
Brouwerijstraat 1, 9031 Drongen

concept

The plot, with a total surface area of 11,777 m² of which 3,227 m² is built, is located at the junction of the E40, between the on-ramp and the Deinzesteenweg bridge. The current office building, constructed between 1991 – 1992 and a recognizable landmark along the E40 for the past 30 years, will be completely dismantled. The structure and function of the office building will be preserved. The renovation focuses on the building’s energy upgrade and sustainability, combined with achieving a more aesthetically appealing and timeless appearance.

Project Description

The project will include a combination of a meeting center with conference rooms and smaller rentable offices on the ground floor, as well as larger open-plan offices on the upper floors. These open-plan offices can be designed and furnished by tenants according to their own needs. On the ground floor, adjacent to the meeting center, a lunch corner will be provided. On level -1, a parking area and a multipurpose space will remain in place.

The façades will be maximally glazed, ensuring that the interior spaces benefit from high-quality natural light and can be almost fully utilized. In collaboration with a technical engineering firm, the goal has been to create a pleasant indoor climate within an energy-efficient building.

The entrances of the building have been redesigned to be more visible and inviting from the outside. Where possible, outdoor terraces will be added on the sheltered side of the building to enhance the indoor-outdoor experience.
The existing sunken seating area will be removed, creating a larger continuous green space. The existing underground parking accommodates 62 cars. In addition to this, there will be above-ground parking for 251 cars.

For the building’s design, the existing curved forms of the façade will be straightened. The new design aims to give the building a sense of calm. For this reason, the use of different materials is kept to a minimum. The main materials are natural stone for the façade, transparent glazing for the curtain wall sections, and black aluminum for the joinery, sunshades, balustrades, frames, and other accents.

The main architectural language of the original building is horizontal layering, which will be maintained in the redesign. At the two entrance areas, this horizontal rhythm is slightly interrupted by a vertical movement that serves as an accent in the building’s composition.

The central volume housing the main entrance faces both the E40 on one side and the parking area on the other, addressing visitors approaching the building. For this reason, both sides of this volume have been designed as equally prominent façades. Inside the main entrance, a visual connection is created through the space, adding openness and making the arrival experience more pleasant. The existing curved structure is left exposed in a double-height atrium as a reminder of the original building. Thanks to the curtain wall, this preserved structure is also visible from the outside.

The building has been designed to comply with the Flemish urban planning accessibility regulations and is therefore fully accessible without thresholds from the public domain.

Visuals by Hooox, commissioned by G-label.