New European Commission Headquarters in Brussels, EU HQ Building, Belgian Project Images

European Commission New Headquarters in Brussels

Office Building and Landscape Development in Belgium design by Christian de Portzamparc

7 Sep 2019

New European Commission Headquarters in Brussels Building

Location: Project L130, Brussels, Belgium, Europe

Design: Christian de Portzamparc | Artelia | Florence Mercier

New European Commission HQ in Brussels

In spring 2018, the European Commission launched an architectural competition to build its new headquarters in Brussels. The competition was open to teams of architects, landscape architects and engineers from all over the world, who were invited to present their vision of the future complex.

The program included the creation of 90.000 square meters of offices, two childcare centers with 500 places, 3.000 square meters of shops and restaurants and a Visitor Center open to the public and devoted to the European Commission, its understanding, construction and challenges.

In July 2019, Christian de Portzamparc’s team, composed of the Artelia engineering consultancy and landscape architect Florence Mercier, was awarded second prize out of 30 selected consortia, following two competition phases.

Moving away from a purely office-centered vision of the European Commission, the project led by Christian de Portzamparc creates a large public square on the Rue de la Loi that pulls together the urban and architectural complex and anchors it in the city, along the major historical thoroughfare running from the Palais Royal to the Parc du Cinquantenaire.

In addition to creating a large number of offices, the program includes a “Visitor Center” open to the public and designed to promote understanding of the European Union, its construction and challenges, as a symbol or metonymy of the Union.

An outstanding feature of this project is the exceptional visibility of the Visitor Center on a square at the entrance to Rue de la Loi, the geometric center of the complex, which brings together the European quarter, the Berlaymont, the Council of Europe and the new European Commission buildings.

The Visitor Center is a white enameled glass cube with a strong presence in the city. It conveys a sense of unity and the idea of the Union of nations bound by a common past and resolved to build a responsible future.

From September 5, 2019, an exhibition presents the project along with those of other winners and the unsuccessful entries at each stage of the competition, from the launch to the Commission’s decision.

New European Commission HQ Building Exhibition

Exhibition from September 5 to 28 Monday – Saturday: 2pm to 6pm
Commission européenne, Visitor Center, 1 rue Archimède 2 |1000 Brussels, Belgium
More information: New European Commission HQ Exhibition

TIMELINE

July 2018 Launch of the Loi 130 competition
30 candidate consortia apply

January 2019 Jury – Phase 1
The 2Portzamparc consortium is one of
nine teams selected for Phase 2

June 2019 Jury – Phase 2
2nd prize awarded by the European Commission to the 2Portzamparc consortium

TEAM

Lead architect: Christian de Portzamparc | 2Portzamparc
Engineering consultancy: ARTELIA Bâtiment & Industrie
Landscape architect: Florence Mercier

EU Commission Premises in Brussels images / information received 050919

Christian de Portzamparc Architects, Paris, France

Previously on e-architect:

EU Commission Premises in Brussels
Design: DELVA Landscape Architecture, C.F Møller Architects and B2Ais

image courtesy of architects office
EU Commission Premises in Brussels by C.F. Møller design team