The European Commission has revealed the winner of ‘Loi 130’, an architectural competition to identify the best solution to replace part of its ageing offices in the European quarter
The winner of Loi 130 is a consortium of five companies specialised in the provision of architectural and engineering services: RAFAEL DE LA-HOZ ARQUITECTOS, Spain (Team leader); Perkins+Will UK Ltd, UK; Latz + Partner Landscape Architecture Urban Planning, Germany; TECNICA Y PROYECTOS S.A., Spain; and, MC2 ESTUDIO DE INGENIERIA S.L.U., Spain.
Commissioner Günther H. Oettinger, said: “Congratulations to the winners of our first international architectural competition in Brussels. The winning design proposes solid, innovative, efficient and forward-looking solutions to replace our old buildings on the Loi 130 site.”
Rudi Vervoort, minister-president of the Brussels-Capital region, commented: “We are very pleased with the outcome of the competition.
“Thanks to very constructive cooperation between the European Commission and the Brussels-Capital Region, this emblematic competition resulted in a project that represents a significant milestone in the implementation of our own Project Urbain Loi that aims at finding sustainable, energy efficient solutions for the redevelopment of the European quarter of Brussels.”
Architect Monica von Schmalensee, who chaired the jury together with Oettinger, added: “Architecturally this complex and challenging competition fulfilled very high standards with three innovative winning designs.
“As a jury, we especially valued the large and accessible public spaces the 1st prize winner will create and how the buildings integrate into the urban context. This will bring benefits not only to staff working there but also to residents and people passing by.”
The winning project was chosen based on a decision of the competition jury composed of internationally renowned architects and engineers, as well as representatives of the Commission and the Brussels-Capital Region.
In line with the competition requirements, the winning project offers a forward-looking, innovative, sustainable and cost-efficient solution to replace the ageing Commission premises at rue de la Loi 130. In addition, the winning project was chosen on the basis of it being the best fit for the development plan for the European quarter adopted by the Brussels-Capital region in 2008.
Now that the competition is over, the preparatory works can start. This includes negotiating the service contract with the winner of the first prize, developing the design in detail and obtaining all necessary building permits.
The first phase of the works, towards chaussée d’Etterbeek, is expected to start in 2025. Once the first phase is finalised, the second phase, towards rue de Spa, can start. The entire complex should be finished by 2035.
