SCIENCE 11
Historic study and valorisation, restoration and renovation of two historical mansions integrated in a modern office building.Team ︎︎︎ ALTSTADT icw OFFICE KGDVS, LD2, vk-architects-engineers, CES Engineering
Phase ︎︎︎ Building permit
Surface ︎︎︎ 11.000m²
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Science 11 is a contemporary office building connected to two historic townhouses at the corner of Belliardstraat and Wetenschapsstraat in Brussels. The project has three main objectives: preserving the 19th-century ensemble as a relic of the Leopold Quarter, improving the relationship between the office building and the townhouses, and reactivating the historical interiors.
As part of the Millennium project in the 1990s, the heritage buildings were encapsulated by a massive office structure. The numerous connections between the office and the townhouses resulted in a fragmented circulation. The new proposal clearly defines three distinct architectural entities, each expressed in the façades. Unnecessary links between the buildings are removed, while a revised circulation layout within the townhouses restores their original spatial integrity.
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A targeted intervention in the coach passage of Belliard 39 addresses three level differences with the addition of a ramp and a new staircase, ensuring full accessibility from the main entrance and circulation axis of the office building. Another intervention extends the grand staircase to the upper floors, transforming it into a functional circulation core. This new staircase contrasts with the original, which is adorned with imitation paintings up to level +1. A light, elegant addition, naturally illuminated from above, completes the connection.
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The decorated period rooms, featuring imitation paintings, will be carefully restored to reinstate them as a valuable part of the office ensemble. By balancing architectural heritage with contemporary functionality, the project enhances the coherence of the site while preserving its layered history.
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