Construction team: Neutelings Riedijk Architects in collaboration with Bureau Bouwtechniek
Implementation: 2020

Once the biggest freight station in Europe, the monumental Gare Maritime in Brussels is now the continent's largest cross-laminated timber (CLT) project. The architects' choice of CLT was the ideal solution for this extensive transformation of the historic railway sheds. The result is a sustainable environment where history and circularity go hand in hand.  

The use of wood offered many advantages for the construction process. The timber components were pre-assembled, greatly shortening the build time. In addition, standardising the dimensions made it possible to reuse timbers and deploy them in a variety of combinations. Last but not least, the choice of European timber allowed the designers to significantly reduce the CO2emissions resulting from the construction process.