Bovenbouw Architectuur, Caruso St John Architects, DDS+, Metzger et Associés Architecture (MA2), Anne-Marie Sauvat (Atelier Éole), Lionel Jadot, 2023

Designed at the end of the 1960s by the Parisian architect Pierre Dufau and the Brussels-based René Stapels, the headquarters of La Royale Belge, a financial institution founded in 1853, is an emblematic building of corporate architecture. Located on the green outskirts of Brussels, the complex is a strong architectural statement, with its cross-shaped plan surmounting an entirely glazed square base set on a stretch of water within a landscaped park. Inspired by the American headquarters of John Deere & Company, designed in 1957-1963 by Eero Saarinen, the building's design was pioneering, with an apparent structure in concrete and COR-TEN steel clad in Stopray Gold reflective glazing by Glaverbel. Modern and luxurious, the interior was designed with efficiency and employee well-being in mind.

Threatened with demolition before being protected in 2019, the complex was the subject of an international competition for a large-scale restoration-renovation-reuse project. To carry out the project, which was completed in 2023, the offices involved had to meet challenges regarding heritage, environment and economy. The site's historic heritage has been largely preserved, while the building's energy performance has been improved, notably by replacing the glazing. The office building has been transformed into a multifunctional complex that also houses coworking spaces, a hotel, conference rooms, sports facilities and catering areas managed by the Mix company.

Urban.brussels has just published an in-depth monograph devoted to La Royale Belge (September 2023). Twenty articles by specialists whose meticulous research has uncovered previously unpublished documents, enriched by eyewitness accounts from the construction period. They retrace the history of La Royale Belge and cover the urban planning, architectural, construction, technical, material, landscape and media conditions of this prestigious project. The publication is enriched by the eye of photographer Maxime Delvaux, who has devoted an exclusive report to the project.