Atelier 229, Dethier Architecture, Ney & Partners (stability), Arcadis (special techniques), 2023

The sixteen-storey Brunfaut Tower, designed in 1965 and enclosed by a curtain wall, was an ageing example of functionalist architecture in the Molenbeek district on the bank of the canal. The challenges involved in renovating this social housing building included improving safety, comfort and energy performance, as well as increasing and diversifying the size of the apartments.

To achieve this, the tower, whose metal framework was maintained, was both enlarged and raised by five storeys, created by the installation of a bridge spanning the original volume. Composed of prefabricated caissons, the new aluminium-clad façades and the south-facing facade with its “mirror” finish give the tower a new identity. Passive, with new massive wooden floors, the flats now have up to five bedrooms and a winter garden-patio on the facade. All are accessible to people with disabilities, and some have been designed specifically for them.

In addition to spacious, light-filled landings, three new communal areas encourage residents to get together: a multi-purpose hall on the ground floor, another on the eighteenth floor and a roof terrace with views over the city. The area around the building has also been redeveloped, with benches and a water feature, in harmony with the local public space.