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Royale Belge wins European Heritage / Europa Nostra Award for Conservation and Adaptive Reuse

Organised by the European Commission and Europa Nostra, the awards celebrate and promote the highest standards in heritage interventions, research and education, training and awareness-raising.

Royale Belge, Bovenbouw, DDS+, Caruso St John image Stijn Bollaert

About Royale Belge

Located in the south-east of Brussels, in a landscape of lakes and beech trees, the Royale Belge building is a fine example of 1960s corporate architecture. Designed by the renowned Belgian architect René Stapels in collaboration with architect Pierre Dufau, the building was completed in 1970 as the headquarters of the Royale Belge insurance company. Its cross-shaped tower and large two-storey podium contained offices, conference and training facilities for around a thousand of the company’s staff. A landmark in Brussels’ architectural landscape. In 2018, the city of Brussels permitted a consortium of investors, Souverain 25, to renovate the building.

Royale Belge, Brussels, image Stijn Bollaert

Re-use

The project is fundamentally about doing as little as possible to the protected building; reusing and recycling materials wherever possible, making minimal alterations to allow it to fulfil its new purpose, and improving its energy performance whilst preserving the essence of its original design.

The design of Royale Belge is a collaboration between Antwerp-based Bovenbouw Architectuur, Caruso St John Architects and Brussels-based DDS+ architects.

European Heritage Awards

More on Royal Belge

Also read the article by Sofie De Caigny (former director of Vai) on Royale Belge that appeared in the October issue of Domus 1094.

Royale Belge was previously nominated for De Architect magazine's Dutch ARC architecture award.

Royal Belge also features in the latest edition of the Flanders Architectural Review. Responses in Responsibility.

Published on 30 October 2024