The building looks very unusual.
At the end of 2016 in Brussels, Belgium, commissioned the building of “Europe” that became home for the two main EU institutions — the Council of the European Union and the European Council.
Used for these purposes earlier building Justus Lipsius/Justus Lipsius was too small, as the number of members of the European Union more than doubled, accounting to date, 27 countries. Besides, it was originally not supposed to hold meetings of heads of state and government (until 2004 they organized outside of Brussels).
To solve these problems, the Belgian state proposed that the Council block buildings of the Residence Palace (Residence Palace), to accommodate both the European Council and the Council of the European Union, having in this pre-major repairs and renovations. Competition for the development and implementation of the project has won three architectural firm Samyn and Partners, Studio Valle Progettazioni and BuroHappold.
During reconstruction, the original L-shaped in plan the building is a Residence of the Palace was augmented from the North-East side two new fronts, so it got the shape of a cube. Thus created a glass atrium contains within itself another volume, made in the form of a huge lantern, which houses meeting rooms, a press centre and canteens.
New fronts are assembled like a patchwork quilt from old window frames, brought from all over Europe. The fact that, following the recommendations of the European Union on energy conservation, many older buildings are changing their window frames to double glazing. In line with the ideas of sustainable development, it was decided to recover some of those millions of old, but usable window frames, and use them in this project. These new facades has become both a practical and symbolic statement about the secondary use of traditional building elements, at the same time reflecting the diversity of European culture.
The desire for eco-friendly construction methods have also seen in other parts of the project. For example, both the modern and historic part of the building covered by the system of photovoltaic panels for electricity production, which also symbolizes the connection between the present, past and future.
© 2017, paradox. All rights reserved.
