A new Foster + Partners-designed office building in Belval, Luxembourg has broken ground.
Dubbed ICÔNE, the 202,000-sf office complex has an interior reminiscent of an Escher painting, filled with light and greenery. The flexible layout encourages collaboration and addresses the need for safe working environments and the changes to the workplace that will emerge in the future.
“The project is designed to have open, flexible workspaces that respond to the emerging models of work today,” said Darron Haycock, Partner, Foster + Partners, in a release. “The atrium is a green light-filled space that is very much the social heart of the project, providing visual connectivity and a dynamic atmosphere for both work and play. Biophilia, the green landscaping, natural ventilation and visual connectivity all promoting collaboration and healthy wellbeing.”
The building was also designed to reference the industrial heritage of Belval and revitalize the area by making a positive contribution to the site and its surroundings. It is wrapped by an orthogonal facade and roof that emphasize the structural grid and give the building a unified industrial look. The façade is both structural and environmentally responsive, providing an integrated solution which allows for internal column-free office spaces as well as solar shading and maximized internal daylight.
The scheme releases to its neighboring buildings and addresses the different characteristics of the principal axes to the east and west. Entrances are articulated differently in response to the urban street and civic plaza while the building edge along Porte de France contains shops. Cafes and restaurants on the ground floor complement Place de l'Académie.
ICÔNE is arranged as two wings enclosing the central atrium. The atrium resolves the level changes between the street and the plaza though a series of stepped terraces that create an arrival sequence. The open circulation features communal terraces for informal meetings and break out spaces at higher levels overlooking the central volume. Glimpses of interior green spaces can be see-through a series of punched volumes that intersect the gridded structure.
The design, created in collaboration with Beiler Francois Fritsch, aims for a BREEAM Excellent rating and will be WELL Building Standard® certified.
Related Stories
Office Buildings | Jun 6, 2018
Final Cut: Jupiter Entertainment’s new production studio in New York combines office and editing spaces
The project team completed this full-floor renovation in four months.
Office Buildings | May 31, 2018
EarthCam Headquarters features a 25-foot-tall video portal entrance
Watch a time-lapse of the HQ being built from groundbreaking to grand opening.
| May 30, 2018
Accelerate Live! talk: T3 mass timber office buildings
In this 15-minute talk at BD+C’s Accelerate Live! conference (May 10, 2018, Chicago), architect and mass timber design expert Steve Cavanaugh tells the story behind the nation’s newest—and largest—mass timber building: T3 in Minneapolis.
| May 24, 2018
Accelerate Live! talk: Security and the built environment: Insights from an embassy designer
In this 15-minute talk at BD+C’s Accelerate Live! conference (May 10, 2018, Chicago), embassy designer Tom Jacobs explores ways that provide the needed protection while keeping intact the representational and inspirational qualities of a design.
Office Buildings | May 22, 2018
AAA headquarters embodies a road trip atmosphere
HGA designed the space.
Office Buildings | May 22, 2018
Where fun follows function: New study reemphasizes the value of play in the workplace
Perkins Eastman recommends personalization, access and “linkages,” and variety as design criteria.
Office Buildings | Apr 25, 2018
Cardiff is home to the new BBC Cymru Wales headquarters
Foster + Partners designed the building.
Office Buildings | Apr 23, 2018
Activity-based design takes precedence in new office projects
The latest report by Ted Moudis Associates also finds more space being allocated for amenities and wellness.
Office Buildings | Apr 19, 2018
From fitness to bowling alleys: How commercial office buildings are differentiating themselves through amenities
Here are five ways that amenities can help developers and building owners attract and secure tenants by appealing to their inhabitants.
Office Buildings | Mar 21, 2018
Yeti’s new global headquarters evokes the outdoors
Gensler designed the new HQ.