The two buildings are organised around a central square next to the existing cultural centre. In opposition to that centre, they appear as smooth volumes, covered with an articulated and semitransparent skin of pivoting mesh panels - open buildings, clearly readable for every visitor.
The building of the administrative center tries to push the concept of durability as far as possible. Modular open-plan offices on concrete floor slabs, without beams and without false ceilings, maximise the flexibility and allow free positioning of partition walls. All technical equipment is recessed in access floors. The same type of construction will be used for the library (phase 2).
Pluvial water from the roof is stored in concrete tanks in the basement, from where it is recycled for toilet flushing, as fire fighting water, and as a source of cooling in the summer. Hot water is provided by solar panels in the glass shed roof of the central atrium. Auxiliary electric power is generated by photovoltaic cells. A fine tuned system of free cooling and night cooling allows affordable thermal comfort in the summer combined with very low power consumtion.
project
AC Bonheiden
competition, 1st prize
administrative center _phase1, library _phase2
site
Bonheiden, Belgium
design date / completion
2001 / 2005-2006
surface / budget
4 500 m² / 4 710 000 € excl.
client
City of Bonheiden
design team
Oana Bogdan, Tom De Fraine, Saidja Heynickx, Tomas Liekens, Pieter Meuwissen, Didier Neyrinck, Maarten Storms, Leo Van Broeck
structural eng. / technical eng.
STABO engineering / STABO engineering
photographer
Toon Grobet
Text and images from :VBM Architects
