Machelen

The municipality of Machelen wants to build a new shed, consisting of workshop and warehouse spaces, as well as offices, changing rooms and a refectory. The building should also include an outpost for the Red Cross. The construction of the building finalizes the administrative reorganization of the municipality, merging and professionalizing all municipal departments (STEP 1). The new building is set at the center of the site. This allows for a circulation loop that connects both the building and the surrounding car park in the most efficient manner (STEP 2).

The plinth is topped with a sloping roof, thereby optimizing the view of the site from the offices on the first floor (STEP 3). Two terraces on the first floor create a double-height space in the warehouses below (STEP 4). As the building serves a predominantly industrial function, It is conceived as a steel skeleton structure with load-bearing panels lining both the facade and the sloping roof, resulting in a sculptural ensemble (STEP 5).