Located in the south-east of Brussels, in a landscape of lakes and beech forest, 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, both the 80,000 m2 building and its surrounding landscape received regional heritage protection in 2019.

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.

Externally, the original Corten steel façade framework has been retained with glazing that closely matches the original but with thermal performance that meets contemporary standards.

On the ground floor, large openings have been formed in the original marble-clad walls of the impressive entrance hall, connecting this semi-public space to the adjacent offices and restaurants. A generous passageway leads to a large circular hall that has been cut through the floors of the podium at the centre of the plan, formed with the generosity of space and detail that belongs to the spirit of the original building. Twenty-one metres in diameter and three storeys high, the space brings light deep into the building, connects the lower levels of the podium to the tower with a sweeping spiral staircase, and provides a new shared space for the building’s users that allows the offices, hotel and health club to coexist.

The project is the result of a collaboration between Caruso St John Architects and Bovenbouw Architectuur, who won the design competition launched in 2019 by the City and the investor consortium. The team was subsequently joined by the Brussels-based practice DDS+ for the project's development.

Recognitions:

RIBA International Awards for Excellence 2026
Architectura Awards 2026 - Utility building
Brussels Architecture Prize 2025 - Contemporary Heritage
European Heritage Awards 2024 (Europa Nostra) - Conservation and Adaptive Reuse
MIPIM Awards 2024 - Best Conversion & Best Mixed-Use project
Le prix des Règles d’Or de l’urbanisme 2024 - the Public Prize & the Heart Prize (Royale Belge)
RES Awards 2023 - Best Commercial Development (Royale Belge)