Building Esseghem IV in Jette

The project, covering a total surface area of 6,520 m², involves renovating and bringing up to standard a building which is part of a development in the inner part of a city block. The starting point for the renovation project is an in-depth study of the building’s characteristics. The building is part of a complex of four flat blocks built at the end of the 1970s, and houses 67 apartments. The building is located on an attractive site with planted areas, playgrounds, and parking areas. The layout of the dwellings is highly efficient, and the facades of the building are composed of large, prefabricated concrete facing panels. This gives the eight-storey building a relatively monolithic and smooth appearance. Alongside the qualitative analysis of the building, we identified the areas that no longer met today’s requirements, standards, and comfort. The building in its current state has numerous «weaknesses» in terms of insulation and ventilation.

Architectural concept :

• Our aim is to propose a comprehensive renovation project that responds to urban planning, architectural and technical challenges at the same time. Technical compliance must not detract from architectural ambition and vice versa. The aim is to preserve existing qualities while offering greater comfort and safety for occupants. In terms of housing, two aspects seem fundamental: views and outdoor spaces. Our renovation project will therefore incorporate spacious balconies (3.5 times larger than the existing balconies).
• The nuance of the existing concrete cladding (aggregates of various sizes) is reflected in the perforated metal cladding at breast height and solid cladding at window level. The perforated skin extends like a balustrade over the balconies.

The renovation includes :

• the complete renovation of the building envelope;
• the insulation of the facades and roof in compliance with EPB requirements;
• the interior refurbishment of the ground floor (communal areas: bicycle rooms, laundry, bin rooms, storage, etc.);
• the installation of a new ventilation system (type C+);
• the compliance with fire safety standards (compartmentalisation, detection, etc.);
• the electrical upgrade (in each flat and in the communal areas).
• All the work to be carried out will be on an occupied site: tenants will have to remain in their homes throughout the works.

Structural works mainly concern the following operations :

• the construction of new canopies;
• the creation of new balconies;
• the laying of foundations for canopies and balconies;
• the installation of support elements for acroteria;
• the extension of the ground floor slab in certain areas of the facade.