Bâtiment Virginie Loveling in Ghent (Vlaams administratief centrum)

Construction of a «low energy» office and auditorium complex (K18, E50) consisting of a 90 m high tower (22 floors) and a horizontal base, «the arm».

The entire construction (43,200 m² gross floor area) is built over an existing underground car park. The calculation of the vertical load leads to concentrated forces in areas initially not designed for these loads; and requires major strengthening in the basement (installation of post-tensioned buttresses).

The tower, of classic design, has a load-bearing facade entirely prefabricated from elements integrating the bearing structure, the insulation and the facing brick. The elements are arranged in a checkerboard pattern, which gives the facades the necessary ties for this type of structure.

The cantilevered parts are made of steel or post-tensioned reinforced concrete, while the arm is built over an operating tram and bus station. The clear span of the structure in this area is 48 m with an 11 m cantilevered platform. The entire area is built in steel and composite steel-concrete structure for the floors.