KBC Office
The project starts with a pre-existing building, with the goal of preserving as much of the structure as possible. A central cutout was made in the volume to transform this formerly bulky building, which lacked natural light, into a high-quality and comfortable workspace.
The cutout is landscaped with plants, trees, and shrubs on the exterior, enhancing the building’s natural appeal. Inside, extending from this cutout, there is a green wall adjacent to the stairs and circulation cores. This central area also provides space for relaxation.
There is a strong emphasis on exposing existing materials and structures, while adding warm and acoustic materials to significantly improve comfort.
The building achieves a very high level of sustainability. The existing server rooms are used for heat generation, and cooling is partially achieved through natural means: at night, windows open automatically to release heat. This, along with other measures, ensures the building implements an advanced sustainability and circulation principle in line with modern standards.
To avoid overheating and the blinding effect of direct sunlight, automatically controlled vertical blinds are positioned on the western and eastern façades. Combined to night ventilation they reduce to a minimum the need for mechanical cooling enabling great energy savings on a long-term perspective.
