GROUP PLANNING PARTNERSHIP

GROUP PLANNING PARTNERSHIP VISION AND REALITY

EdizioniTecno

Group Planning Partnership Professor Jan Tanghe Architect and Townplanner

Willy Canfyn Civil Engineer

Werner Desimplaere Architect and Townplanner

Bernard Deconick

Architect

Paul Lievevrouw Architect

VISION AND REALITY

In more than one respeet Group Planning in Belgium is a remarkable and interesting phenomenon.

It is remarkable for having succeeded in holding its own since 1966 in a small country such as Belgium whose size alone renders the fate of large offices very uncertain.

While on the one hand the Government is the largest customer, the typical structure makes for decentralised decision-making, especially owing to the succession of diverse politicai leaders.

Architects are therefore constantly confronted with great uncertainly when it comes to obtaining new commissions.

Furthermore, the profession of architect (and not only the title) is legally protected and this has brought about an influx of qualified architects.

On the other hand, the most important private works are initiated by the major financial groups.

The firms of architects which curry favour with these groups can develop normally.

By definition, however, they remain limited in number.

It is rare to find a firm of architects which is flourishing ĂŹndependently of these financial groups. Stili rarer are those firms which maintain a specific architectural vision and which realise this vision in a Constant and qualitative manner.

Group Planning is just such a firm.

Group Planning was founded on January 1st, 1966 at the instigation of architect Jan Tanghe.

The founders expressed their philosophy as follows: "Architecture is not an aim in itself but is merely a means of stimulating LIFE whitin the complex social context".

(Bouwen in BelgiĂŠ 1945-1970, p. 346).

The aim was consequently to create a form of architecture born of a sense of social commitment, a concept which was in keeping with the progressive ideas of the sixties.

A form of architecture was developed which was associated with the reaction against the excesses of modernismi. Without any doubt the Team-ten and the Forum Movement served as an inspiration.

Modernism has wreaked considerable damage on the cities of Belgium, more than was caused by two world wars.

Group Planning has striven and is stili striving to repair a damage done to our towns and cities in order to achieve both historical continuity and continuity of form. Planning is consequently an important consideration at both the town planning and the architectural level.

The plans for Bruges and later for Brussels have become models for both Government policy and town planning.

The Group's architectural achievements have been a logicai development. Originating in a social concern and consequently an architecture arising from housing and living conditions rooted in contemporary culture, a more autonomous architectural style has developed which can be associated with what is today known as PostModernism. The design has grown out of a modemistic and later populist-inspired concept into a more monumentai style of architecture.

The book makes clear how one must endeavour to reconcile modem methods of production with such a form of architecture.

W. Steenhoudt, Architect President of the National Council of the Order of Architects

VISION AND REALITY

The Group Planning objectives at its formation in 1966 were threefold: to bring together a team of designers who were motivated by the same philosphy concerning the context of the urban environment; a multi-disciplinary team was necessary in order to carry out this philosphy; the team should amount to more than the mere sum of its members.

From the outset, the principal aim of the Group was to assume collective creative responsibility, based on a common social commitment. The interplay of personalities was to overshadow individuality. Town planning and architecture truly related to their context were to replace "egocentric" architecture which expresses purely individuai attitudes. Cities and works of architecture are not built by individuals alone, but in contrast to other art forms are the outcome of a series of socio-spatial environmental processes.

In 1986, Group Planning has developed into a fully-integrated team, in which a number of complementary design functions are carried out.

The Group is actively involved in the multiple ròles of: researcher, advisor, designer, technician, coordinator and works supervisor.

Town planner, architects and engineers are working in Belgium and abroad in the fields of town planning, architecture, civil engineering, traffic engineering, landscaping, interior decoration, urban Street furniture etc.

The Group does not specialise in any particular field or type of building; on the contrary, it considers its speciality to be generalization, space being considered as an indivisible whole.

The Group's fundamental objective is to produce spatial design which will have specific social significance in the urban environment.

The sterility of modernistic architecture and town planning can largely be attributed to the imposition of excessively individualistic architectural experiments, in place of design

proccesses which were truly related to the sociospatial context of the project in hand. Even worse were the experimental town planning projects which completely ignored the actual patterns of human behaviour and denied the "intimate reality of things".

Towns and architecture which had been built "for citizens and visitors" were replaced by towns and buildings which existed merely "in themselves" and "for themselves" and which had little to do with either the inhabitants or the observer. They had become merely "objects" sufficient unto themselves alone. Such modem towns and buildings, divorced from any affinity with the inhabitant or anyone else, can no longer be considered to form a part of the history of mankind and no longer give significance to human lite. The citizen has lost his sense of direction and exists in an alien world, in an alien town, surrounded by alien buildings. Nietsche expressed it thus: "The emptiness of the absurd existence which menaces mankind today".

The architect was thus raised to the status of Demiurge* creating the travesty of a future without a past and a habitat with no psychosocial and socio-spatial dimension.

This utopian attitude led to a particularly negative triple evolution. The architect's creativity was separated from its social and urban context, soon to be followed by the influence of "avantgarde" art critics, who proclaimed the architect as an artist creating the "architectural (art) object". This resulted in a return to a certain baroque conception of the architect's function, an offshoot of the Cartesian dissertation in which the historical dimension of life, the city and the community is weakened by rational individuai thinking.

In the second instance, this negative evolution emphasises the dichotomy between the opposing humanist-artistic and scientifictechnological attitudes which have exacerbated the conflict between architects and engineers, thereby hindering the very necessary cooperation

Bruges, Structure Pian, 1972: Traffic Models.

* Demiurge: name given by Platonic to the God-architect of the Universe.

GROUP PLANNING AND THE 1960's

philosophy

Group Planning's has been made two determining events: Brussels 1971 and Bruges 1972.

work by from from

in Brussels, Group Planning was exposed to the power and financial and politicai pressures of industriai lobbies, whilst at the same time

experiencing the profound conviction and solidarity of the citizens and action groups in their struggles on behalf of their urban

surroundings. Bruges, on the other hand, was searching for a future with the same meaning in relation to the richness of its past.

The two cases were, in

fact, extreme opposites: the urban decline of Brussels due to financial pressures, contrasted with the determination of Bruges through lack

of initiative and a complacent admiration for the "pastness of the past". (T.S. Eliot)

Office building for the Administration of the Province of East Flanders, 1968: in collaboration with Francis Serck, Architect.

Structure pian, Bruges, 1972. Restructuring of a city square.

between these disciplines so far as the building industry is concerned, and stimulating the fruitless antagonism existing between architecture and industry.

This negative situation also accentuated the (excessive) functional and technological development of the building industry, to the benefit of industriai and financial interest. In the name of economy and progress, speculation and the race for profit have destroyed the quality of life in the urban environment. The recent increase in freedom of movement coupled with the factors described above, is the main reason for the degeneration of the city and urban housing which has finally been reduced to a standard, commercialised consumer product. Ali this has led to excessive scale in construction, to the exodus of much of the population and consequently to the creation of inner city slum areas.

OBJECTIVE OF GROUP PLANNING Group planning has attempted, since its inception, to counteract these negative developments.

The Group's policy has always been opposed to the idea that town plannning and architectural design should be "acts of individuai creation". It agrees with Professor Leo Apostel, who writes that "creativity can express its own authenticity

only partially in such a way that is tangible and of some use to others. If, which is never wholly possible, one can somehow manage to express a fairly high percentage of one's own impulsion in a manner which can be perceived by others and which may give some help to other people's impulsions, only them can one say that one is creative".

Architecture and town planning are material references and continuing processes of sociospatial conduct.

Insofar as the rift between the humanist-artistic and scientific-technological poles of thought is concerned (the second negative development), Group Planning believes that a symbiosis between Art and Science is possible only on condition that these two opposing attitudes will eventualy be capable of appreciating the fact that beauty and truth, creativity and knowledge are quite obviously complementary.

Science, whose intention is to reveal the truth of life and things in a rational manner, will be able to penetrate truth more deeply stili if it will only take into account the refinement which emotion (Art) can contribute.

Art, on the other hand, whose purpose is to reveal the beauty of life and things in "a-rational" manner will more ably master "form' when, and to the extent that, it is aided by truth and knowledge.

Proposai for the redevelopment of the rue Haute, Brussels.

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On behalf of the Marolles Commission, set up by the Brussels City Authorities between 1975 and 1983, Group Planning put forward a great

many town planning solutions of a highly socio-spatial nature.

These analysis and proposai were in every case illustrated by drawings which alone

Life and things are not merely objects, which can be analyzed separately from a human being; they are equally an inherent part of him, to which sense and meaning must be given.

(Heidegger).

Here we touch upon the fundamental relationship between "living", which is the art of knowing how to live, and "building", which is its rational and material complement. Only when we are capable of fully appreciating the meaning of the notion "to live" shall we once more know how "to build". The contrary is not possible. The greatest errar of our time is the belief that technological and/or aesthetic mastery in building enables us to create a truly human environment.

The third negative development is caused by the fact that fundamental decisions concerning urban planning and architecture are mainly dependent and consequently influenced by - financial and industriai lobbying. This state of affairs is usually supported by those in authority, even when it is in opposition to their own politicai principles. As a result, the urban environment in the second half of the 20th century has been severely injured by purely lucrative building activities, and by laisserfaire policies which have now brought us face-toface with an urban built-up environment which suffers from pathological decay.

Group Planning is convinced that the erroneus contradiction between "economics" as the management of resources and "ecology" as the

possess the metaphorical value required for understanding on the pari of the layman.

management of life itself, results from the crisis within a society in search of lost values.

"Economics" and "Ecology" are obviously complementary but opposite poles. A society which forces its designers to work within a "straight-jacket" economie policy should recognize its irresponsible attitude with regard to its own national heritage, of which it is merely the caretaker. This earth has not only been bequeathed to us by our forefathers, it is also held in trust by us on behalf of our future offspring. Our heritage is a bond between those now dead, those now living, and those who will live tomorrow.

CONFRONTATION WITH REALITY: GROUP PLANNING PROJECTS Group Planning's work has been marked by two determining events: First was the confrontation, since 1969, with the dynamic evolution going on in Brussels; secondly was the realisation in 1971, of the static condition of Bruges. Group Planning was commissioned as town planning consultant and artistic advisor for the city of Brussels during the years 1970 to 1983, and by the city of Bruges as the author of the structure Pian for that city in 1972. These were both continous tasks, dealing with a multitude of complex and diverse aspects at different levels in the field of town planning,

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Restoration of the monumentai banqueting halls by Beyaert, dating from 1873, together with the construction of a new

building with a frontage on to the rue d'Arlon.

finance, socio-politics, traffic engineering, architecture, rehabitation etc.

In Brussels, Group Planning was exposed to the power and financial and politicai pressures of industriai lobbies, whilst at the same time experiencing the profound conviction and solidarity of the citizens and action groups in their struggles on behalf of their urban surrounding. Bruges, on the other hand, was searching for a future with some meaning in relation to the richness of its past. The two cases were, in fact, extreme opposites: the urban decline of Brussels due to financial pressures, contrasted with the deterioration of Bruges through lack of initiative and a complacent admiration for the "pastness of the past" (TS. Eliot).

Bruges needed to be protected from itself, and could no longer continue the smug of contemplation of its heritage merely for what it had been in the past. It needed a better understanding of the potential contri-bution the past could offer to the future. Brussels needed to learn to treat its heritage with more humility and wisdom, for the memory of a city - as with that of man himself - is essential in order to determine the future.

The meaning of Paul ValĂŠry's phrase - "Mankind suffers from two ills, tradition and progress" becomes exceedingly clear in such a situation.

Although Bruges and Brussels were at opposite poles, both were obliged to accept the fact that there is no contradiction between Past and Future. A Future with no Past, and a Past with no Future are modem heresies which have inevitably led to alienation, loss of identity and to the "void of absurd existence" (Nietsche).

We are thus able to see that Brussels and Bruges personified the tensions between a series of opposing factors: tradition and progress:

ancient and modem: social resistance versus financial pressure, action groupos and financial lobbying; revitalizing and planning; decline and growth; "a rationality" and logie; humanity and science; art and technology; creativity and knowledge. This led to a philosophy which recognizes that revitalization and continuation of the existing urban and architectural environment are not necessarily bound to conflict with proposals for financially profitable development projeets. Thus, in 1972, Group Planning inserted the following clause in its report on the Structure Pian for Bruges: "recognition of the fact that the habitability, scale and character of our (historic) cities can provide an excellent response to the most progressive demands of modem society is a new concept. The question which we should now be askin ourselves is non longer whether we are going to conserve our urban heritage, but how we are going to conserve it".

This confrontation between Brussels and Bruges, coupled with the general evolution nowadays with regard to the significance of cities and their architecture in Europe, has enabled us to define the philosophy which now forms the basis of our work. In conclusion, we give below a number of guidelines resulting from our own experience.

KNOWLEDGE AND INVENTION Design is a dialectic between Knowledge and Invention, between the opposite poles of the rational scientific-technological and the creative humanist-artistic. There can, however, be no creati vity without some form of rational approach, and no rational approach without an element of irrational refinement attributable to emotion. Three comments must be made at this point: First of ali, the human being must be considered as an "actual inhabitant", and not as a mere

Structure Pian for Ostend, 1978. Proposai for restrucfuring the inner areas of the town.

"De Gilde", Bruges, 1975. New office building in the heart of the historic city.

The imposing silhouett of the Holiday Centre for the Handicapped and Chronically ili can be seen rising above the dunes at Nieuport,

built on a green site which has been skilfully landscaped as part of the scherme.

guinea-pig serving the purpose of pseudoprogressive-aesthetic, -functional, and -financial experiments. At least as much importance should be accorded to this "actual inhabitant" as to the urban space and architecture to be provided for him. Finally, a basic distinction should be made between "Creativity" - which is capable of creating something out of nothing and "Invention", i.e. the imagination which can produce a series of variations on a given theme.

Town planning and architecture lie more within the field of invention, by developing fresh variations, and thus creating new urban and architectural models, in accordance with the "genius loci" of the town and the locai landscape. The design of buildings and urban habitats is determined to such an extent by the psycho-social dimension, by human history and by the configuration of the town itself that the designerĂ task should consist only of making a creative readjustment to the metaphorical features of the town and its architecture.

PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE It is not only the continuity of the past with the future which is important in town planning and architectural design, but also the definition of the future.

Group Planning's polĂŹcy has always been to avoid making any long-term predictions for the future. The existing situation is analysed in detail, which enables the future to be prepared, rather than being defined without any prior knowledge.

Town planning and architecture are open ended and continuing, because there is no definitive solution and consequently there can be no certain prediction for the future, only action in the present as preparation for the future. To deny this is to deny the complexity and irrational nature of daily life and politicai decision.

Designers of a project involving the human environment can do no more than design models oriented towards a possible future, then justify their design by means of "for-and-against" arguments.

The town planner's responsibility is to develop various different scenarios on the basis of a through awareness of the city's socio-spatial possibilities.

The architect's task is to transform such planning scenarios into actual construction in space.

TOWN PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE, INTEGRATION AND CHANGE There is no essential difference between town planning and architecture.

Each building is a town in miniature, and each town is like a complex building. The processes of design and execution are analagous between architecture and town planning, the continuity of

the social and urban context being the essential factor. Group Planning's policy has always been to refuse to indulge in "primadonna" flights of architectural fancy. Architecture should be made to sing in the urban choir.

Any change made to urbab space or the landscape should always take into account the historical and human scale of the space or landscape in question.

In every case, the essential elements which define the spatial and social context must be scrupulously respected.

Notions such as old and new, tradition and progress, classical and modem architecture have little significance in this context. The architecture should ensure continuity, to create, as in days gone by, an integrated and architectural "spatial entity" on account of its variety. This new "architectural unity" can exist by virtue of our "intimate and reconstituted memory" and not on account of its external appearance (a history of art notion).

That which Aldo Rossi defines as "Electicism" we shall intentionally label the "architecture of integration", because this title emphasizes the idea of continuity combined with change. The term "electicism" is often used to refer to certain stylistic aspects of architecture and is therefore excessively concerned with external appearance of things. The notion of "integrated architecture" on the other hand, relates more to the essential urban characteristics which determine architectural form. The architecture of integration is concerned with the history of the human race and the intimate nature of things, and refers to a greater extent to the essential characteristics of the context into which the architecture is to be inserted, and from which its form will be decided.

The main characteristics determining architectural form are the scale of the existing urban fabric, the relationship of the architecture to the urban entity, the specific nature of the urban space and its urban symbols, the welcoming quality and intimacy of the urban space, the quality of existing social relationship, density and the relationship between parcels of land, the texture of the urban fabric and the relationship between existing roofs, materials and colour within the city.

Town planning for continuity as thus defined by Group Planning in the "Structure Pian for Bruges" has the same objective of spatial unity and in this way acts as a stimulant for "integration architecture".

HIGHER PROVINCIAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE, GHENT

This project, which was designed in collaboration with the architect Francis Serck, won the architectural competition organized in 1960 by the Province of East Flanders. It gives an example of the work done durĂŹng the initial Group Planning period.

The Institute forms part of the Provincial Campus site, situated between the city centre and the station.

The total floor area is 38,250 m 2 and comprises a Higher Educational Institute for 1.800 students, a secondary school section for 600 pupils, together with sports and leisure facilities. The complex also contains an Adult Education department with languages as its particular speciality. This department has 4.000 students, 1.000 of whom attend daily.

The ensemble consists of a series of different buildings built around a square 45m x 4 5 m internai garden. The upper section, for which the programme was revised by the client in 1975, is formed by an inverted pyramid, whose cantilevered levels serve as sun-breakers. The open corridore which provide access internally to the classroom, also form balconies overlooking the 40 x 40 m internai Assembly Fiali. The Fiali has naturai clerestory lighting at height of 12 M. The view down into this amphitheatre from the classrooms and balconies adds considerably to the general ambience, and distinctly emphasizes the dialogue between building and user.

The compact design of the building gives favourable energy-saving results. The construction system consists of a doublĂŠ concrete structure.

Four internai columns support the roof of the amphitheatre and also serve as supports for the staircases.

"This building is a form of inverted pyramid, consisting of three superimposed square frames, each being cantilevered further outwards than

the one below. This element of the project is considerably more imposing than the others, piroviding an emphasis which acts

as a comterpoint to the patio.

The spirit of its composition and its structure are both very different from the other parts of the project; it

enriches the whole, but manages to avoid direct confrontation and duality. The curtain walling echoing the corbelled string courses, coupled with

the presence of the garden as a powerful element giving coherence to the ensemble, are sufficient to sustain an agreable dialogue

bètween two design generations which can appreciate each other whilst respecting their differences".

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"The internai space has a theatrical atmosphere, a kind of symmetrical and perfectly centralized amphitheatre, elivened

by the peripheral clerestorey lighting which is reflected on the balconies.

It is a vigorous choice, which demanded a

high degree of affinity between reasoning and creativity at different levels of meditation: creation of ambience, design of

structure, energysaving requirements, adequate acoustics for classrooms etc.

HET ZAND BRUGES

Gallery building enclosing Het Zand.

Het Zand is the largest square in Bruges, and one of the largest in mediaeval Europe; it was always enclosed, as shown on the Marcus Gerard pian dated 1562.

In 1836, it was decided to run the new railway line into Het Zand, and site the station in the middle of the square. The West side of Bruges was therefore cut off from the city centre, and Het Zand was transformed into an unclosed square complete with typical 19th century station building.

A century later the railway and station were moved outside the centre, and the 19th century cars were partially healed by the pianti ng of vegetation. The square, which had been enclosed until 1836, was then again subjected to being opened up for traffic, including the provision of parking areas.

In 1976, Group Planning were commissioned to make a study of Het Zand as a square and as an element of integration in the town.

Two projects were produced, one in 1976 and another (shown here) in 1979. Both projects are based on the major guidelines of the Structure Pian. A doublĂŠ function is therefore proposed for Het Zand: on the one hand as a focal traffic point and on the other hand as an access point and new linking element between the city centre and the West quarter. As a focal point on the inner ring around Bruges, through-traffic roads and access to the underground parking area

accomodating 800 cars are incorporated in the project.

As an acces point and linking element, the square will eventually be enclosed longitudinally by two buildings with open galleries.

In the width of the square, it is enclosed by two doublĂŠ rows of trees which add an extra dimension and feeling of enclosure and transparency at the same time. On the city centre side, 4 pavilions containing escalators and staircases provide access to the underground parking areas..

Ali possible urban scenarios for the square have been examined, i.e. public transport, pedestrian circulation on the square and between the streets, markets, fairs, processions, concerts, open-air theatre, tattoos etc. The scenarios were strongly dependent on the presence of the two gallery buildings to enclose Het Zand. One of these buildings would serve as bus station and tourist bureau, the other would contain a bandstand, a covered market, reception and exhibition areas.

As these two buildings have not been built, the fundamental objective, i.e. enclosure of the square and the urban liveliness which would result have been called into question.

Pian and elevatlon of one of the two gallery buildings containing the covered market and a bandstand to enliven the square:

music, theatre, discussion area, podium for impromptu children's games etc.

Cross section through the underground parking area beneath Het Zand.

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT BRUSSELS

The terms of reference given by the Ministry of Public Works to Group Planning comprise the extension of the European Parliament Commission premises on the rue Belliard in Brussels.

The building is to be 24.652 mz in area and the programme provides for 210 offices and 3 Commission Meeting Rooms with 100 and 130 seating places, general service areas and underground parking areas.

The sector pian for the Brussels region was applicable, because in 1981 no town planning themes for the European zone were in existence, nor was there a specific development pian for that area.

Group Planning wished to assess the impact of siting new European Parliament buildings in the

environment of the European zone.

Several alternatives and models were developed.

Certain proposai for this zone have been adopted by the various Ministries and Departments concerned.

The town planning proposai is that the European Parliament should be developed along rue Belliard rather than along rue Van Maerlant and housing accomodation should be provided on rue Belliard behind the Parliament and in an acoustic shadow. A large urban square is proposed on the axis of the Pare Leopold and the Conseil des Ministres, beneath which the Liège-Louvain motorway, a storm-water reservoir and a parking area will be constructed. This town planning scheme is aimed at providing an equilibrium between the representative European functions, the habitata, the square, the park, traffic and the quality of the environment.

The new European Parliament buildings, together with a possible second phase extension are sited on the axis of the existing European Parliament building, and will be linked with it by means of a footbridge symbolizing European unity.

The facade is to be in white stone with a copper roof and timber window frames.

Pare Royal Cinquantenaire Quartier EuropĂŠen Palais de Justice Eglise Royale Sainte Marie

The European Ouarter is situateci between the rue de la Loi and rue Belliard, which links the Pare Royal to the Cinquantenaire.

Thus, when coming

from the inner city of Brussel, the footbridge crossing rue Belliard creates a gateway to the European Quarter.

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Pian at the Commission Meeting Rooms level.

The 3 Commission Meeting Rooms are locateci around a

centrai circulation core linked by the footbridge crossing rue Belliard to the existing Parliament.

Pian at a typical office floor level.

The wing containing 210 Parliamentary offices forms the higher part of the

building, fronting on to rue Belliard. The Commission Meeting Rooms are located in the lower part of the building.

At the top left-hand side, the new building linked by the footbridge to the existing building. On the right. a possible extension of

the European Parliament. forming a symmetrical composition with the existing Parliament.

"The BAC-COB building, with rhytmical facades in white stone on a blue limestone plinth is typical of the

usuai type of buildings found in Brussels streets.

BAC-COB SAVINGS BANK BRUSSELS

The project was commenced in 1981, and the building was occupied in Aprii 1986. The building is situated in rue Belliard, at the heart of the Brussels city area. The rear of the site backs on to the railway line leading to the Leopold Quarter station, which serves the European zone.

The floor area of the building is approximately 30.000 r m The programme provided for open pian offices, reception area, cash windows, conference rooms with foyer and reception desk, staff training rooms, executive offices, board rooms, canteens, restaurants, kitchens and computer rooms. The basement levels contain Storage areas, print rooms and parking areas.

The building complex comprises a centrai section eight storeys high, and two low level buildings which provide the transition between the tali building and the lower houses in rue de Toulouse. The main rue Belliard / rue de Trevès building contains the two lower levels in the gallery, and the two upper level in the gallery, and the two upper levels in the roof. The relationship between the total area of the facade and the are of the windows in the facade is 3:1.

This conforms with classical-style facades in Brussels, and with scientific requirements concerning energy savings resulting from facade design. False ceilings have been replaced by a raised floor which contains technological, computer and energy services. The air conditioning system in the building uses partly the raise floor and partly vertical ducts and doublĂŠ window framing in external walls, in which the exhaust air is pumped to plant rooms on the roof.

The facade is in white stone, the window frames, roofs and ducts are in anodised aluminium, the columns and cornices in architectural concrete, and the plinth in Belgian blue limestone.

Cross-section through the external wall of the building showing the integration of air conditioning elements in the construction of the external wall.

Rue Belliard facade and cross-section through the high building.

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General view of the BAC-COB building within the structure and town planning context of Brussels.

VISION AND REALITY is one of a serìes of books published

by Edizioni Tecno with the aim of promoting excellence in architecture and design.

Photography: Christine Bastin, Daniel De Kievit, Paul De Prins, Jean-Francois Dewitte, Jacques Evrard, Roger Laute Graphics: Centro Progetti Tecno Printing: Grafiche Mariano © Copyright Edizioni Tecno 1986