Page 53 - Between light and shade

Light, transparency and reflection

Lemaire, the spiritual father of Louvain-la-
Neuve, allowed me to design the remainder
of the Western area of the city and to plan the
Aula Magna [01/291, Fig. 45 and 46]. For the first
time, from the very first draft sketch, I was able
to consider in detail the building’s physics in
symbiosis with construction 45. The double skin
covering the lobby rapidly became a necessity.
The large auditorium and its stage are specifi-
cally designed to make use of natural light 46.

Since then, I have continued, as issues have
arisen, to use double skins 47. The most recent,
and extremely delicate one, relates to the energy

45 Assisted by Filip Descamps and Paul Mees from Daidalos, as
well as Peter Wouters from the BBRI, for acoustic, energy and
lighting studies.
46 Taking advantage of my one week absence, to teach in Chile,

the contractor was instructed to abandon the rooflights by the
future operator. The ceiling still exhibits its sad closed eyes but
I am confident that they will be opened one day, both for the
sake of the quality of light in the room and on the stage, and
for the obvious issue of energy savings.
47 Dexia Tower, Place Rogier, Brussels (p: 2002, c: 2003-2006.

01/ 301) — GlaxoSmithKline Research Centre in Rixensart
(p: 1996, c: 1997-1999. 01/317) — CNP-NPM Headquarters
in Gerpinnes (p: 1995, 1996-1997. 01/320) — INP Headquar-
ters (Chilean Social Security Headquarters) in Santiago de
Chile (p: 1997. 01/362) — Central Tower in Brussels (p: 1998.
01/364) — First Headquarters of Jan De Nul in Aalst (p: 2002,
c: 2003-2005. 01/401) — Day Nursery in Watermael-Boits-
fort (p: 2003. 01/459) — EUROPA in Brussels (p: 2005-2007.
2008-2016. 01/494) (see e-book at www.samynandpartners.
com) — Namur Law Courts (p: 2007. 01/511) — BNP-Pari-
bas-Fortis Headquarters in Brussels (p: 2013. 01/604)
(see www.samynandpartners.com).

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