685 – SIAMU

• Architecture
• New Way of Working (in collaboration with Jaspers-Eyers Architects)
• Structural engineering (in collaboration with Setesco)
• Special techniques engineering (in collaboration with FTI)
• Energy concepts and high environmental quality (in collaboration with FTI and Matriciel)
• Sustainability and circularity assessment using the GRO tool (in collaboration with Matriciel)
• Ecology and biodiversity (in collaboration with Ecowal)
• Accessibility for Persons with Reduced Mobility (in collaboration with Plain-Pied)
• Fluid mechanics (in collaboration with Cenaero)
• Fire safety (in collaboration with Fire Safety Consulting)
• Security and safety (in collaboration with Robrechts & Thienpont)
• Cost management
• Acoustic concepts
• Kitchen concepts (in collaboration with FBO)

THE URBAN CONTEXT

The ‘North’ and ‘Maritime’ districts of Brussels have undergone a veritable spatial, social and economic transformation in recent decades.
One of the outstanding features of these districts is the development of green spaces and soft traffic networks.
The SIAMU barracks project, combined with all the other projects underway in the area, demonstrates the great potential for revitalising the site.

THE VOLUME OF THE BUILDING

The building’s massing is in dialogue with the surrounding site. To the south, the building faces low-rise buildings. To the east and north, it is bordered by the tall buildings of the TIR (Transport International Routier), while to the west it opens onto the new public square.
The building has a symbolically uniform massing marked by breakaway elements that clearly express the diversity of the functions it houses.
The building features two parallel wings, one to the north and the other to the south, linked to the west by a full-height open atrium. A photovoltaic sunshade floating one level above the green roofs emphasises the volumetry of the whole.
To the north-east, the exercise tower is the tallest part of the complex, acting as a strong signal for the architectural ensemble. Its shadow only affects the blind façades of the TIR. As such, it has no adverse effect on its surroundings in terms of solar gain, natural lighting or draughts.

ACCESS TO THE SITE

In line with the site’s planning, the main entrance, designed as a generous and emblematic green space, is positioned in the middle of the building’s west facade, providing direct access to the Drève maritime and the extensive network of cycle paths.
The garage for emergency vehicles is located on the south facade of the south wing, alongside the logistics road. Vehicles return via the rue de l’Entrepôt on the north side of the north wing. Cars, motorbikes, delivery vehicles and waste removal vehicles enter and leave along this same façade.

A THREE-DIMENSIONAL NEIGHBOURHOOD ON A HUMAN SCALE

The vast multifunctional programme has led to the design of a “three-dimensional district” in which each of the functions is linked to green spaces, either in the open ground or on the roof.

To sum up, the district is organised as follows: the ground floor of the north wing houses the return infrastructure for emergency vehicles, as well as logistics access and parking. The south wing is reserved for emergency departures. The western part opens onto the public cluster opposite the reception esplanade, which can host a variety of socio-cultural events. The upper floors are dedicated to administrative and training activities.

The project is organised around 11 functional ‘clusters’.
The “Interventions” and “Call Centre / Dispatching” clusters are at the heart of the SIAMU’s activity and govern the satellite organisation of the “Operational and Administrative Centre”, “Logistic Centre”, “Adjoining rooms” and “Sport” clusters, which are an integral part of the SIAMU’s life.

The “Public” cluster, to the west, is organised around the reception of staff and visitors. All the premises in this cluster have a view of the urban spaces. There are four main areas: a large auditorium, a Science Centre, a library and a museum.

The project also includes, in the “BRUSAFE” cluster, a regional school for safety, prevention and rescue professions.

Finally, the “Intervention Simulation” cluster is available to BRUSAFE and the SIAMU. It is made up of a mansion on a typical Brussels plan and an apartment building that forms the exercise tower.

Vertical circulation cores and an access control system are arranged around the central atrium and are positioned in such a way as to ensure that public traffic does not meet intervention flows from the SIAMU zone.

HABITABILITY

The layout of the various functions is organised according to operational efficiency, but also to constraints linked to fire safety and accessibility for all. It turns out that these constraints, because of their human scale, have a positive influence on the design of the project.

The “New Way of Working” offers an innovative approach to organising work in a fire station. The project is designed to optimise the use of workspaces. Multifunctional zones have been created to encourage versatility and flexibility. Working comfort is substantially enhanced by each cluster’s access to a green garden or terrace.

THE GREEN SPACES

Planted areas play a key role in the project, contributing to its harmonious integration into its urban environment and to its sustainable character. What’s more, the various planted parts of the building are distinctive elements of the architecture and the public space.
As required by the new Good Living regulations, 30% of the plot is greened, half of which is open ground. Two green zones have been created, one to the west, acting as an “urban breathing space” between the building and the public space, and the other to the east, as an extension of the future park on the other side of the logistics road, with the exercise tower in the background.
The roof, the building’s fifth façade, contributes to the greening of the site. Railings consisting of clumps of bushes add an extra plant dimension to the whole. Between the paths, areas carpeted with flowering meadows create a colourful, natural atmosphere. Finally, a vast expanse of water embellished with aquatic plants covers part of the south wing of the building, providing an oasis of freshness.

MATERIALITY

The insulated shell is clad in vertically positioned corrugated sheet metal, interspersed with galvanised steel drip sills. These elements provide effective protection against the elements.
The balustrades and external staircase envelopes are made of expanded metal sheet in galvanised steel, providing over 85% air space, for effective ventilation and safety.
The uniformity of the façade gives the whole complex a scale comparable to that of neighbouring industrial buildings. In addition, the repetition of a single material offers economic advantages linked to economies of scale in the manufacture, installation and maintenance of the façade.
Particular attention is paid to the fifth façade. Here, users of the building can enjoy planted areas for socialising, exercising and contemplating the city. These landscaped areas encourage local biodiversity, act as islands of coolness and contribute to rainwater management, reducing the pressure on drainage systems.

In contrast to this quest for uniformity, the exercise tower is a veritable work of art. Designed using recycled materials of all kinds and colours set in reinforced concrete frames, it offers a unique and playful aesthetic. The variety of materials also offers firefighters a wider range of exercises.

THE “GRO” APPROACH *

The project is based on a robust and passive climatic design, adaptive summer thermal comfort, reasoning on glazed surfaces and natural lighting of the premises and the use of materials that respect the environment and human health.
The building is designed to have the least possible impact on the environment, with 90% of rainwater reused.

*GRO: GRO is not an abbreviation but a Norwegian feminine first name meaning “growth”. This instrument dedicated to sustainability was named after former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, who also chaired the UN World Commission on Environment and Development and published the report “Our Common Future” in 1987.

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