Since the 60s, the Télex building has housed the Telephone and Telegraph Authority (Régie des Téléphones et des Télégraphes). The renovation project consisted of transforming these premises into office spaces for rental. In order to respect the historic and architectural value of the building while transforming its existing shell into a high-performance shell, a second set of windows has been built inside the façade.
In this way, a double skin has been created: mechanical ventilation allows the energy of the air there in the winter to be recovered, or simply removed in the summer, with the offices also cooled using chilled ceilings. Tubular photovoltaic cells (with no wind intake) allow 6000 kWh/yr of electricity to be produced.
The project is also distinguished by its desire to exploit the potential of an existing building stock in the city centre, served by a number of forms of public transport, rather than choosing the easy option of a new structure on the outskirts.

Address:

Boulevard de l’Impératrice 17-19, 1000 Brussels

Client:

Befimmo

Architect:

Crepain Binst Architecture

Engineering design:

VK Engineering