Europäisches Parlament – Erneuerung Paul-Henri-Spaak-Gebäude in Brüssel (BE)

Designing the European Parliament is a unique profound experience which engages your soul, your sense of responsibility, your convictions about society, your consciousness and finally, your humbleness as a designer. Consequently, the Parliament building, being the place where democracy is exercised, must be capable of embracing and translating into a sensorial experience all values such as proximity to its people and territory, social inclusiveness, transparency and, of course, functionality. The consciousness that sustainability in not only a moral obligation but moreover, the biggest opportunity of our time, has led us to the conclusion that the European Parliament building would be the most powerful vector of a message to all of us about the environment and the reconciliation with our planet Earth.

THE NEW PAUL HENRI SPAAK BUILDING

A “territorial approach”. The visitor path starts from Simone Veil esplanade and unfolds over more than 1 km through the building, reaching all spaces, both permanently and temporarily accessible to the public. The experience culminates with our “periscope on Europe”, a space at the top of the “institution sphere” framed by the timber arches, protected by a glass façade which in turn becomes a screen for holographic projections of European places, cultures and events; a glimpse on Europe.

A Parliament resting on the ground. Our scheme describes a parliament capable of establishing the most intimate relationship with the citizens. The Chamber is seated on the ground, resting on the same territory on which the public walks, almost as a piece of the public realm. People are literally close to their representative. The “topography” of the Chamber is seemingly carved out of an extension of Leopold park’s topography.

Nature meets built. To the West, facing the rue Wiertz, the building presents a low volume (two floors) with a transparent urban façade wrapping La Cour d’Honneur. To the east, the park is extended to reach La Cour d’Honneur. The extended topography becomes the roof of the low volumes on rue Wiertz.

A place for the institution. The main debating venues (Chamber, main Committee and main Trialogue) are assembled and contained all together and constitute one single component of the architectural massing. The vertical institutional composition is completed by a public space overlooking the ‘Europe horizon’.

Three pure volumes organized by a clear geometry. The massing is dominated by the spherical volume containing the institutional process while the rest of the spaces are housed in the cubes. The two cubes float over the topography to leave the raised ground to Leopold park which will be visible and accessible from La Cour d’Honneur. All volumes are connected through an aerial system of light bridges.

Wellbeing. Daylight, limited travel distances, convenient stairs by the external façade and sense of orientation are qualities we have based our design on.

Security by Design. The building comprises a two storey podium which constitutes the interface between the Paul-Henri Spaak building and the public realm. The podium is conceived as an urban presence while paying great attention to its vulnerability.