The construction of the new, multifunctional towers in the north of Brussels is moving forward, and the symbolic cornerstone was laid on October 7, 2021 in the presence of Ministers Jan Jambon and Benjamin Dalle, real estate investor Befimmo, and representatives of the construction companies, architects, and planning offices involved. The innovative building meets high standards for architecture, environmentally-friendly design, and the circular economy. Drees & Sommer Belgium is supporting this project with Cradle to Cradle consulting.
The laying of the cornerstone is symbolic in that this is an office building designed based on the circular economy: 95% of the rubble of the previous building will be retained on site or reused/recycled elsewhere, so that a total of up to 30,000 tons of old concrete will be used in the entire construction process. The cornerstone is one of the columns made with concrete recycled at the construction site and certified with the Cradle to Cradle “Silver” label.
The name of the building, which is being built on the site of the former WTC towers 1 and 2, was also announced: Marie-Elisabeth Belpaire, named after the Flemish writer who made a decisive contribution to the advancement of girls’ education in the 19th century.
The ZIN project was developed by the Belgian real estate investment trust Befimmmo together with the company Open Minds. The building, designed by architects Jaspers & Eyers/51N4E/AUC, will comprise an area of around 110,000 m² and will reach a height of around 100 meters. Around 75,000 m² is planned to be office space, including a coworking area. A further 14,000 m² is for apartments and 16,000 m² is intended to be hotel accommodations, leisure areas, restaurants, and shops.