ABSTRACT
From its inauguration in 1970, the headquarters of the insurance company Royale Belge in south Brussels, by the architects Pierre Dufau and René Stapels, became a new icon for office buildings in Belgium, and noted for the introduction of Cor-Ten-steel to Europe. The building had an extremely short construction time of three years, which also influenced the choice of the materials and construction methods, the architects opting for prefabricated concrete and a steel structure. The cruciform steel superstructure of nine floors in Cor-Ten steel is the primary feature of the building. The construction reflects a clever combination of structure and façade: structure flows over in façade, and structure is used as façade. Fifty years after completion, the material needs special attention at reconversion of the site, and to reconsider heritage values on its pioneering use.
