Our group submitted a proposal for a sleek, flexible, an comfortable office building to the international competitionorganised by Luxembourg Railways. The site was very complex and constrained by the rail tracks running 500 metres from the Central Station.
Our proposal features a building that is both linear and fragmented: the elements are organised on either side of a central hall that reflects the ida of a train station as a lively, shared space, accommodating flexible programms. It creates a meeting place bathed in light and providing thermal comfort. Footbridges on all floors connect the different parts of the building. Plants and trees are prominent in the design of the building: They are present not only in the outdoor spaces but also in the patios and the central hall as well as on the flat roofs thatare accessible to users. The landscape layers framed by rails embedded in the ground create a seamless transition between the public realm and the interior street. The plinth walls made from gabion baskets will support climbing vegetation. The tertiary buildings of the future must feel like home. This is why we have paid special attention to uses.
The large concourse provides semi-outdoor, thermally comfortable spaces for digital nomads and remote workers. The vertical and horizontal circulations become places where people can spend time, socialise, and work in a relaxed and casual atmosphere. Acoustic comfort is one of the major priorities of the project. We have reduced noise from the outside by implementing high-performance façades incorporating a double-skin complex to meet the desired acoustic requirements (BREEAM Excellent rating + WELL Platinum rating). Coffered ceilings with an absorbing material on the roof underside and occasional reinforcements on the vertical walls in the interior street provide acoustic comfort in the interior spaces.
AREP Group's mission:
Architecture, spatial planning concept design, landscape design, acoustics, and lighting
Environmental metrics and solutions – EMC2B:
Energy
• 25% of the energy needed is solar-powered • 15% of parking places are ftted with recharging stations
Materials
• Prefabricated bio-based materials: gabion, Cross-laminated timber • Water consumption: 3.4 m3 / pers / year
Carbon
• Priori ty given to local energy sources (geothermal energy, air source heat pump, etc.) • GHG emissions linked to energy consumption during operation: 21.8 kgCO2eq / sqm / year
Climate
• Double skin providing acoustic and thermal insulation
• Opening windows to customise indoor comfort • Atrium providing natural ventilation
Biodiversity
• Created green spaces: 1,070 sqm • 11% of the soil surface is to be unsealed
