BRUSSELS REGIONAL PARLIAMENT
LOCATION
Brussels, Belgium
CLIENT
Parlement de la Region de Bruxelles-Capital
AREA
15 000 sqm above ground
PROGRAM
Hemicycle, meeting rooms, offices and reception rooms
PROJECT
2000
STATUS
Built
© J. Jacobs
The restoration of the Palais Provincial du Brabant blends modern design and historical heritage, featuring a new hemicycle symbolizing transparency and democracy.
The restoration of the old Palais Provincial du Brabant is part of the historical continuity of the building, which, from the 17th to the early 20th century, underwent numerous transformations, each reflecting the architectural context of its construction period. A2RC ARCHITECTS proposed raising the most recent neoclassical section to install the central element of the project: the hemicycle. This structure, made of glass and steel—simple materials with a light appearance—was chosen to symbolize the openness and transparency of the Brussels Parliament to its citizens. It was conceived as a strong new expression of democracy, designed to present itself to the city and, both literally and symbolically, reflect that city. The institution reveals itself to the city, while also looking outward, through carefully framed views, particularly through the pear wood object-wall facing the city, a symbolic representation of the hemicycle.
The new building is set back from the street to preserve the original legibility of the structure, allowing for a gradual reading of the various architectural styles that compose it. The new architecture enters into a harmonious dialogue with its visual and structural base. The building's interior has been entirely renovated to create, on the one hand, committee rooms, all located in the new wing and open to the public, and on the other hand, the installation of administrative services, the registry, Members of Parliament's offices, and reception salons. The existing hemicycle was transformed into a reading room and cafeteria for the MPs — the other decision-making center of the institution. Eleven artists collaborated with the architects, each expressing their own personal perception of the city of Brussels, democracy, and the Parliament through various parts of the building.
