Manhattan

When a building in a dense urban environment needs to be redone, there are two options: demolish it and start over, or work with what’s there and renovate. Our client Victory Real Estate, a renowned UK-based developer, chose the second option to stay true to their values of retain, reuse and be sustainable. Urban regeneration requires far less energy and materials, and for Manhattan this was no different: the 28,000 ton concrete frame of the building was reused, significantly reducing the carbon footprint of the renovation. BESIX faced several challenges such as the presence of asbestos, little storage room because of the location at the Brussels’ ringroad, and ongoing working life around the building which should be minimally disturbed.

While it’s thrilling to transform a building from the 70s into an energy-efficient one, it brings its own set of challenges. The renovated skyscraper uses 30% less energy than the old one, partly because of the design of the fully glazed, passive southern façade. The ambition was to reach the level ‘excellent’ in the BREEAM certification. Manhattan is much more than an office building. It is an extensive amenities ecosystem, with a four story winter garden space, three separate terraces, three gyms with shower and locker facilities, a meeting center complete with auditorium, restaurants and shops and metro access within the building. The upper floors additionally offer spectacular views over Brussels.