:be AG: BNP Paribas Fortis headquarters receives highest honour at MIPIM in Cannes

EQS-Media / 21.03.2022 / 13:51

PRESS RELEASE

:be AG: BNP Paribas Fortis headquarters receives highest honour at MIPIM
in Cannes

Lustenau, 21/03/2022 At the MIPIM Awards in Cannes, the new head office of
BNP Paribas Fortis at Warandeberg in Brussels won first prize in the
category ‚Best Office and Business Development‘. Warandeberg is a
collaboration between the international firm Baumschlager Eberle
Architekten, the Belgian architectural firms Styfhals & Partners and
Jaspers-Eyers Architects, and the construction company Eiffage. The
building has 4,100 workstations.
The internationally renowned MIPIM Awards exist since 1991. They are
presented every year at MIPIM in Cannes, a fair that unites the most
influential players in the international real estate sector. The awards
recognise the most outstanding projects in real estate worldwide and are
considered to be the cream of the crop in the sector. The fact that a
project located in Belgium won the gold medal is therefore a remarkable
achievement.

Tough competition
The MIPIM Awards cover twelve categories. In a first round, the jury
selected 3 to 5 nominees for each category. No easy task, with 171
candidates from 42 different countries. In a second round, it was for the
public in Cannes to cast a vote for their favourite project. In the
category Best Office and Business Development, Montagne du Parc competed
against Gioia 22 in Milan, One Vanderbilt in New York and Southworks in
London. Fierce competition, and yet it was Montagne du Parc that won over
both jury and public.

A connecting element
Although the new project covers more usable area than the former
headquarters from 1979 (which have been demolished), it is lower than its
predecessor and respects the heterogeneous building heights of the
surrounding area. With nine above-ground and five below-ground floors,
Montagne du Parc accounts for 100,000m2 and 4,100 workstations. It
contains an auditorium, a conference centre, an underground parking for
268 cars, 40 motorcycles and 330 bicycles, and a shopping arcade.
On the side of the Rue Montagne du Parc, the building is three storeys
higher than on the side of the Rue Baron Horta. Nevertheless, thanks to
the undulating levels of the roof, it is linked to its surroundings in an
organic and almost natural way. An integrated public lift for pedestrians
and cyclists connects the upper and lower city of Brussels. The building
has several entrances, almost all of which lead to two courtyards and to
the Atrium, from which all office spaces are accessible.

Linked to city life
A key role is played by the Atrium, which runs over four floors and plays
a connecting role. Food corners make it a lively meeting place, evoking
the atmosphere of the city inside. The commercial areas on the ground
floor communicate both with the dynamics inside and with city life on the
street. In this way, the new head office of BNP Paribas Fortis reaches out
to its surroundings in an unforced manner. The building is supported by an
exoskeleton of three hundred columns, which are all unique. The columns
are made of white architectural concrete containing a green grain. The
green colour creates life and depth, an effect that is reinforced by the
fact that the cut-outs in the columns follow a dynamic pattern on the
façade.
On the inside of the building, open, modern spaces invite people to meet
and interact with each other and with the environment. In addition, the
spaces are flexible and modular, so they can meet the changing and
shifting needs of the users.

Sustainable and green
When the previous building was demolished, the foundations were preserved.
Materials were reused and recycled as much as possible. Because part of
the original basement space was no longer needed, the lower level could be
used for Seasonal Thermal Energy Storage (STES). There is no less than
14,000 m³ of water under the building, enough for four Olympic-sized
swimming pools. The heat stored in the water during the summer months can
be used in the winter, without using fossil fuels. The building has an
extensive green roof of 5,500 m², which is visible from several places, as
well as a large number of photovoltaic panels. It is therefore not
surprising that Montagne du Parc is a passive building and has been
awarded the BREEAM Excellent label.
The green character of the building is very tangible for users and
visitors. More than 1,400 m² of greenery in the patios and around the
building bring nature inside. In the new headquarters of BNP Paribas
Fortis, a positive atmosphere and the comfort and experience of the users
take a central position and that was clearly appreciated by the MIPIM jury
and public in Cannes.

Quote Max Jadot , CEO BNP Paribas Fortis
„Our new building symbolises our mission to build a positive future
together. It is first and foremost an example of sustainability, a
technological tour de force designed to evolve with the times. It came
about thanks to the expertise of Belgian suppliers and entrepreneurs. I am
particularly proud that our sustainable project was awarded the
prestigious MIPIM award. „

Quote Professor Dietmar Eberle, Shareholder, Baumschlager Eberle
Architekten
„I’m delighted with the victory of Montagne du Parc at the MIPIM Awards.
For me the project communicates three important ideas: The first is to be
open in organising the interior use of the building in a long-term view.
The second is that the atmosphere of the building relates to the history
of the site, and it is transferable as a document of our time. Thirdly,
the geometry follows exactly the site lines to give a clear understanding
of the street, the space and the crossings which go up to the parc.“

Quote John Eyers, CEO Jaspers-Eyers Architects
„The most important thing in a design is the people who will use it. Their
well-being and comfort is what matters, and we are convinced that this
building has everything it takes to be an inspiring, vibrant and healthy
place for both employees and visitors. All partners involved had the same
clear goal in mind and worked hard to achieve it. We are delighted that
those efforts have been recognised by the public and the jury.“

Quote Christophe Van Ophem, CEO Eiffage Benelux
„We are extremely proud to have contributed to the achievement of this
iconic Award. This success is the result of an excellent cooperation with
the bank BNP Paribas Fortis, whom I thank for the trust, with the
architects Baumschlager Eberle Architekten, Styfhals & Partners and
Jaspers-Eyers, as well as with all our partners, including Besix. It is
through cooperation in trust and transparency that we can achieve great
things, and this project is proof of that.“

:be AG is a group whose operational focus is on investments in
architecture companies in Europe and Asia. The holdings are highly
professional architectural design practices with over 35 years‘ commercial
experience. They work with clear processes to the highest architectural
standards and are motivated by a strong creative and innovative drive.
Operating under the Baumschlager Eberle Architekten name, they have carved
out a place for themselves in the world of architecture through
award-winning buildings that are both highly efficient and internationally
renowned. :be AG’s 2226 building concept gives the group a unique selling
point in the sustainability sector.

The declared goal of :be AG is broad-based growth across all business
areas of the group: architecture, innovative building technology based on
the „2226 concept“ as well as the development and operation of its own
existing properties. More company locations, more large projects, more
2226 projects, more of their own 2226 buildings – with the same high
architectural quality.

Further information is available on the company’s website at
[1]www.be-ag.eu.

This announcement constitutes neither an offer to buy securities nor the
solicitation of an offer to buy securities in Austria or in any other
jurisdiction. Any future offer of securities by the company will be made
in accordance with and on the basis of the applicable capital market
regulations.

IR contact

UBJ. GmbH
Haus der Wirtschaft
Kapstadtring 10, 2297 Hamburg, Deutschland
T +49 40 6378 5410
ir@ubj.de

PR Contact

:be AG
Harriet Bersier
Millennium Park 20, 6890 Lustenau, Österreich
T +41 71 227 14 38
M +41 78 780 05 55
h.bersier@be-stgallen.com
www.be-ag.eu

End of Media Release

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Issuer: :be AG
Key word(s): Construction

21.03.2022 This Press Release was distributed by EQS Group AG. www.eqs.com

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

Language: English
Company: :be AG
Millennium Park 20
6890 Lustenau
Austria
Phone: +43 5577 63051-0
Fax: +43 5577 63051-6890
E-mail: office@be-lustenau.com
Internet: www.be-ag.eu
ISIN: AT0000A2SGH0
WKN: A3CWWB
Listed: Vienna Stock Exchange (Third Market (MTF))
EQS News ID: 1307761

 
End of News EQS Media

1307761  21.03.2022 

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