564:
437:
449:
629:
653:
641:
483:
38:
461:
1152:
676:
1366:
690:
383:. Consisting of five "Blocs" (A–E), it was to be "a small town within a city" able to provide its residents with onsite facilities, including a theatre hall, a swimming pool, as well as other commercial services such as a restaurants and hairdressers. The Résidence Palace aimed to address the dual shortage of suitable property and domestic workers for the upper classes following the
551:
building, including the conversion of an underground car park into additional meeting rooms. The
Belgian Government proposed as a solution the conversion of Bloc A of the RĂ©sidence Palace into a new permanent seat for both EU institutions. Under the deal, the site would be transferred from the Belgian Government to the
621:
grid designs appear over ceilings in meeting rooms, doors, carpet flooring in conference rooms, as well as in the corridors, press room, catering facilities and elevators. Samyn and
Meurant saw this as a way to not only bring more light and a warmer atmosphere into the building, and particular in the
586:
The design for what was to be later named the Europa building, involved the demolition of the 1960s extension, and the construction of a large glass-cubed atrium connecting the two renovated wings of the original 1920s L-shaped building. Within the atrium was to be constructed a "lantern-shaped"
550:
However, in 2004, leaders decided the logistical problems created by the outdated facilities warranted the construction of a new purpose-built seat able to cope with the nearly 6,000 meetings, working groups, and summits per year. This being despite a number of renovations to the Justus
Lipsius
608:
A defining characteristic of the Europa building is the use of striking colour compositions designed by the painter
Georges Meurant. The lead architect, Philipe Samyn, wished to break with the visual "uniformity" of other EU buildings, believing that the EU was "not being served well by its
599:
reforms, the building was completed in
December 2016. Philippe Samyn and Studio Valle Progrettazioni received worldwide praise for the clever design. Nonetheless, in 2019, it emerged that the building had been constructed with unpaid work and illegal labour from mainly Bulgarian workers.
594:
Construction work on the Europa building began in 2007, with the building originally planned to be finished and inaugurated by 2012. However, due to setbacks and modifications to the design following the evolution of the
European Council's needs as an institution during the
316:, Belgium. Its defining feature is the multi-storey "lantern-shaped" construct holding the main meeting rooms; a representation of which has been adopted by both the European Council and Council of the EU as their official emblems.
421:
bought the complex and used Bloc A (the north-eastern L-shaped building) for administrative offices. At the end of the 1960s, as part of work to modernise the area during the construction of an underground railway line beneath the
613:". Further, he believed it "too bland an image of the multiple institutional, social, cultural constellations that structure European conscience". Samyn, inspired by the boldness of the Dutch architect
571:
A pan-European competition was opened to redesign Bloc A of the Résidence Palace to suit the needs of the institutions. As the original Art Deco façades of the Résidence Palace building were listed as
622:
meeting rooms, which for security reasons had to remain windowless, but also to create a visual message, of "permanent creative effort and political debate" befitting a polyglottic diverse Union.
508:(EU)'s institutions situated in close proximity to the RĂ©sidence Palace. In 1988, the eastern part of the RĂ©sidence Palace (Blocs D and E) was demolished to make way for the construction of the
945:
617:' 2002 "barcode" flag, commissioned Meurant to reflect the national heraldic symbols and flags, of the 28 member states in their diverse proportions and colours. Meurant's orthogonal
531:
together, also began using the Justus
Lipsius building as their Brussels venue. This followed an advanced implementation of a decision by European leaders during ratification of the
1296:
652:
1228:
587:
structure housing the main meeting rooms where the EU's delegations to the
European Council and Council of the EU would meet. Due to EU leaders desire for the building to be
883:
436:
640:
1281:
552:
394:
The development, however, only had a short commercial success. In 1940, tenants were forced to leave, as the building was requisitioned as the headquarters of the
1115:
1411:
1137:
628:
1286:
1023:
Europa : European
Council and Council of the European Union : History of the new headquarters 2005-2013 : Philippe Samyn, architect and engineer
834:
284:
1416:
1265:
903:
395:
1167:
540:
410:
563:
790:
127:
543:. The resulting growing international media presence in the area led the Belgian Government to develop Blocs C and B as the site of its new
448:
1223:
1192:
1130:
1100:
Result of the architectural competition for the restructuring of block A of the RĂ©sidence Palace
Building for use by the European Council
975:
Result of the architectural competition for the restructuring of block A of the RĂ©sidence Palace building for use by the European Council
1396:
1081:
708:
1145:
501:
487:
309:
1066:
880:
1401:
1312:
1213:
1123:
460:
1406:
544:
763:
807:
579:(architects and engineers), lead and design partner, in collaboration with Studio Valle Progettazioni (architects), and
575:, competition rules stated that these had to be retained. In 2005, it was announced that a team involving the architect
1094:
1021:
1208:
1031:
738:
536:
1291:
1260:
1238:
1099:
974:
477:
504:
in Brussels, city planners struggled to find suitable office space to house the growing staff and needs of the
1146:
572:
513:
418:
414:
324:
301:
167:
1391:
555:
for the symbolic price of €1, with the Council assuming the costs for the subsequent construction project.
319:
The Europa building is situated on the former site of the partially demolished and renovated Bloc A of the
120:
907:
860:
539:. Prior to this, the venue for European Council summits was in the member state that held the rotating
1095:
Information on the Europa building on the Council of the European Union and European Council's website
331:
79:
787:
588:
1340:
1255:
1243:
509:
343:
20:
482:
1104:
1370:
1322:
1317:
695:
659:
406:
372:
713:
37:
8:
1233:
718:
528:
1077:
1062:
1027:
591:, the design was adapted to include solar panels on the roof and recycle rain water.
430:
façade was built, closing the L-shape, under the supervision of Michel Polak's sons.
987:
596:
520:
402:
297:
163:
104:
739:"EUROPA : Home of the European Council and the Council of the EU - Consilium"
346:, which provides for additional office space, meeting rooms and press facilities.
1248:
887:
794:
384:
380:
965:
Council of the European Union, Factsheet on the EUROPA building 7 December 2016.
19:
This article is about the seat of two EU institutions. For other buildings, see
1151:
811:
681:
610:
576:
532:
505:
335:
256:
1385:
524:
423:
367:
businessman Lucien Kaisin, in collaboration with the Swiss-Belgian architect
305:
142:
129:
92:
43:
1345:
703:
646:
Main meeting room featuring colour compositions designed by Georges Meurant
614:
580:
368:
263:
241:
391:
building was laid on 30 May 1923 with the first residents moving in 1927.
1074:
Elements Europa : European Council and Council of the European Union
376:
360:
371:, put forward plans for a complex of luxurious apartment blocks for the
1109:
988:"Machtscentrum van de EU werd gebouwd met zwartwerk en illegale arbeid"
618:
273:
354:
1217:
427:
398:
323:, a complex of luxurious apartment blocks. Its exterior combines the
558:
388:
364:
327:
313:
74:
1184:
1178:
1059:
Europa : European Council and Council of the European Union
932:
379:, the RĂ©sidence Palace, to be situated on the edge of Brussels'
339:
1229:
Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council
16:
Seat of the European Council and Council of the European Union
1173:
832:
634:
External view of the Europa building prior to its completion
583:(engineers) had succeeded in submitting the winning design.
535:
to do so at such a time as the total membership of the EU
387:
brought about during the war. The foundation stone of the
835:"New EU showcase building to cost taxpayers ÂŁ280 million"
471:
409:, the building was taken over as headquarters for the
42:
The Europa building in Brussels, seen from across the
933:
Top EU institution to move into eco-friendly building
881:
NEW HEADQUARTERS OF THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
259:(architects & engineers, Lead and Design Partner)
671:
547:. A swimming pool and theatre were also maintained.
968:
355:
Construction and former usage: the RĂ©sidence Palace
833:Bruno Waterfield in Brussels (18 September 2009).
559:Transformation of Bloc A into the Europa building
1383:
1266:Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council
1015:
1013:
1011:
1009:
541:Presidency of the Council of the European Union
442:Résidence Palace (Polak and Peeters, 1922–1927)
411:Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force
330:façade of the original 1920s building with the
1412:Buildings and structures of the European Union
1026:. Tielt: Lannoo Publishers. pp. 161–176.
567:The Europa building under construction in 2012
1131:
1006:
1224:Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council
276:(contractor, Lead and Construction Partner)
1138:
1124:
876:
874:
709:Institutional seats of the European Union
904:"L'Union Internationale des Architectes"
562:
481:
1417:Residential buildings completed in 1927
927:
925:
861:"My life as a Signalman during the War"
858:
228:70,646 m (760,430 sq ft)
1384:
1214:Economic and Financial Affairs Council
1019:
871:
662:showing the "lantern-shaped" structure
523:, the organisation gathering the EU's
1119:
898:
896:
342:and a service tunnel to the adjacent
1072:Jean Attali, Philippe Samyn (2016),
1057:Jean Attali, Philippe Samyn (2014),
922:
658:Internal view of the grand entrance
931:Pop, Valentina (14 September 2009)
472:Development of the European Quarter
13:
1051:
893:
808:"BELO - Newsletter n°3 April 2006"
788:RÉSIDENCE PALACE Project Factsheet
14:
1428:
1209:Agriculture and Fisheries Council
1088:
859:Rickett, Jack (31 January 2006).
338:. The building is linked via two
1397:Art Deco architecture in Belgium
1364:
1261:Justice and Home Affairs Council
1150:
688:
674:
651:
639:
627:
459:
454:Stairway of the RĂ©sidence Palace
447:
435:
36:
980:
977:, Council of the European Union
959:
938:
797:, Council of the European Union
478:Brussels and the European Union
405:. In September 1944, after the
852:
826:
800:
781:
756:
731:
417:. After the war, in 1947, the
1:
1402:Council of the European Union
1147:Council of the European Union
764:"Visual identity - Consilium"
724:
514:Council of the European Union
491:
415:RAF Second Tactical Air Force
302:Council of the European Union
168:Council of the European Union
1407:European quarter of Brussels
1069:), CIVA – Lannoo Publishers.
500:With the development of the
7:
667:
611:blue flag with its 12 stars
603:
577:Philippe Samyn and Partners
466:RĂ©sidence Palace's fountain
261:Studio Valle Progettazioni
257:Philippe Samyn and Partners
207:November 2007–December 2016
10:
1433:
545:International Press Centre
537:surpassed 18 member states
475:
349:
18:
1371:European Union portal
1359:
1333:
1305:
1274:
1201:
1160:
359:Following the end of the
280:
269:
252:
247:
237:
232:
224:
219:
211:
203:
188:
173:
158:
119:
111:
107:, Brussels-Capital Region
99:
93:Rue de la Loi / Wetstraat
88:
67:
62:
58:RĂ©sidence Palace - Bloc A
54:
50:
35:
30:
886:24 February 2012 at the
334:design of the architect
1318:Council Working Parties
1256:General Affairs Council
1244:Foreign Affairs Council
1239:Competitiveness Council
768:www.consilium.europa.eu
743:www.consilium.europa.eu
510:Justus Lipsius building
424:Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat
344:Justus Lipsius building
306:Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat
233:Design and construction
44:Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat
21:Europa (disambiguation)
568:
497:
407:liberation of Brussels
1084:), Lannoo Publishers.
1020:Atalli, Jean (2013).
696:European Union portal
566:
553:Council's Secretariat
485:
1297:Directorates-general
890:, Samyn and Partners
793:19 July 2011 at the
714:Art Deco in Brussels
174:Construction started
143:50.84250°N 4.38083°E
1392:Palaces in Brussels
1282:General Secretariat
1234:Environment Council
719:History of Brussels
512:as the seat of the
486:Aerial view of the
296:is the seat of the
139: /
68:Architectural style
63:General information
1306:Preparatory bodies
946:"Google Translate"
573:historic monuments
569:
498:
419:Belgian Government
1379:
1378:
1287:Secretary-General
1082:978 2 87386 945 8
910:on 11 August 2007
304:, located on the
290:
289:
220:Technical details
148:50.84250; 4.38083
1424:
1369:
1368:
1367:
1155:
1154:
1140:
1133:
1126:
1117:
1116:
1067:978 94 014 14494
1045:
1044:
1042:
1040:
1017:
1004:
1003:
1001:
999:
992:www.standaard.be
984:
978:
972:
966:
963:
957:
956:
954:
952:
942:
936:
929:
920:
919:
917:
915:
906:. Archived from
900:
891:
878:
869:
868:
865:WW2 People's War
856:
850:
849:
847:
845:
830:
824:
823:
821:
819:
810:. Archived from
804:
798:
785:
779:
778:
776:
774:
760:
754:
753:
751:
749:
735:
698:
693:
692:
691:
684:
679:
678:
677:
655:
643:
631:
521:European Council
502:European Quarter
496:
493:
488:European Quarter
463:
451:
439:
413:(SHAEF) and the
403:Second World War
321:RĂ©sidence Palace
310:European Quarter
298:European Council
274:Jan De Nul Group
199:
197:
184:
182:
164:European Council
154:
153:
151:
150:
149:
144:
140:
137:
136:
135:
132:
105:City of Brussels
40:
28:
27:
1432:
1431:
1427:
1426:
1425:
1423:
1422:
1421:
1382:
1381:
1380:
1375:
1365:
1363:
1355:
1329:
1301:
1270:
1249:Gymnich meeting
1197:
1156:
1149:
1144:
1105:EUROPA Building
1091:
1054:
1052:Further reading
1049:
1048:
1038:
1036:
1034:
1018:
1007:
997:
995:
986:
985:
981:
973:
969:
964:
960:
950:
948:
944:
943:
939:
930:
923:
913:
911:
902:
901:
894:
888:Wayback Machine
879:
872:
857:
853:
843:
841:
839:Telegraph.co.uk
831:
827:
817:
815:
806:
805:
801:
795:Wayback Machine
786:
782:
772:
770:
762:
761:
757:
747:
745:
737:
736:
732:
727:
694:
689:
687:
680:
675:
673:
670:
663:
656:
647:
644:
635:
632:
606:
561:
494:
480:
474:
467:
464:
455:
452:
443:
440:
381:Leopold Quarter
361:First World War
357:
352:
294:Europa building
285:Georges Meurant
281:Other designers
270:Renovating firm
262:
260:
248:Renovating team
212:Renovation cost
195:
193:
180:
178:
159:Current tenants
147:
145:
141:
138:
133:
130:
128:
126:
125:
84:
46:
31:Europa building
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1430:
1420:
1419:
1414:
1409:
1404:
1399:
1394:
1377:
1376:
1374:
1373:
1360:
1357:
1356:
1354:
1353:
1348:
1343:
1341:Justus Lipsius
1337:
1335:
1331:
1330:
1328:
1327:
1326:
1325:
1315:
1309:
1307:
1303:
1302:
1300:
1299:
1294:
1289:
1284:
1278:
1276:
1275:Administration
1272:
1271:
1269:
1268:
1263:
1258:
1253:
1252:
1251:
1241:
1236:
1231:
1226:
1221:
1211:
1205:
1203:
1202:Configurations
1199:
1198:
1196:
1195:
1190:
1189:
1188:
1181:
1176:
1172:current trio:
1164:
1162:
1158:
1157:
1143:
1142:
1135:
1128:
1120:
1114:
1113:
1102:
1097:
1090:
1089:External links
1087:
1086:
1085:
1070:
1053:
1050:
1047:
1046:
1032:
1005:
979:
967:
958:
937:
921:
892:
870:
851:
825:
814:on 14 May 2010
799:
780:
755:
729:
728:
726:
723:
722:
721:
716:
711:
706:
700:
699:
685:
682:Belgium portal
669:
666:
665:
664:
657:
650:
648:
645:
638:
636:
633:
626:
605:
602:
560:
557:
525:Heads of State
506:European Union
476:Main article:
473:
470:
469:
468:
465:
458:
456:
453:
446:
444:
441:
434:
356:
353:
351:
348:
336:Philippe Samyn
288:
287:
282:
278:
277:
271:
267:
266:
254:
250:
249:
245:
244:
239:
235:
234:
230:
229:
226:
222:
221:
217:
216:
213:
209:
208:
205:
201:
200:
190:
186:
185:
175:
171:
170:
160:
156:
155:
123:
117:
116:
113:
109:
108:
101:
97:
96:
90:
86:
85:
83:
82:
77:
71:
69:
65:
64:
60:
59:
56:
52:
51:
48:
47:
41:
33:
32:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1429:
1418:
1415:
1413:
1410:
1408:
1405:
1403:
1400:
1398:
1395:
1393:
1390:
1389:
1387:
1372:
1362:
1361:
1358:
1352:
1349:
1347:
1344:
1342:
1339:
1338:
1336:
1332:
1324:
1321:
1320:
1319:
1316:
1314:
1311:
1310:
1308:
1304:
1298:
1295:
1293:
1290:
1288:
1285:
1283:
1280:
1279:
1277:
1273:
1267:
1264:
1262:
1259:
1257:
1254:
1250:
1247:
1246:
1245:
1242:
1240:
1237:
1235:
1232:
1230:
1227:
1225:
1222:
1219:
1215:
1212:
1210:
1207:
1206:
1204:
1200:
1194:
1191:
1187:
1186:
1182:
1180:
1177:
1175:
1171:
1170:
1169:
1166:
1165:
1163:
1159:
1153:
1148:
1141:
1136:
1134:
1129:
1127:
1122:
1121:
1118:
1112:
1111:
1106:
1103:
1101:
1098:
1096:
1093:
1092:
1083:
1079:
1075:
1071:
1068:
1064:
1060:
1056:
1055:
1035:
1033:9789401414494
1029:
1025:
1024:
1016:
1014:
1012:
1010:
993:
989:
983:
976:
971:
962:
947:
941:
935:, EU Observer
934:
928:
926:
909:
905:
899:
897:
889:
885:
882:
877:
875:
866:
862:
855:
840:
836:
829:
813:
809:
803:
796:
792:
789:
784:
769:
765:
759:
744:
740:
734:
730:
720:
717:
715:
712:
710:
707:
705:
702:
701:
697:
686:
683:
672:
661:
654:
649:
642:
637:
630:
625:
624:
623:
620:
616:
612:
601:
598:
597:Lisbon Treaty
592:
590:
584:
582:
578:
574:
565:
556:
554:
548:
546:
542:
538:
534:
530:
526:
522:
519:In 2002, the
517:
515:
511:
507:
503:
489:
484:
479:
462:
457:
450:
445:
438:
433:
432:
431:
429:
425:
420:
416:
412:
408:
404:
400:
397:
392:
390:
386:
382:
378:
374:
370:
366:
362:
347:
345:
341:
337:
333:
329:
326:
322:
317:
315:
311:
307:
303:
299:
295:
286:
283:
279:
275:
272:
268:
265:
258:
255:
251:
246:
243:
240:
236:
231:
227:
223:
218:
214:
210:
206:
202:
191:
187:
176:
172:
169:
165:
161:
157:
152:
124:
122:
118:
114:
110:
106:
102:
98:
94:
91:
87:
81:
78:
76:
73:
72:
70:
66:
61:
57:
53:
49:
45:
39:
34:
29:
26:
22:
1350:
1183:
1108:
1073:
1058:
1037:. Retrieved
1022:
996:. Retrieved
991:
982:
970:
961:
949:. Retrieved
940:
912:. Retrieved
908:the original
864:
854:
842:. Retrieved
838:
828:
816:. Retrieved
812:the original
802:
783:
771:. Retrieved
767:
758:
746:. Retrieved
742:
733:
704:Lex building
615:Rem Koolhaas
607:
593:
589:eco-friendly
585:
581:Buro Happold
570:
549:
518:
499:
393:
369:Michel Polak
358:
332:contemporary
320:
318:
293:
291:
264:Buro Happold
253:Architect(s)
242:Michel Polak
238:Architect(s)
215:€321 million
162:Seat of the
100:Town or city
80:Contemporary
55:Former names
25:
533:Nice Treaty
495: 2011
401:during the
399:German army
385:destruction
377:aristocracy
373:bourgeoisie
146: /
121:Coordinates
1386:Categories
1168:Presidency
1110:Structurae
1039:24 January
994:(in Dutch)
725:References
619:polychrome
529:Government
225:Floor area
131:50°50′33″N
1334:Buildings
1218:Eurogroup
1161:Operation
428:aluminium
396:occupying
204:Renovated
189:Completed
134:4°22′51″E
951:22 March
884:Archived
844:22 March
791:Archived
668:See also
604:Features
426:, a new
389:Art Deco
328:Art Deco
314:Brussels
75:Art Deco
1313:COREPER
1185:Hungary
1179:Belgium
998:26 July
914:12 July
818:19 June
365:Walloon
350:History
340:skyways
308:in the
194: (
179: (
115:Belgium
112:Country
89:Address
1351:Europa
1193:Voting
1080:
1065:
1030:
867:. BBC.
660:atrium
363:, the
325:listed
1174:Spain
773:8 May
748:8 May
103:1040
1078:ISBN
1063:ISBN
1041:2019
1028:ISBN
1000:2022
953:2016
916:2007
846:2016
820:2010
775:2017
750:2017
375:and
300:and
292:The
196:1927
192:1927
181:1922
177:1922
166:and
1346:Lex
1323:HDG
1292:SCA
1107:at
312:of
95:155
1388::
1008:^
990:.
924:^
895:^
873:^
863:.
837:.
766:.
741:.
516:.
492:c.
490:,
1220:)
1216:(
1139:e
1132:t
1125:v
1076:(
1061:(
1043:.
1002:.
955:.
918:.
848:.
822:.
777:.
752:.
527:/
198:)
183:)
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
.jpg)