Old Allianz buildings at De Brouckère to become flats and hotel
As the insurance giant moves house, developers are swooping in to turn their old grey office block into a smart new housing and hospitality hub
Book a room for 2024
Insurance provider Allianz is currently moving out of the block of buildings, which is why they are coming free. Developers Immobel and BPI are investing €140 million in a project dubbed BrouckR.
The plan is to create 180 flats as well as about 130 student rooms and a 145-room hotel on the site. While the idea is to knock down the office building and build a new structure, the historical facades that face De Brouckèreplein (pictured) would remain and be fully restored.
Interior garden
Retail space would remain on the ground floor, as it currently is, and more would open up on the other two sides of the building – namely, Zwaluwenstraat and Augustijnenstraat. There would still be some 8,000 square-metres available for office space in the development, as well as an interior garden.
Brussels architect A2RC have signed on to the project; it was one of the bureaus involved in the nearby Chambon complex, where the Wolf food hall recently opened. The firm will work on BrouckR together with Danish architect Henning Larsen, designers of the striking opera house in Copenhagen.
The project is now open for public comment, with residents allowed to voice any concerns or make suggestions until 6 February. After that, the developers will request a permit. They hope to begin demolition work by the end of this year and finish the project by sometime in 2024.
Photo courtesy Immobel
