The contract for the construction of RTBF Media Square, worth nearly €100 million, was awarded in May 2020 to the joint venture Valbesina, comprising VALENS, BESIX and In Advance.
Designed by MDW Architects and V+, the project is part of the transformation of the Reyers district and the development plan for the mediapark.brussels centre. With a gross surface area of 65,000 m², RTBF Media Square comprises two buildings, including a seven-storey main building and a logistics building.
The facades of the main building are slightly concave and combine various materials including wood, aluminium and steel. It is a passive building that includes 250 m² of solar panels, green roofs and green spaces in its inner courtyard. In addition, it meets particularly demanding energy performance criteria and acoustic standards. This building will house the radio and television studios, meeting rooms, the restaurant and the newsroom, overhung by a large glass roof.
At the cutting edge of technology, RTBF Media Square will be a 100% BIM project, i.e. a project in which the full 3D model is used both for the design and execution of the building and, in the longer term, for its operation and maintenance.
Work began in late summer 2020 and will be completed in the first half of 2023.
Mark Beyst, Director BESIX Flanders & Brussels: "BESIX Group is very proud to participate in the construction of RTBF Media Square. RTBF will in future have a high quality building that is both functional and comfortable. We are also pleased with the quality of the collaboration set up for this project with our partners Valens and In Advance."
Pierre Wéry, CEO of VALENS: "We are very pleased to start building the MediaSquare. Being part of this magnificent project is a great source of pride for VALENS and its teams, who are carrying it out with the BESIX and In Advance teams."
About BESIX
BESIX is a leading Belgian group, based in Brussels and operating in 25 countries and on 5 continents, mainly in the construction, real estate development and concessions sectors. Iconic projects include its contributions to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the world’s tallest tower, the Grand Egyptian Museum on the Giza plateau and the Belgian research station Princess Elisabeth Antarctica.
In Brussels, BESIX and its subsidiaries have contributed to many emblematic projects, including the construction of the European Parliament, the renovation of the Atomium and the extension of the facilities at Brussels Airport. Forty years ago, it was also a BESIX subsidiary, Vanhout, which built the Reyers Tower, the telecommunications tower of the Belgian national television channels, RTBF and VRT.
More info on www.besix.com
About VALENS
VALENS is and has been a General Contractor in Building and Civil Engineering for emblematic projects such as the new headquarters of BNP Paribas Fortis, the Chirec hospital in Auderghem, the The One tower and the renovation of the Porte de Hal tunnel.
VALENS is part of the Belgian holding company Eiffage Benelux, which in turn belongs to the French group Eiffage, one of Europe's leading construction and concessions companies. The Group's activities are organised around the following business lines: construction, real estate and urban development, civil engineering, metal, roads, energy and concessions. Thanks to the experience of more than 72,500 employees, Eiffage generated revenues of €18.1 billion in 2019.
More info on http://www.valens.eu
