Renovation Stories
show gallery
Retour au plan

The ZIN project in Brussels exemplifies an innovative approach to architectural transformation, proving that existing buildings can be revitalized without demolition. By repurposing the 1970s World Trade Center (WTC I & II), ZIN shifts a monofunctional office complex into a vibrant, mixed-use urban hub with social, ecological, and functional value.
Initiated through temporary occupation and on-site collaboration with designers, users, and residents, the project revealed the building’s latent spatial potential and redefined its relationship with the city. It promotes a new urbanity based on functional hybridity—combining housing, offices, hotel, sports, and public spaces—while encouraging flexible, permeable uses.


The strategy relied on the conservation and reuse of a significant portion of the existing structure in a circular, low-impact process. With only 5% of materials discarded, and 30,000 tons of concrete recycled, the project met the highest environmental standards, including Cradle to Cradle certification for 95% of new materials. As a nearly zero-energy building, it meets all its energy needs through on-site renewable sources. As the largest circular construction project in Belgium, ZIN advanced the decarbonization of construction supply chains and helped overcome regulatory barriers to circularity. It sets a precedent for sustainable urban renewal, offering long-term adaptability.

Ville

Brussels

Pays

Belgium

Utilisation précédente

Office

Nouvelle utilisation

Mixed Use

Zone avant

70.000 m2

Zone après

115.000 m²

Construction

1973

Année

2017