VIVA Architecture: tranSITion

An office building, located in the heart of Brussels, was in need of a new entrance hall. The imposing building of seven floors high and three basement floors, suffers from vacant levels. The owner, who himself occupies three floors with his company, wanted to transform the rather drab entrance hall into an attractive lobby. It was important that the new entrance hall be neutral territory that any company could join.

The building has an orthogonal look that creates a strict, business-like atmosphere. The hustle and bustle of the city falls away when you walk into the building. Although it is a place that is used to constant passage, you often walk through the entrance alone. Visitors rarely linger here. There is no reception area, but no need either. Exceptionally, the space is used as a waiting area, as each company has its own front desk or waiting room on their floor.

The new entrance hall is a circulation zone, acting as a buffer between the busy city and the quiet workspaces of the offices above.
VIVA designs a space that calms, acclimatizes, before an employee starts working; or an external visitor joins a meeting.

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Upon entering, as you walk to the elevator or stairwell, your attention is drawn to the left: as a passerby, you are surprised by a composition of soft materials, warm furniture, small accents, captivating lighting,... which are balanced on top of each other and fit within the same concept. This image, which almost feels like a "framed" photograph, is the eye-catcher of the entrance hall; a substantial gesture that makes the building recognizable. The entrance hall is not only a playful scene that is beautiful to look at, but it is also functional. For example, you can work on your laptop in the sofa, with its small table with power socket; have an informal chat with a colleague.
The "picture" makes the passer-by stop for a moment, and reflect on what is beautiful, in between the daily rush.
The other side of the entrance area consists of a succession of doors and technical rooms, these are hidden behind a floor-to-ceiling curved curtain. The new soft wall provides a clear demarcation of the space and, together with the curved drywall, reinforces the circulation route within the entrance.
The design and materialization of the project, is the result of a balanced and thoughtful choice. The client did not appreciate the impersonal, chilly, existing entrance hall. VIVA came up with a concept that created an opposite atmosphere, inspired by nature within a warm, Mediterranean landscape and climate: earthy colors and materials combined with organic forms. This brings people close to themselves and creates a secure, relaxed feeling.
A warm welcome, with the necessary dose of homeliness, within a business-like framework, was the driving force behind this design.

Extremely important, from the start of an assignment, is the ecological impact that is determined in every choice we make throughout the process. VIVA takes a conscious approach to design choices to minimize its impact.
Within this project, clear choices were made towards materialization and decoration. As new flooring, we chose bamboo parquet. Bamboo grows extremely fast and is inexhaustible. The material has the same hardness, strength and dimensional stability as hardwood. Bamboo is carbon neutral and provides a healthy indoor climate.
VIVA values a short supply chain and tries to source materials as locally as possible. The flower pots, carpet and windows were produced domestically in Belgium. The rest of the loose furniture, lighting, curtain and dry carpet were manufactured within Europe.
Ecological design is a complex issue, where the answers are not always transparent or clear. Which materials and products are truly ecological? By buying locally, we are sure that transport is at least limited. For VIVA, this is a clear and transparent step in the right direction.

Location : Brussels

Date : 2022

Photography : Lucid