The new town hall in Hasselt was of great public importance to the citizens. As a result, there was controversy over whether it had a modernist vision or a traditional architectural style. Finally, they settled on a modern design with Etalbond with a mirror finish, which combines an effective and budget option. The panels are hung on an aluminum supporting structure attached to the steel structure of the facade. Thermal and sound insulation are achieved with Kingspan sandwich panels.

We made static calculations for each element of the facade, based on the European standards for design Eurocode, tests, specifications of materials from manufacturers. Also, we made calculations for wind by zoning, because the wind acts with different strength, depending on the area of ​​the facade. As a result, it saves on material overspending. In some places, the aluminum profiles had to be reinforced to form a composite cross section. In addition, all measures have been taken for maximum ventilation and fire safety of the facade.

In addition to all the difficulties, it turned out that the steel structure had 10 cm deviations in installation and had to be reworked, which therefore aggravated our work. For this reason, we seconded two members of our team to provide author's supervision during the production and installation of the panels. There is a lot of engineering in the project and we are proud that it successfully passed the inspections of a renowned Belgian engineering bureau. The insurance company also hired a third party to inspect the project.

In conclusion, this is not the most difficult facade we have made, but for us it is the greatest pride. This is due to its unique design, high level of engineering and recognition from all Belgian and Dutch colleagues who participated in the project.

For a short video of the finished building, press here and here