In 2027, the BGHM will move into its renovated offices on Guldenvlieslaan. However, the ‘Development’ department could not wait that long. It had grown from 30 to more than 50 employees in a short time, and on returning to the office after the corona crisis, complaints rained down. The overcrowded open landscape office with assigned workstations proved unsuitable for hybrid working. The frequent online meetings were held -in the absence of appropriate facilities- at the work island. Those who needed to focus preferred to stay at home. Those who had something to discuss were called to order. Unplanned (in)formal interaction on the workfloor became rare. This was at odds with the need for more cohesion and cooperation.

It was decided to move the department early to its future 580 m2 plateau. In 2022, we initiated a participatory process: through surveys and workshops, we got input from the entire team. The result is a project that meets the real needs of the employees, designed according to the principles of ‘Activity Based Working’.

On the street side came a colourful environment with flexible furnishings, dedicated to collaboration and creativity. The so-called ‘Brussels’ Lab' is a meeting place with bar and theatre. It is used for team meetings, presentations, coffee breaks,... . On the other side of a large meeting room is the coworking zone with brainstorming space.

The backside of the floor overlooks a quiet indoor area. A completely different colour palette was chosen here; a bouclé carpet, light wood elements and soft colour tones support the homeliness and calm working atmosphere. Those in need of complete silence will find it in the secluded focus room.


Optimal use was made of the available budget, by :
- Prioritising : It was decided to reserve a significant budget for high-performance freestanding meeting rooms and chat & phone booths, to accommodate future changes in the programme. Custom furniture was limited to the bar and theatre in the meeting area.
- Rethinking : 2 wooden walls made of standard plywood panels were sized so that the residual material could be used as new worktops on second-hand table legs.
- Reuse : Work tables and chairs were recovered. The existing acoustic ceiling was damaged in several places. Reusable panels were brought together in the quiet work zones, and in the interactive zones the techniques were brought into view.