The Brussels canal area, particularly Anderlecht, has become one of Europe’s leading laboratories for post-industrial urban regeneration. It is within this context that Mobilis takes shape — the project designed by XDGA together with Boydens and UTIL for D’Ieteren — an architecture that reinterprets mobility and urban flexibility in a contemporary way.

Covering 27,000 square metres, Mobilis was conceived as a showroom and service centre for Volkswagen, Škoda and SEAT/CUPRA, yet the project goes far beyond its original function. Designed as a truly adaptable urban infrastructure, the building will be able to accommodate offices, co-working spaces, urban production activities, restaurants and shared spaces over time. Its steel-and-concrete structure, wide spans and interior heights of up to seven metres allow for the continuous reconfiguration of spaces, extending the building’s lifecycle while reducing resource consumption.

The project’s most distinctive feature is its “accordion-style” glazed façade, created using Low Carbon Energy 72/38 glass by AGC Glass Europe. Developed by Polypane and façade specialist Groven+, the transparent surfaces are structurally bonded to slender stainless-steel profiles, generating a lightweight, continuous three-dimensional envelope. The result is a dynamic skin that enhances the perception of transparency and movement, transforming the building into a recognisable urban landmark.

Beyond its aesthetic impact, the AGC Low Carbon Energy 72/38 system delivers high energy performance: thermal insulation, solar control and indoor comfort all contribute to achieving BREEAM Outstanding certification. Combined with geothermal energy, photovoltaic panels, natural ventilation and rainwater recovery systems, AGC glass becomes an integral part of an environmental strategy that looks toward the future of European construction. Mobilis is not simply a sustainable building: it is an architecture designed to evolve alongside the city.