Brussels to get new NATO headquarters designed by SOM
The winners of the competition for the new NATO headquarters in Brussels – and of its 200 thousand euro payment – are the American firm Skidmore Owings and Merrill (SOM), together with their Belgian partners Assar. The project covers a vast complex of 172 thousand square metres comprising Security Council conference rooms and offices, press offices and technical services, restaurants, banks, shops, sports and recreational facilities.
The decision to replace the existing premises built 35 years ago dates from 1999 and led in 2001 to a 2-phase international competition. Taking part were 64 candidates, all strictly resident in one of the 19 Atlantic Treaty nations. These were short-listed to 6 by an international jury among whose members were Fumihiko Maki, Paul Chemetov and Rafael Viñoly.
“It is a three-dimensional representation for a complex decision-making body”, commented Larry Oltmanns, one of SOM’s partners, in an attempt to describe the project. Glass, steel and concrete will be the principal materials used for the new building which will be spread around a large central atrium.
Deadlines? Work is expected to start by 2005, and the new headquarters should be ready in 2009.
Glass, steel and concrete will be the principal materials used for the new building which will be spread around a large central atrium
“It is a three-dimensional representation for a complex decision-making body”, commented Larry Oltmanns, one of SOM’s partners, in an attempt to describe the project
Work is expected to start by 2005, and the new headquarters should be ready in 2009
