Berlaymont building

The purpose-built Berlaymont building in Brussels, housing the European Commission One of the base pilars
Name:	Berlaymont building
Primary purpose:	European Commission headquarters
Total floor area:	240,500 m²
Height:	130,300 m²
Floors:	14, including ground floor
Basement:	111,200 m²; four underground levels
Capacity:	2,250
Meeting room capacity:	880
Cafeteria capacity:	420
Conference halls:	12
Elevators/lifts:	47
Interpreter booths:	70
Escalators:	12
Parking spaces:	1,150

The Berlaymont building is an important governmental building in Brussels, Belgium. It houses the European Commission headquarters. The structure is located at Rue de la Loi (Dutch: Wetstraat) in what is known as the "European district", where it is one of the most prominent of the buildings housing EU and international institutions. Berlaymont, Brussels / 2004-04-17 / selfmade / licence: GNU FDL File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Berlaymont, Brussels / 2004-04-17 / selfmade / licence: GNU FDL File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1144x858, 201 KB)One of the base pilars of the Berlaymont building in Brussels stating: Berlaymont Commission européenne Europese Commissie which means : European Commission in respectively French and Dutch File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1144x858, 201 KB)One of the base pilars of the Berlaymont building in Brussels stating: Berlaymont Commission européenne Europese Commissie which means : European Commission in respectively French and Dutch File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete... Emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region Flag of The City of Brussels Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, French: Bruxelles, German: Brüssel) is the capital of Belgium and of the European Union. ... The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive of the European Union. ...

History

The plot of land on which the building was constructed was originally occupied by the convent of the Dames du Berlaymont. They managed an important girls’ school. In the 1960s, to anchor the European presence in Brussels, the Belgian State bought the plot, and the Dames du Berlaymont moved to Waterloo. Building is either the act of creating an object assembled from more than one element, or the object itself; see also construction. ... The 1960s in its most obvious sense refers to the decade between 1960 and 1969, but the expression has taken on a wider meaning over the past twenty years. ... Waterloo The top of the knoll and the famous lion. ...

The building was built from 1963 to 1969 and became the symbol of the European presence in Brussels. It housed 3,000 Commission civil servants from 1967 to 1991, when it was decided that a complete renovation was necessary and that asbestos protecting the steel structure had to be removed. The refurbishment lasted over a decade. There was considerable criticism of time and cost over-runs of the project. 1963 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday For other uses, see Number 1969. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Asbestos (Greek ἄσβεστος: a-, not; sbestos, extinguishable) describes any of a group of fibrous metamorphic minerals of the hydrous magnesium silicate variety. ... The old steel cable of a colliery winding tower Steel is a metal alloy whose major component is iron, with carbon being the primary alloying material. ... Refurbishment is the process of major maintenance and minor repair of an item, both aesthetically and mechanically. ...

In 2004, the Commission returned to the building. As of 2005, all members of the Barroso Commission and their cabinets (private offices) are based in the Berlaymont. The office of the President of the Commission and the Commission boardroom are on the 13th floor. The Secretariat General, Legal Service and other central services of the Commission are also based in the building. 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Barroso Commission is the European Commission that has been in office since 22 November 2004 and is due to serve until 31 October 2009. ... A Cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. ...

Architecture

Architect Lucien De Vestel designed the original building with the cooperation of Jean Gilson, Jean Polak, and André Polak. It consists of a cross-shaped tower, with 13 floors, situated on a wide basement, four floors high. The tower has a star shape—with four wings radiating out from a central hub. The floors of the wings are supported by a steel structure hanged to pretensioned beams placed on the top of a narrow reinforced concrete structure. Architect at his drawing board, 1893 An architect, also known as a building designer, is a person involved in the planning, designing and oversight of a buildings construction, whose role is to guide decisions affecting those building aspects that are of aesthetic, cultural or social concern. ...

The building has 240,000 m² of floor space on 18 levels. Offices for 3,000 officials and meeting rooms are in the tower. Restaurant and services, TV studio, conference rooms, storage rooms, car parking and various services occupy the basement.

Architects Pierre Lallemand, Steven Beckers and Wilfried Van Campenhout carried out the 1997-2004 remodeling. Modifications included the addition of a meeting room on the top of the south-east wing, the construction of a complete structure with three meeting rooms constructed on the north-east side of the grounds, a double façade placed around the tower with movable glass panes at the outside, and large openings in the ground floor to allow natural light distribution in the basement. 1997 (MCMXCVII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... West façade of the Notre-Dame de Strasbourg Cathedral A facade (or façade) is the exterior of a building – especially the front, but also sometimes the sides and rear. ... A basement is a storey of a building that is either completely or partially below the ground floor. ...

See also

• Justus Lipsius building (which houses the Council of the European Union).
• European Parliament building
• List of buildings

The Council of the European Union forms, along with the European Parliament, the legislative arm of the European Union (EU). ... Famous or notable buildings with articles about them include: Index: A-B - C - D-G - H-L - M-O - P-R - S - T-V - W 1 Canada Square, London, United Kingdom 2 Fevrier Sofitel Hotel, Lomé, Togo 8 Canada Square, London, United Kingdom 30 St Mary Axe, London, United Kingdom...

External link

• Photographs of the Berlaymont building