Challenge

The City of Antwerp called for tenders for the furnishing of the well-known Alcatel-Bell building in which it wanted to centralise all municipal back-office services (previously distributed across 32 locations with 3000 employees!). The city required conceptual input but defined only the function of each room in such terms as suitable for short or long conferences, flexi-working and the receiving of visitors. In each instance it was necessary to formulate a tailor-made proposal built on the criteria of ecology, ergonomics and harmony with the semi-industrial nature of the Bell site.

Solution

Bulvano furnished the entire building in 2009. This included 2400 workstations, 120 conference rooms, archives room and restaurant. The scale of the operation necessitated the drawing up of an absolutely future-proof plan. Most tables were made of solid oak or beech, are stylishly timeless and will still be usable 30 years later. Given the stringent ergonomic requirements, Bulvano developed workstations adjustable electrically in height. Even if employees use a place for a short time, they can always work healthily, resulting in greater efficiency and less sick leave.

Result

The result was a sustainable and ecologically responsible embodiment of the building that is inviting to Antwerp citizens and offers the civil servants maximum working comfort. Just like the renovated building, the smart furnishings are ready for the coming decades. If different needs arise in the future, it will no longer be necessary to relocate departments and furniture, and instead the employees will be mobile thanks to individually adaptable ergonomic solutions that are present everywhere. This stands as an excellent example of the new way of working of the government, one accomplished in an exceptionally budget-aware way.