Flemish administrative centres
At the request of the Flemish government, PMV was responsible for the realisation of Flemish Administration Centres (VAC) in Bruges, Brussels, Ghent and Leuven. These VAC are located at strategically recognisable locations, each one accessible from a major railway station and with good accessibility and identity.
The VAC in Leuven was completed in November 2010. PMV then acquired 100% of the shares of the project company and thus became the owner of the Dirk Bouts building, named after the Flemish primitive painter from the fifteenth century who lived and worked in Leuven for a long time. Located right next to the railway station, the building was designed by architects Jaspers, Eyers and Partners. The developers are Kairos and Eurostation. The building comprises 23,310 m2 gross lettable area and consists of an elongated plinth topped by a seventeen-storey tower on the side of Vuurkruisenlaan. It forms the organ point of the redevelopment of the station neighbourhood. As many as 25 government departments, accounting for about 800 civil servants, are co-located there. The project also achieved the maximum sustainability score of four stars, measured according to the Flemish handbook on sustainable office buildings. With an E-level of E49, the office building was a very advanced office building in terms of energy when it was delivered in 2010.
Bruges
The VAC in Bruges was completed at the end of 2011. NMBS Holding and Eurostation/Euro Immo Star acted jointly as the building owner of that so-called “Kam building,” which was renamed Jacob van Maerlant Building, named after the thirteenth-century writer from the Brugse Vrije. The design is based on Neutelings-Riedijk Architects’ master plan and is part of the wider Bruges-Sint-Michiels area development. The entire project development covers about 45,000 m2 of office space and is located at the back of the station. In 2012, some 800 civil servants from 23 different government entities will occupy the planned 23,500 m2 for the Flemish administration.
Ghent
On 8 December 2011, the foundation stone was laid for the VAC in Ghent, designed by architects Polo Architects and developed by Kairos and Eurostation. The building was named after the progressive Flemish writer Virginie Loveling, a trendsetter of literary realism, who died in 1923. The Loveling building was erected along Fabiolalaan, right next to Sint Pietersstation. It provides sustainable housing for 1,500 civil servants from 26 entities of the Flemish Government, housed in approximately 37,800 m2 of above-ground space. The building achieves a maximum sustainability score of four stars, and an E-level of E50. Commissioning took place in early 2014.
Brussels
A centralisation exercise also took place in Brussels and a Flemish Administrative Centre is being realised. Here too, PMV had a pulling role. The public contract was initiated in March 2013. After three intensive bidding rounds and negotiations, the contract was awarded in May 2014 to Project T&T, the private developer of the Thurn & Taxis site in Brussels. This is a wholly owned subsidiary of Extensa Group nv (Ackermans & Van Haaren group). Project T&T nv will realise a new construction project of approximately 46,000 m² of floor space, located at the entrance to the Thurn & Taxis site. It is a six-storey low-rise with a limited tower accent (seven additional storeys), fitting in with the surroundings. The design is by Dutch architectural firm Neutelings Riedijk Architects, assisted by Conix RDBM Architects. The building will comply with Brussels passive standards, achieving a level of four stars according to the Flemish handbook. Construction work started in April 2015 and completion took place in summer 2017.
PMV’s role
For each of the VACs, the public contract consisted of designing and constructing an office building on a site proposed by the contractor, and subsequently leasing the building to the Flemish Region. With the exception of the VAC Bruges, PMV also had an investment role in each case. The VAC Ghent was transferred to AG Real Estate in 2014. The VAC Brussels was taken over by Baloise.
Other partners
For the realisation of the VACs, PMV worked closely with Het Facilitair Bedrijf of the Flemish Government. Initially, PMV had an advisory role: defining (together) the starting points, needs and programme of requirements, working out the contract, writing the award documents, assessing the bids, conducting the negotiations and drawing up the contracts. PMV’s approach here was very pragmatic and it steered the project on a day-to-day basis.
