Desire for No(o)rd: a new wind in the Noordwijk

Zin in No(o)rd is the result of a major renovation of WTC I and WTC II, icons of the Brusselse Noordwijk. In the nineteen-sixties, under the leadership of Paul Vanden Boeynants, the Manhattan Plan was developed here. A modern office district saw the light of day with wide avenues that invited cars right into the center of the city. The tall, impersonal towers stood literally above the social network and urban fabric and were to be connected to each other by pedestrian bridges. The original plan was only partially implemented and the new Northern Quarter became a place that never truly came to life. Today, a new wind is blowing here between the glass towers: from closed dark buildings to more openness, mixed functions and attention to living quality. Zin in No(o)rd anchors that transformation in one powerful architectural gesture and was rewarded for this by being named World's Best Tall Building in 2025. The project also secured a spot on the longlist of the prestigious EUmies awards and on the shortlist of Brussels Architecture Prize. Het Belpairegebouw: sustainable reconversion as a starting point Central to the project is the Belpaire Building, which houses about 20 administrations of the Flemish government. The major renovation was conceived and executed by the architects of 51N4E in collaboration with l'AUC and Jaspers-Eyers Architects. The starting point was not a tabula rasa, but the existing structure and materials, which were preserved where possible or given a new life. That choice forms the core of the sustainable ambition: less demolition, less material consumption and a strong focus on flexibility, energy efficiency and adaptability over time. During the visit you will gain insight into how an outdated office building was transformed into a contemporary work environment. The tour actually ends on a park high above the city, on the green roof on the 29th floor, after also visiting hotel The Standard which shares the building with the Flemish government.