Architecture firm: Bureau Architecture Engineering Verhaegen SAThe complete new headquarters of ORES, located in Aéropôle site in Gosselies, Belgium, aims to unite company operations. This commercial development will span three floors and has 15.000 sqm of interior office space. The objective is to create a “zero energy” building that combines superior architectural design with sustainability. The latter is achieved by incorporating the latest bioclimatic techniques for energy efficiency, namely new methods for isolation, heating and natural light use.GLASSCON’s contribution in this unique planning scheme includes the design and build of an architectural skin consisting of a bespoke shading system (brise soleil) with large-scale fixed vertical HPL shades and HPL cladding boards.The fixed shading control devices are made of structural steel cladded with wooden alike high pressure laminates (HPL), specially treated for exterior use (superior UV resistance and weatherproofness). Technically wise, each vertical blind is 8 m high, 60 cm wide and has a thickness of 80 mm. Each shade is fixed to the primary building structure using heavy duty custom-made brackets, allowing deflection and movements in every direction. The same material is used to clad the opaque parts of the building envelope with large dimension exterior grade HPL boards.Upon closer inspection, the impeccable feel of the finish surface is evident, as well as its remarkable mechanical properties. The specific color and wood décor true to the intentions of the architects, matches the interior wooden surfaces. Furthermore, these fins yield a contrasting, yet harmonious visual stimulus paired with the white concrete building elements, which intersect diagonally in several places. Meticulously placed in the east and west facades, the blinds block the redundant sunlight and control glare, thus creating a fully productive working environment within the office building in terms of thermal and optical comfort.