![Herstal City Hall / Frederic Haesevoets Architecte - Beam](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5875/fccf/e58e/cea3/7600/02b7/newsletter/MRB_5611.jpg?1484127427)
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Architects: Frederic Haesevoets Architecte
- Area: 12500 m²
- Year: 2016
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Photographs:Christophe Vootz
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Manufacturers: CBS-CBT, Eternal, Plant Design
Listen, Understand, Create, Innovate, Surprise.
This approach develops through a generous act, mixing modernity and organic. It is about creating a new way of discovering, moving, getting your bearings, and working.
![Herstal City Hall / Frederic Haesevoets Architecte - Facade](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5875/fb8b/e58e/cea3/7600/02ad/newsletter/MRB_1136_1.jpg?1484127101)
Creating sensuality.
Adopting this approach we have developed this project for the building of the Herstal City Hall. Our objective: to create it in a surprising and innovative way.
![Herstal City Hall / Frederic Haesevoets Architecte - Facade](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5875/fd51/e58e/ce26/2e00/01b2/medium_jpg/MRB_5713.jpg?1484127558)
The setting up of the building is divided into 2 parts. This allows creating a largely open pedestrian area which lets us discover an inside made of patches of vegetation conceived as a public garden.
![Herstal City Hall / Frederic Haesevoets Architecte - Glass, Facade](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5875/fca0/e58e/cea3/7600/02b5/newsletter/MRB_5570.jpg?1484127380)
The choice of tree species and other vegetables has been made according to their flowering, persistence, pigmentation and their smell in order to get a continuously changing nature from March to December.
![Herstal City Hall / Frederic Haesevoets Architecte - Facade, Glass](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5875/fd63/e58e/ce26/2e00/01b3/newsletter/MRB_5725.jpg?1484127575)
The impact of car traffic is played down as cars drive on grass seeded flagstones as well as on outside parking places.
![](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5876/039d/e58e/cea3/7600/02bd/newsletter/HERSTAL-REZ.jpg?1484129170)
Located on a sloping parcel of land with a difference in height of several meters the building commits itself to an ambitious juxtaposition – the base, the transparent layers and the wrapping.
A techno-sensual wrapping floating on an immaterial basis
![Herstal City Hall / Frederic Haesevoets Architecte - Facade](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5875/faa3/e58e/ce26/2e00/019e/newsletter/MRB_0974.jpg?1484126870)
A shaped landscape-pedestal
The pedestal is the base of the parcel of land – a generous surface as a welcome centre.
![Herstal City Hall / Frederic Haesevoets Architecte - Image 33 of 51](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5875/fa4c/e58e/ce26/2e00/019c/newsletter/MRB_0917.jpg?1484126785)
The base is the foundation of the project: it adopts the parcel of land and all its differences in levels and is conceived as a green trail.
![Herstal City Hall / Frederic Haesevoets Architecte - Windows, Facade](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5875/fc72/e58e/ce26/2e00/01ab/newsletter/MRB_5516.jpg?1484127334)
This difference in height makes it possible for underground floors (car park, printing shop) to benefit from ventilation and natural light.
![Herstal City Hall / Frederic Haesevoets Architecte - Beam, Steel](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5875/fb07/e58e/ce26/2e00/01a0/newsletter/MRB_1075.jpg?1484126972)
The base is also the most transparent place, open towards the outside and full of light. This base plays the role of a public space which guarantees the continuity between the inside and the outside. It is a place of exchange, of information, of learning, of communication, a place of life.
So all the reception facilities and all the services are accessible to the public on a daily basis.
![Herstal City Hall / Frederic Haesevoets Architecte - Stairs, Beam, Handrail](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5875/fcdd/e58e/ce26/2e00/01ae/medium_jpg/MRB_5612.jpg?1484127442)
The floors are made in a similar way. The transparency enables to diffuse natural light and to extend the notion of space by playing down the limits.
These places are also open to the outside: covered terraces, central walkways, greens spaces…
![Herstal City Hall / Frederic Haesevoets Architecte - Image 12 of 51](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5875/fa15/e58e/ce26/2e00/019a/newsletter/MRB_0886.jpg?1484126731)
In order to generate different volumetries according to the needs, heights and levels are variable and spaces are interrelated by a footbridge. This makes the different places accessible to all.
![Herstal City Hall / Frederic Haesevoets Architecte - Image 8 of 51](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5875/fbfe/e58e/cea3/7600/02b0/medium_jpg/MRB_5443.jpg?1484127218)
From this place a viewpoint through window glasses allows understanding the functioning of the building and offers a clear lecture by putting visually and quickly the different services through to each other.
![Herstal City Hall / Frederic Haesevoets Architecte - Facade](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5875/fbdd/e58e/ce26/2e00/01a6/newsletter/MRB_5413.jpg?1484127186)
Product Description.
1. Forbo flooring with the colored floor give the identity of the internal building, with a code for circulation RED, working space GREEN, common space GREY, Technical Space BLUE.
![Herstal City Hall / Frederic Haesevoets Architecte - Stairs](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5875/fc0f/e58e/ce26/2e00/01a8/newsletter/MRB_5456.jpg?1484127236)
2. D-Dalle is really the identity of the structure of the building, with this powerful visible wood structure, and the flexibility, acoustic solution.
![Herstal City Hall / Frederic Haesevoets Architecte - Image 25 of 51](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5875/fbce/e58e/cea3/7600/02af/newsletter/MRB_5406.jpg?1484127170)
3. Plant Design, with the green façade, studied specifically for the project, and with the structured facade, give also all visual external identity of the building, with also a maximum of senses developed, Sight, Smell and Hearing.
![Herstal City Hall / Frederic Haesevoets Architecte - Facade, Glass](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5875/fb5d/e58e/ce26/2e00/01a3/medium_jpg/MRB_1128.jpg?1484127058)