Jaspers Eyers Architects

Barco One Campus

Kortrijk - Belgium - 2016

Enter “The Circle”, the contemporary and transparent headquarters of Belgian technology company Barco. Designed by Jaspers-Eyers Architects, the building’s glazed aluminium façade and roof complement its open-plan interior. Enjoy a full 360 degrees of natural light incidence in this shiny centrepiece of the Barco One Campus.

“We chose a cylinder shape to make the headquarters the centre point between the surrounding structures on the campus. Its round design adds to the building’s social function,” says John Eyers, architect for Jaspers-Eyers Architects. In this social central building, transparency is key. Steel structures carry the weight of the impressive glass roof, which lets in a maximum amount of daylight. Next, slender aluminium profiles support the 25-metre-tall curtain wall façades. Add these solutions and the project blends in with its natural environment beautifully.

The round design of the headquarters adds to the building’s social function.

John Eyers (Jaspers-Eyers Architects)

ConceptSystem 77 Windows and ConceptWall 50 Façades - Office building Barco One Campus located in Kortrijk, Belgium

In the atrium, daily activities are illuminated with a full 360 degrees of natural light. This makes it an ideal meeting place for all employees.

Custom solutions in bulk

Reynaers Aluminium collaborated with contractor Cordeel and aluminium construction experts Belgo Metal BV to install façades. 7,900 square metres of glass and aluminium systems in total, half of which clad with a reversed curtain wall façade. With this bespoke solution, the structural element of the wall is positioned to the outside of the building. As a result, you get more transparency and less visible outward sightlines.

The façade of The Circle is a highly customised design solution. It includes re-designed ConceptWall 50 profiles in both the aluminium curtain wall itself and the glazed roof on top. Our standard ConceptSystem 77 windows and doors, along with “high intensity” panic doors can be found as well. Thanks to our tested-and-approved solutions, safety and aesthetics are no longer mutually exclusive.

Sustainable aluminium, the best choice

Aluminium is strong and malleable, but did you know it is also 100% recyclable? It is the perfect answer to the high sustainability standards of contemporary architecture. Guy Eeckhout, AHS & Facility Director at Barco explains his choice of materials: “In relation to sustainable building materials, we opted for aluminium as the most durable solution. And to keep out the heat, high-performance glass was applied as well.” With their endless life cycle, The Circle’s façades could be repurposed in later projects. Coming full Circle, as you will.

The sleek, curved surface of The Circle is the perfect metaphor for the smooth cooperation between the expert building team behind this project. Transparency, openness, and honesty are the underlying core ideas. The result is a circular, light-filled icon that will take centre stage on the Barco One Campus for years to come.