jean nouvel extends charleroi’s police headquarters with 75 meter tower

jean nouvel extends charleroi’s police headquarters with 75 meter tower
all images courtesy of ateliers jean nouvel

in belgium, jean nouvel has extended charleroi’s police headquarters with a 75 meter tower on a site that also houses a local dance studio. in doing so, a lively and accessible urban space has been created, activating the surrounding neighborhood. in 2011, after an international competition, ateliers jean nouvel was chosen alongside local practice MDW architecture to establish an accessible and congenial image of the police, while giving the city a strong urban landmark.

a lively and accessible urban space has been created at the foot of the tower

dance studios and residences for artists are placed within original brick buildings, while the site’s cylindrical structure accommodates additional floor space for the police headquarters. the color of the elliptical edifice is a reminder of the dark hues worn by the police force, with blue bricks cladding the reinforced concrete structure.

see designboom‘s previous coverage of the project here.

the color of the elliptical edifice is a reminder of the dark hues worn by the police force

the site also accommodates a local dance studio

the entrance to the building

blue bricks are incorporated throughout the design

meeting rooms are clad with timber