F. FERRER - Waterside | High school
Client : BPC
Architects : Altiplan
Location : Brussels
Year of completion : 2025
Originally built as a 6-storey office complex, Waterside now houses the Haute École Francisco Ferrer - l’Institut des Carrières Commerciales et la bibliothèque Elisabeth Carter across 11.000 m².
Thanks to a circular, modular approach, the building and its materials were given a second life , proving how futureproof design can support large-scale function changes.
Because Beddeleem originally installed the JB Partitions, JB Ceilings and door systems in 2011, the team was able to carefully dismantle, reinstall, adapt and repurpose most components on site and give the remaining materials a new destination.
Beddeleem expertly managed:
- 3,000 m² of JB 2000 partitions reused, including profiles and glass
- 7,000 m² of JB CEILING (metal) dismantled, inspected and reinstalled
- 8,000 m² of raised floors preserved, adapted and finished with vinyl
- 125 JB door systems reused + 45 new doors added where needed
This means over 70% of the interior fit-out was built using existing materials: a reduction in waste, CO₂, cost and lead time.
Materials not reinstalled at Waterside were transported back to Beddeleem’s production site for cleaning, reworking or adaptation.
Many of these components will soon start a second life in the brand-new The Nucleus office complex in Zwijnaarde, another step in Beddeleem’s Create Circular Workspaces sustainability vision.
“The transformation of Waterside shows how circularity can unlock new architectural possibilities,” says Benoît Jacques (Altiplan).
“By rethinking the building instead of demolishing it, we created a modern school environment with minimal environmental impact.”
Discover more about Beddeleem Circular.
