2020-12-10

The Link. An office environment of the future, featuring systems by ALUPROF

The Link in Antwerp, an office and residential complex, is right at the cutting edge of Europe’s living and working environments. For instance, it is equipped with its own app, ‘Office’, which provides remote access all its services, such as ordering meals or hiring a bike. In terms of innovation, though, that is just the tip of the iceberg. The complex has been designed in line with the highest standards of comfort and energy efficiency and it features products made by leading Polish aluminium systems manufacturer, ALUPROF SA.

Superb design and transportation links

The Link is located close to the Berchem railway station in the busy Zurenborg district. The developer, Ghelamco, was determined to create a building that was readily accessible. Users will be able make the most of an underground parking facility with room for more than five hundred cars and at least sixteen charging stations for electric vehicles. For those travelling on two wheels, there will not only be cycle lanes, but lockers and showers, as well.

There is also the innovative smart phone app which can be used to access all sorts of services. In addition to those mentioned above, it will be possible to book a car wash, a conference room or a parking space for a client, to name but a few! At the same time, the MeetDistrict solution further increases the potential open to the people working there, while the numerous entrances mean that The Link can be configured in a range of ways.

The design of the complex is the work of Jaspers-Eyers, in collaboration with abv +. The total area is twenty-six thousand square metres, while the energy consumption is nearly zero, in other words, <E40. Energy saving is a priority anyway for the Ghelamco Group’s, which operates not only in Belgium, but also in Eastern Europe.

With the users in mind

The complex has received a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ certificate, a guarantee that The Link will have a positive impact on its users’ well-being, productivity and concentration. This is down to the combination of acoustic and thermal insulation, the access to daylight and the high aesthetic values applied to both the interior and outside, where it is surrounded by green spaces and water features.

Aluminium joinery systems

The window, door and façade systems for The Link were supplied by ALUPROF SA. Given the drive to save energy, the designers selected the company’s MB-77HS Lift & Slide door system, the MB-70HI window and door system and two façade systems, the MB-SR50N HI+ and the MB-SR50N EFEKT.

The MB-77HS Lift & Slide system is a universal solution, thanks to its wide range of gaskets, single- or double-glazing and insulation inserts, which not only guarantee superb thermal and acoustic insulation, but also provide burglary protection. The glazing beads ensure a high level of air-, water- and wind tightness, while the wide range of colours available means that the system can be suited every client’s requirements.

The Link is also fitted with the ALUPROF MB-70HI high-insulation window and door system, which has an insulation factor of a Uf from 1.0 to 2.3 W/m2K.

The ALUPROF MB-SR50N HI+ façade system chosen for The Link has been certified by the Passivhaus Institut in Darmstadt, Germany. The slender lines dividing it are a guarantee of durability and resistance, while the sharp edges of the mullions and transoms give the building its expressive distinctiveness. In addition, PE insulation with excellent parameters of 0/7 W/m2K was used for the system.

The second façade system, the MB-SR50N EFEKT, is ideal for creating curtain walls. The solution creates a smooth, glazed surface with barely visible vertical and horizontal dividing lines. The junctions are filled with a special, extra-thick silicone which increases the building’s level of insulation.