The new home of the ‘Tussengemeentelijke Maatschappij Vlaanderen voor Waterbedeling’ (TMVW), or Flanders Water Distribution Company, in the Belgian city of Ghent, is the first office building in Belgium using the Slimline floor system as a smart, lightweight combination of ceiling, installation space and subfloor.
Thanks to the Slimline floor system, free spans in excess of 16 meters in length could be achieved in the steel construction. A big advantage, according to architect Donald Desmet from Signum+ Architects: “Because of the large span we’re able to keep sixteen meters column-free, which offers huge freedom of design and usability. Moreover, the span allows integrating the technical installations for cooling and heating in the floor. This results in a reduction of the structural height. Slimline fits the Cradle2Cradle philosophy in this respect.”
The large spans have created a very flexible grid. All interior walls can be moved, which allows a relatively easy modification of floor or office layout. This multifunctional aspect also lengthens the building lifespan.
