For decades, Belval near Esch-sur-Alzette was something like the ‘Ruhr area’ of Luxembourg. But there have been no more smoking chimneys there for years: the production of pig iron in Luxembourg came to an end in 1997 with the closure of the last blast furnace.
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Eric Chenal, Differdange / Schüco Jansen Stahlsystem
This turning point also marked the beginning of a large-scale urban development project. The two blast furnaces and other buildings were preserved.
One of these buildings is the ‘Möllerei’. This is where coke and iron ore, known as ‘agglomerate’, used to be mixed and stored. Built in 1910 and modernised at the end of the 1960s, the building is 164 metres long, 25 metres wide and 26 metres high on average.
Refurbished using Schüco Jansen steel system
Eric Chenal, Differdange / Schüco Jansen Stahlsystem
Part of the Möllerei was converted into an event and exhibition hall. The main premise of the refurbishment was to preserve the building as it was when it was built in 1970.
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As the preservation authorities prioritised the preservation of the external appearance over the energy-efficient refurbishment, the ribbon windows on both long facades and the gable facade were ultimately replaced with the uninsulated Jansen-Economy 50 steel profile system.
The new entrance area and foyer were fitted with the thermally insulating Jansen VISS mullion-and-transom facade system, which can be used to create elegant facades. The entrance doors themselves were made from the Janisol steel system, which is also thermally insulating.
Project details
Client: Fonds Belval
Architects: BFF architecture & urbanisme, Luxembourg
Metal construction: Lefevre Lux S.a.r.l., Bascharage
Steel profile systems used: Economy 50 fixed glazing, Janisol two doors, Janisol doors, VISS facade
System supplier: Schüco Jansen Stahlsystem, Bielefeld
System manufacturer: Jansen AG, Oberriet/CH
