Distinctive Ottoman building with a huge natural stone façade

The new POST Headquarters designed by Metaform Architects is situated in a quite particular urban environment. It is located in the densest district of Luxembourg, opposite the city's main traffic hub, and charcaterized by Haussmannian architecture with massive natural stone facades.

Photo credit: Steve Troes

The new building therefore serves as a link between the contemporary and the historic. On one side, the new CNS Headquarters participates in the revaluation of the district and, on the other, the historic Accinauto building ends the Haussmannian route of the Bourbon Plateau, with its listed façades to be preserved.

Photo credit: Steve Troes

Photo credit: Steve Troes

The building straddles Place de la Gare – one of the city’s busiest roads – at the intersection of the country’s international commuter traffic. Framed within a dense urban block, it is predominantly perceived laterally by passing vehicles and pedestrians. Through the play of extrusion and morphing, the roof of the Accinauto building is gradually transformed into a vertical plane to achieve the same alignment as the façade at the corner of Rue du Commerce. This formal interplay allows the creation of a corner building and the use of the larger dimensions of the future CNS headquarters.

Photo credit: Steve Troes

Photo credit: Steve Troes

While the building maintains a striking monumental mass, its playful permeability belies an openness that transforms its volume. It merges into a single, unified form that becomes an integrated part of the surrounding city fabric.

Photo credit: Steve Troes

Photo credit: Steve Troes

The ground floor houses the Post Office space, reserved for the reception of clients, and the other eight floors are dedicated to offices. The top floor, set back, houses the company restaurant, which is coupled with a 400-seat conference room. Across different floors, the office typology is predominantly open space, with 6 to 8 workstations grouped together. The heart of the building is characterized by the central communication atrium, symbolized by a sculptural staircase. This space becomes a hub of exchange between departments, like a symbolic red carpet that runs between the teams. In addition, several relaxation and co-working spaces will facilitate collaboration and well-being at work.

Photo credit: Steve Troes

Photo credit: Steve Troes

The conservation of the historic Accinauto building, and the use of the existing foundations and basement structures for the new building, saved over 8,600 m³ of concrete. The project also produced 2,600 tons less of CO2 emissions compared to what would have been released into the atmosphere if a new building had been demolished and constructed. Additionally, heat from the neighboring building (telecommunication center) is transferred and reused in the project, making it completely self-sufficient from fossil fuels.

Photo credit: Steve Troes

Photo credit: Steve Troes

About Metaform architects

Founded in 2003, Metaform architects are managed today by Shahram Agaajani, Thierry Cruchten, and G.G Kirchner. Metaform architects is composed of a multidisciplinary team of over 60 collaborators. Their creative and daring approach brings a distinct signature style to each project. The firm is active both nationally and internationally, and its offices are located at the heart of the cities of Luxembourg and Dubai. Their complementary artistic minds provide the framework for the life and projects of the firm. The firm’s key achievements, including the creation of the Luxembourg pavilion at EXPO2020 in Dubai, and Luxembourg’s Velodrome, bear witness to its know-how and expertise.