Living wall for Sky Building office complex Antwerp, Belgium

Situated in one of the best-known streets of the Antwerp–Berchem office district, near the Singel and Ring road, an office complex known as the Sky Building is being transformed into a modern, sustainable working environment. Constructed in 1980's, its technical installations and interior have already been renovated, and its owner, Intervest, has now also approved plans for its façades to be thoroughly overhauled. The entire front façade of the Sky Building will soon be adorned by a SemperGreenwall.

Reused rain water to irrigate the living wall

The water supply for irrigation will be provided by a 20,000-litre reservoir, in which rain water collected from the roof is stored. The size of the reservoir was determined on the basis of the precipitation model for the city of Antwerp. The plants are watered by a computer-controlled pump with sensors, which makes this SemperGreenwall highly sustainable. The plants receive exactly what they need without water being used from the mains.

Fire safety

Normative in the client's choice for a SemperGreenwall was the fact that it has a fire prevention certification. Sempergreen is the only supplier of a living wall system that has been tested and certified for fire safety in the highest European fire safety class. This means that a SemperGreenwall may also be used in emergency exits.

A SemperGreenwall is allowed in emergency exits.

Carefully selected plants

The plants in the green wall, based on a design by CONIX RDBM Architects, consist of a wide variety of indigenous species, all of which were carefully selected in consultation with Ambius BeLux, Antea Group Engineers and AG VESPA | Urban Projects.

Antwerp, a sustainable city for everyone

The installation of this SemperGreenwall fits in extremely well with the policy plans of the city of Antwerp, which aspires to offer the most attractive living environment to all who live there, work there or visit it. The key word for Antwerp is sustainability. The renewed Sky Building constitutes a unique pilot project and will, according to all of the parties involved, definitely serve as an example for similar projects.