Constructed in 1966, the iconic tower on Rue de l'Hôpital in Brussels has completed its transformation following an ambitious facelift that has restored the status of this iconic building. Renamed "31Central", the building now houses contemporary workspaces whose capacity in terms of workstations/fresh air supply ranks among the best, ensuring the building meets the new needs of occupants and the new demands of the post-Covid era.
A prime location in the heart of the capital
Situated between the Grand Place and the Grand Sablon, the 31Central tower is part of one of the most sought-after office districts for companies looking for offices to rent in Brussels. While centrality has always been important for users as a vector for image, it is an even more crucial factor today. Indeed, studies carried out since the pandemic point to the growing importance of having an address which is completely connected, in the city centre, well served by public transport and close to all amenities (shops, services, restaurants, leisure facilities, etc.), especially to attract and retain talents.
In this respect, 31Central is therefore a first-rate rental property in the urban heart of Brussels, just a few minutes' walk from Brussels Central Station (served by buses and the underground). You can also easily reach the Mont des Arts garden as well as the Place Royale, the Brigittines Centre for Contemporary Art and some of Belgium's most renowned gourmet addresses near the square Grand Sablon such as Pierre Marcolini, Wittamer and Maison Dandoy.
Innovative architecture designed to enhance occupants' well-being and performance
Renovation work has given this building, which marks the skyline of Brussels, from the 1960s, a contemporary lease of life. 31Central now boasts two majestic entrances, with the main one located on Rue de l'Hôpital, one of the oldest streets in the city. It opens onto a subtly decorated lobby bathed in natural light. The second entrance is on Rue de l'Escalier and offers a more understated, rustic kind of welcome, with lovely flower beds forming a pleasant garden, and relaxation areas for the building's users.
The arrangement of the various workspaces within 31Central was guided by the desire to create environments suited to the activities of users, be it focusing on a project, informal discussions with colleagues or brainstorming with a view to inventing a new product. As the new BNP PRE Trend Book dedicated to the future of the office reminds us, the pandemic has accelerated trends already underway that are transforming commercial property: while the home office is popular with employees and companies (who work this way on average two days a week in Europe), they are also setting up more collaborative working methods driven by a greater sense of sharing in what they do. The rapid rise of "hybrid" working has therefore logically had a major impact on the architecture and layout of the 31Central building, in order to anticipate the new requirements of its users.
In addition to shared areas on the ground floor and first floor (including a co-working space and fully equipped meeting rooms), the block houses a total of 22,000m² of flexible offices over 14 storeys, which offer a unique panoramic view of Brussels city centre. The floor areas available to rent provide for a highly flexible (virtually bespoke) private usage that can be adapted to the working methods of the user company: open-plan offices, soundproof units, collaborative working areas and so on.
31Central occupants enjoy premium services
As mentioned more than once by the professionals interviewed in BNP PRE's new Trend Book, the Covid-19 pandemic reaffirmed the importance of users' experience of the office and the need to move towards a "customer-centric" approach, following the example of retail.
31Central therefore offers a whole range of high-quality services drawing inspiration from the hotel industry, for example, such as a concierge, events organised by a community manager, a café area, a dry-cleaner's, and a high-performance Wi-Fi network accessible throughout the building.
After several months of renovations, 31Central has unveiled a collection of completely reinvented workspaces inside one of Brussels' most iconic office towers. 31Central is an agile, high-performance service centre building which is ultra-connected to the city. A BREEAM-certified "Excellent" building, it embodies a renewal of urban commercial space that takes care to place people and workers at the heart of companies' real estate strategy.
If you are looking for brand-new offices to rent in Brussels, right in the heart of the city, contact the experts at BNP PRE Belgium right away to find out more about the premises available for rental at 31Central.
