Brigade Forestière

Project study

The Brigade Forestière is a building to be used by the guards of the Forest of Soignes. Located in the municipality of Uccle, this two-storey structure consists of a passive administration part and a shed for tractors and forestry vehicles. Thanks to its location, the building was classified prior to construction. Indeed, it is located in a “Natura 2000 Zone”, making it a protected site subject to strict regulations.   This feature meant that the construction methods and materials used had to be adapted to minimise the environmental impact. Thanks to its know-how, Gillion won the public contract launched for its construction.

Structural works

During the earthworks phase, special attention was given to the surrounding vegetation. The workers had to be careful not to damage the roots of trees around the site. Low-intensity tools, materials and lighting were also used to avoid disturbing animals. Located on sloping ground, the future building has a buried ground floor. It was therefore necessary to dig and provide a concrete apron, as well as precast walls and concrete shells in this lower part. The remainder of the supporting structure is made of wood.

In addition, given the location of the building, natural wastewater treatment was installed. For this, the teams created a lagoon system with intensive and extensive ponds. These buffer zones are used to purify water using micro-organisms before it is discharged into a forest stream.

Finishing

In the administration part, the building hosts offices, a cloakroom, toilets and a kitchen. In terms of the finishing, the architect wanted to achieve a rustic appearance: raw wood is apparent, embellished with paintings in some places. To comply with the passive standards, the building was equipped with LED lamps. However, natural lighting is preferred thanks to the creation of three large windows in the shed roof. For heating, a wood boiler was installed in a ventilated room outside the building's waterproof envelope. It includes a log storage area. In winter, it allows the 1160 m³ space to be heated with the support of the double-flow ventilation system.

In terms of roofing, vegetation was laid in precultivated carpets. Amber-coloured lighting fixtures were installed nearby to avoid disturbing wildlife. On site, plantations and small ditches (gullies) facilitate the redistribution and drainage of rainwater. The steeply inclined access to the building required the laying of foundations. As plastic is prohibited, the teams used synthetic recycled grass slabs to fix the flooring.