MG Lux

The challenge lay not only in the short time frame in which the project had to be completed, but especially in the pyritical subsoil. Pyrite has the property of swelling on contact with air, which can cause the soil to move, thus compromising the stability of the building.

MG Real Estate devised an ingenious foundation technique for this issue. Due to the construction of a ventilated void, ground movements can be absorbed without any consequences for the building. A pile construction that performs both tension and pressure functions absorbs any possible swelling of the pyrite-rich substrates. In order to minimise the risk of soil movement, as much pyrite as possible was naturally excavated first. The soil was then covered with a dry concrete layer, so that air has no chance to elicit a reaction from the pyrite. It soon became apparent that these precautions were not superfluous when a nearby construction rose one metre to the surface, with all the consequences that this entailed.

But the technical feats involved in the Goodyear project do not stop there. Where the foundation rests on piles, the building has no obstructive support structures. With a generous span of 45 m, the building ensures plenty of space and flexibility for innovation and production.