The construction of the ArcelorMittal Kirchberg Headquarters kickstarted!

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Lakshmi N. Mittal, Executive Chairman, Aditya Mittal, CEO of ArcelorMittal, Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister of Luxembourg, François Bausch, Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg, and Jean-Michel Wilmotte, architect and designer of the headquarters, introduced the project to the audience where some state representatives such as the Ministry of Economy Mr. Fayot as well as top managers of ArcelorMittal where present. From its beginnings, after the sale of the Liberté building, ArcelorMittal former headquarters, to the inspirations made for the design, this project has evolved to reach its final version, an iconic building that will impact Kirchberg and Luxembourg’s skyline. Jean-Michel Wilmotte, architect of the ArcelorMittal Kirchberg Headquarters, explained how fascinating steel is for construction as it enables limitless imagination for buildings’ design. While Aditya Mittal highlights the great properties steel has in a world driven by decarbonization and circular economy. Mr. François Bausch, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Public Works, expressed how impressed he is by prestigious international environmental certifications the building will get. This large-scale project will contribute to develop urbanism in Kirchberg and "to build a neighborhood that will reconcile the various functions of urban life – work, living, and leisure.". Then Mr. Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister of Luxembourg, expressed his enthusiasm in this great project ensuring steel industry’s future in the Grand-Duchy.

Industry in Luxembourg has a future
Prime Minister Xavier Bettel

After the speeches, the groundbreaking ceremony took place at the heart of the construction site were a 7meters high beam was waiting to be officially bolted to its basement, operation successfully done by Mr Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Mr François Bausch, Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Franz Fayot, Minister of the Economy, Mr Lakshmi Mittal, Executive Chairman of ArcelorMittal, Mr Aditya Mittal, CEO of the ArcelorMittal Group, Mr Michel Wurth, member of the Board of Directors and Mr Jean-Michel Wilmotte, architect and designer of the project.

A tribute to the steel industry

An artwork of Luxembourgish technology
Michel Wurth, president of ArcelorMittal Luxembourg, Board Member of ArcelorMittal

From left to right: François Bausch, Aditya Mittal, Xavier Bettel, Lakshmi N. Mittal, Jean-Michel Wilmotte, Franz Fayot, Michel Wurth.

The star of the day, this HL100 beam, was 100% made-in-Luxembourg, from recycled steel melted in the electric-arc furnace of Differdange, profiled in the Grey Mill and then handled and finalized by the Steligence Fabrication Center next door. Certified XCarb^® recycled and renewably produced, this steel beam was made with a carbon footprint as low as 300kg of CO₂ per tonne and is to be one of the largest beam profiles used in the building. In this regard, ArcelorMittal Kirchberg Headquarters opens the way to low-carbon constructions. Furthermore, the building has been thought to offer a better flexibility with 20 meters spans beams without intermediate columns and without any fire-protection as the building has been designed with the latest Fire Engineering theories enabling the steel structure to be entirely visible.

To answer construction challenges inherent to the project, most of the steel to be used in the ArcelorMittal Kirchberg Headquarters will be made in Luxembourg, from Long Products Luxembourg Belval and Differdange steel shops. This choice made by ArcelorMittal is a tribute to the hundred years heritage of the steel industry in Luxembourg. By this iconic crystal-shaped building, ArcelorMittal is praising Luxembourgish steels the smartest steels for an eco-responsible construction following the circular-economy principles.

Designed by Wilmotte et Associés, with a detailed brief to ’design a modern, sustainable building that harnesses all the potential of steel from top to bottom’, ArcelorMittal’s new headquarters’ bold architecture visibly features steel, often hidden, and highlights it in sustainable construction.

A building that embodies our purpose "Smarter steels for people and planet"

The 89,000 m² building is located on a land of 7.300 m², will be 60 meters high for 22 floors, with approximately 10,000 tons of steel which is 3 times the Eiffel Tower’s steel quantity.

This building embodies our strategic vision
Lakshmi Mittal, Executive chairman

Colleagues who will move in this building will have the opportunity to work in a world-class environment with a direct connection with steel thanks to the exoskeleton structure, which spirals outwards and opens onto the city through a façade covered in plants. In addition to its contemporary architecture, the new headquarters offers flexible, modular working and living spaces to ensure a great working environment and will acquire the BREEAM (outstanding level), DGNB (Platinum level) and Well (Gold level) labels1, confirming that the building answers the highest environmental criteria. The headquarters will be able to host several services, administrations, a conference room up to 200 seats and about 2,600 workstations.

This building is for our employees, providing them with an environment which we hope will inspire them to continue to develop brilliant ideas for increasingly smart steels for the future.
Aditya Mittal, CEO

The completed building will also be a showcase for deconstruction and the reuse of steel in the construction industry. To encourage the next generation of designers to think differently about project using steel, ArcelorMittal Luxembourg will launch an international architectural competition inviting students to submit an architectural project for steel reuse.

1.Environmental labels

• Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) is the method of assessing the environmental behavior of buildings developed by the Building Research Establishment (BRE), a private UK building research firm.
• The DGNB System provides an objective description and assessment of the sustainability of buildings and urban districts. If a performance requirement is met, the DGNB awards the DGNB certificate in bronze, silver, gold and platinum
• The WELL Building Standard™ (WELL) consists of features across the seven concepts (air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind) that comprehensively address not only the design and operations of buildings, but also how they impact and influence human behaviors related to health and well-being.

Read the press release