Sobinco Campus

Sobinco Campus

DROM and CCXD | Cédric Van Parys, based in Rotterdam and Brussels respectively, have transformed Sobinco’s flagship offices and factory in Zulte, Belgium, into a human-centered industrial campus that redefines what contemporary industry can look and feel like. This bold expansion doubles the original factory to 50,679 m² and establishes a new standard for the architecture of industry.

Sobinco is a full-cycle manufacturer of certified, high-quality window and door fittings. Its production process is vertically integrated, meaning that everything—from engineering to manufacturing, assembly, and testing—takes place under one roof. The architects’ (DROM x CCXD) approach is to reshape the factory into an industrial campus, guided by a strategic master plan that organizes programs and functions into distinct buildings, each with its own architectural character and investment focus. The completed campus features a golden terminal with offices and a production hall, a state-of-the-art warehouse, a connector building, a canteen, and its most striking architectural statement: The Sobinco Tower.

Architecture

The Golden Terminal is envisioned as a single, functional yet refined industrial shed — strategically opened to reveal the production process, promote transparency, and clearly separate the office and manufacturing spaces. The Terminal Production Hall accommodates the expanded assembly department and features a structurally expressive open hangar with abundant daylight and clear views across the workspace. The three-level Terminal Office Building houses the R&D and commercial departments, as well as meeting and exhibition spaces. Both buildings are dressed in a corrugated metal façade with a finish that shifts color with the weather—blending into the sky on overcast days and taking on warmer, golden tones in sunlight. On the office building, this façade forms a perforated double skin allowing the interior light to glow softly through. The Sobinco Tower is conceived as a monumental artwork translated into architecture. Composed of three stacked steel-frame boxes wrapped around a concrete core, the tower will become the creative heart of the campus — an elevated meeting space for brainstorming sessions. Inspired by the idea of a constructivist radio tower, this architectural folly offers a refuge for undisturbed work with a 360° panoramic view. The campus is organized around a clearly defined pedestrian route paved with large pink concrete tiles. This pathway guides visitors and workers from the original Sobinco buildings to the new area, culminating in a courtyard filled with natural greenery, an elegant spiral staircase, and a terrace offering peaceful spaces for workers.

By transforming a traditional factory site into a holistic industrial campus, the project gives Sobinco a contemporary and distinctive identity as it expands into international markets. The result is a place that amplifies innovation, visibility, and brand presence—positioning the campus not only as a center of production but also as a symbol of forward-thinking industrial design.