The Council of Europe organised a restricted international competition for the restructuring of "Residence Palace". This two-stage competition, following a pre-selection, made on reference files, was open to architects from all European Union member countries. In conformity with the UNESCO/UIA regulations, this competition was approved by the International Union of Architects (UIA).

The subject of the competition was the restructuring, extension, renovation and restoration of block A of the "Residence Palace" housing complex in Brussels (Belgium), of a total surface area of 40 000 m2 currently occupied by offices. Half the building was constructed between 1922 and 1927, by the architect Michel Polak for the financier Lucien Raisin who sought to develop a prestigious collective housing programme. The other part of the building was added in the sixties. Of unquestionable heritage value, certain parts are of the edifice are listed historic monuments.

The restructured complex will house both the Headquarters of the European Council and the Council of Ministers of the European Union. The programme includes meeting rooms, Presidential offices, offices for Member States' delegations and the directors of the Council's General Secretariat, reception rooms, offices for civil servants and other related facilities.

Subject to the agreement of the Delegations of the Member States concerning the results of the competition, the Council of the European Union will entrust the Régie des Bâtiments de l'Etat belge (Belgian state-owned construction company) with the role of overall client for the entire restructuring.

At the end of the first stage, seven projects were selected by the jury to take part in the second stage, the adjudication of which took place in Brussels from 31 August to 2 September 2005. Placed under the presidency of Anastassios Vikas, (Greece), General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union, the jury was composed as follows: Konstantinos Maretheftis (Cyprus), architect; Zoltan J. Varga (Hungary), architect; Yves Goergen (Luxemburg), architect; Mels Crouwel (Netherlands), architect; Jacek Lenart (Poland), architect; Pekka Pelkonen (Finland), engineer – town planner; Hans Evenepoel (Belgium), engineer – architect; Bert de Smedt-Jans (Belgium), engineer ; Pablo Lhoas (Belgium), architect; Guido Stegen (Belgium) architect; Benoît Moritz (Belgium),architect-town planner and nine deputy members. Wilhelm Kuecker (Germany), architect, sat as observer on behalf of the International Union of Architects. Johan Burgers (Netherlands, engineer, competition's Professional and Technical Advisor, assisted the jury as representative of the promoter and to present the Technical Committee's report to the jury. Prior to commencing deliberations, the jury unanimously decided to exclude one of the entries for breach of a number of clauses of the competition regulations and non-respect of the programme.

A public exhibition of all the projects presented for the first and second phases of the competition will be held in Brussels, in the Residence Palace building, 155 rue de la Loi, until 14 November 2005.

First prizewinner: Samyn & Partners (Belgium) Studio Valle Progettazioni (Italy), Buro Happold (United Kingdom)