NATO’s new headquarters stand for unity and consensus

26/04/2018

The new NATO headquarters are ready. Once again, Belgium will be home to the 29 NATO member states. The gigantic complex symbolises consensus and unity between the member states. With this impressive building, NATO intends to demonstrate the fact that it is a modernising alliance.

The old NATO building was built in 1967 to accommodate 15 member states. The decision to put up a new building was taken during an Atlantic top meeting in 1999. The new building stands opposite the old one, which means that Belgium will once again host these important headquarters.

The architecture of the headquarters has a symbolic value. The building depicts eight interlocking fingers, symbolising consensus between the member states. Similarly the central agora must reinforce the discussion process within the alliance. The building contains offices, a congress centre, a bank, various restaurants and a sports complex.

The member states paid a joint total of 1.1 billion euros for the building, which covers a surface of 252 000 m² (37 football pitches). The move should be complete by mid-June. Meanwhile plenty of staff will be ‘crossing the road’.

NATO stands for North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and was founded after the Second World War to support the North Atlantic Treaty that was signed in 1949 in Washington. NATO serves as a political and military alliance between the European and North American member states. Its headquarters were once based in London and Paris but moved to Brussels in 1967.