30 Oct 2007

Living la dolce vita

Thanks to ASSA ABLOY Belgium, Dolce International hotel guests can enjoy their stay in safety and security.

Belgium’s four-star hotel, resort and conference center Dolce La Hulpe, in the heart of the Sonian forest 15 km southeast of Brussels, offers the highest standards of Dolce International. The Belgian architectural firm Atelier de Genval transformed what was once an IBM site into 40 conference rooms and a hotel with 264 rooms, including 83 suites, all equipped with the latest technology.

From the beginning of the project in 2005, ASSA ABLOY Belgium worked with the hotel management, the general contractor and the architects of Atelier de Genval. The goal was to meet the different requirements of safety, security, convenience, design and budget. The solution equipped 2000 doors with mechanical Litto locks, cylinders, handles and door closers. The 264 hotel guestrooms were secured by VingCard locks.

 “Only by working closely together is it possible to find and establish a door schedule with the most appropriate locking and hardware solutions,” says Alexandra Quix, Architect Adviser and Marketing Director at ASSA ABLOY Belgium. “The main challenge was to develop a solution that would meet a combination of design, technical and social requirements as well as offer varying grades of security, safety and functionality,” she says. 

The Belgian contractor Besix is famous for its impressive realizations worldwide such as the new sport city tower in Doha and the Burj Dubai, expected to be the world’s tallest building.  “We are impressed by ASSA ABLOY and the competence of its staff,” says Besix Project Manager Geoffrey Godart. “We contacted ASSA ABLOY at the beginning of the project and invited them to join every project meeting together with the subcontractors”.