CFL new headquarters
CFL has chosen the joint venture Félix Giorgetti, CDCL and Poeckes to build its new head office, which will accommodate up to 1,200 employees.
A project with a very interesting architectural and environmental concept that echoes the values of our company. CFL opted for a partial demolition of the old building, which dates from the 1950s, while preserving elements typical of the architecture of the period, such as the main façades overlooking Place de la Gare, the central core, the entrance staircase and the mosaic mural in the entrance hall.
The new building will also boast superior energy performance and is aiming for BREEAM Excellent certification.
24,000 m2
Surface
From 3,5 to 7 m
Widening of the rue du Chemin de fer
Up to 1,200
Employees
A large-scale project
The joint venture Félix Giorgetti, CDCL and Poeckes was chosen by Chemins de fer luxembourgeois to build its new 24,000 m2 head office.
It was also awarded the contract to install the living quarters, as well as cleaning out the old building and stabilising its façades.
Completion of this major project is scheduled for 2026.
Preparatory work
As part of the construction of the new CFL headquarters, our teams widened the Rue du Chemin de Fer.
Nestled between the exit of the Fort Neipperg car park and the platforms of Central Station, the rue du Chemin de Fer will play a very important role in the construction of the new CFL headquarters. It will indeed be the entry point to the site. The road is being widened in two stages, with the first part completed in July 2023. The work involved widening the road and creating an access ramp to allow machinery to reach the site several metres below. The second phase will take place at the end of 2026, when the building is handed over and the ramp becomes an access point for emergency services.
From 3.5 to 7 m wide
The challenge lies in the narrowness of the site, between the car park exit at the top and the station platforms at the bottom. To maintain one-way traffic, an impressive gantry crane was installed, with a 60 m long jib and a hook height of 36 m. Our teams demolished the stairs leading down to a platform, as well as part of the platform and the retaining wall. New foundations were laid to build a new retaining wall, making it possible to extend the road from 3.5 to 7 m in width. The new road rests on 6 m-high mews, beams, predales and slabs cast on site. It is bordered by prefabricated cornices. The asphalt was laid by our partner Julien Cajot.
Night-time challenge to the rhythm of the rails
Following demolition and earthworks, a new major phase has been crossed: the installation of the steel framework, carried out mainly at night, cantilevered 3.5 meters above the railway tracks.
A major technical challenge, carried out at night
Overhanging part of the CFL tracks, the 600-tonne steel framework took shape on the building running alongside the platforms. This structure plays a key role: it serves as the foundation for the extension, optimises space and provides a stable, solid base on which the six upper concrete storeys are currently being built.
To ensure passenger safety and avoid disrupting train services, the operation took place exclusively during the rail network shutdown, between 11.30 pm and 4.30 am. Two to three metal beams, weighing between 15 and 24.5 tonnes, were progressively installed in a cantilevered position 3.5 metres above platform 1. This operation, which required a total of 60 nights of meticulous work, demanded rigorous coordination and maximum efficiency from the teams. It reached its climax with the installation of the heaviest element of the structure, weighing 24.5 tonnes.
The headquarters rises
This stage marks the start of the building’s vertical expansion and gives the headquarters a new silhouette. This ambitious project thus combines modernity, functionality and respect for the architectural heritage of Luxembourg station.
“Congratulations to the crane operator for his composure during these delicate and precise operations.”
Clément Eicher, Site Manager
