# ANTWERPEN | Projects & Construction



## JanVL (Jun 25, 2012)

*Welcome on this thread*

This thread will contain the updates on the various projects going on in the beautiful city of Antwerp. 
Or like people from Antwerp tend to call it: 'The Real City of Belgium, the rest is parking."  

I would like to start with a brief introduction to Antwerp.










Antwerpen is the capital of the Flemish province of Flanders and is the second biggest city in Belgium, after Brussels, with 502.604 inhabitants. But since Belgium is built in a dense way, specially Flanders, you could imply that the urban/metro are, or easier said, the people that depend on the city, reaches easily more than a million. 










Antwerpen, in English Antwerp, is a crucial economic part of Flanders. The Port of Antwerp is the second biggest in Europe, after the one in Rotterdam. On world scale it varies from the 11th to the 20th, based on which statistic you take a look at. The second biggest petrochemical complex in the world can be found here. Antwerp is also one of the world's centers of the diamond business, hosting a large number diamond traders and no less than 4 diamond bourses. It is also an important transport hub. The jobless rate in Antwerp is currently 16.0%. 

A few shots of Antwerp so you are able to visualize it:

*Old Market*









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*City Hall*









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*Panorama*









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*The main shopping street: Meir*









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*The Central Station*









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*Groenplaats and Cathedral*









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*Port of Antwerp*









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## JanVL (Jun 25, 2012)

*Built over the last years - MAS*

The MAS-museum (Dutch: Museum aan de Stroom / English: Museum at the River) was opened in May 2011. It tells the story of the city and focuses on lots of aspects of Antwerp: Power, Life, Death, the Port, ... It is currently the biggest museum of Antwerp.

The other attraction in it is the free panoramic viewpoint on its roof, where you can have a beautiful view on the city from 65 m height.



> The 60 metre high MAS, was designed by Neutelings Riedijk Architects. The façade is made of Indian red sandstone and curved glass panel construction. The MAS houses 470,000 objects, most of which are kept in storage. The first visitor's gallery is the "visible store", which contains 180,000 items.[1] The building replaces the Hanzehuis which used to stand on the exact same spot. International merchants worked and receded at the Hanzehuis. In the nineteenth century a fire destroyed the building.


 - wikipedia-

It is located in the old port called _Het Eilandje_, 'The Island'. This part of the city was neglected for quite some time, but is now the place to be. The old port buildings are being transformed into lofts, new residential towers are being build as well as offices. The MAS, as well as the Red Star Line museum which will be showed later, give this are a cultural life too.









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## JanVL (Jun 25, 2012)

*Red Star Line Museum*

The Red Star Line Museum opened on 'The Island' last month, close to the MAS museum, in the old warehouses of the company. It tells the story of the Red Star Line, the shipping company that transferred thousands of migrants from all over Europe to America. 









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## MikeVegas (Sep 12, 2002)

Nice post. Thanks for sharing.


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## JLAG (Mar 18, 2010)

Love Antwerp so great initiative. I will definitely subscribe to the thread.


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## el palmesano (May 27, 2006)

what about that project??

I want they build that!!!




> Montevideo Warehouses, Antwerp*
> *
> 
> 
> ...


http://np-bridging.com/projects/projects/montevideo-warehouses-antwerp/


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## JanVL (Jun 25, 2012)

el palmesano said:


> what about that project??
> 
> I want they build that!!!
> 
> ...


At the moment it looks like this:










There are rumours that construction could start next year .


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## JanVL (Jun 25, 2012)

*'Kattendijktorens' - 6 Towers at the Kattendijk U/C*

Next to the Red Star Line Museum, so in the part 't Eilandje (The Island) a big project with 6 residential towers, all 60 meters high, is going on. Currently, 2 towers have been completed in 2009. 

Tower 3 is being built, and the ground for towers 4, 5 and 6 is being prepared. 

*Renders*














































*Towers 3-4-5-6*



Dargo said:


> Gisteren nog wat foto's genomen. Huidige stand Toren 3
> 
> 
> 
> ...


*Towers 1 & 2*









By Puinkabouter









By Meurisse


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## JanVL (Jun 25, 2012)

*Spoor Noord Towers - 88m & 78m & 70m*

In the Nothern part of the city, a complex of three office towers is currently being build. 










*Current*









By Ivan



Kendesa said:


> 01/09


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## Thermo (Oct 25, 2005)

JanVL said:


> Next to the Red Star Line Museum, so in the part 't Eilandje (The Island) a big project with 6 residential towers, all 60 meters high, is going on. Currently, 2 towers have been completed in 2009.
> 
> Tower 3 is being built, and the ground for towers 4, 5 and 6 is being prepared.
> 
> *Renders*


This is the final design of the towers (sorry for the 'big' picture):









More: http://www.westkaai456.be/

Some other projects in the same area:

ZNA Hospital + residential towers:




(skip first 1:30)

Artesis College:








More: http://www.campusspoornoord.be/pers/3d-impressie.htm

Port House (by Zaha Hadid):


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## el palmesano (May 27, 2006)

JanVL said:


> At the moment it looks like this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


nice! haha


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## El_Greco (Apr 1, 2005)

The industrial stuff looks great, I'm a big fan of these sort of conversions.


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## Kendesa (Dec 10, 2007)

Provinciehuis





















Actual situation


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## Kendesa (Dec 10, 2007)

Cadix site 































Hanzenatie




















Cadiz



















Depot cadix



















Kadox










Cadix Factory










Cadixdock



















D2


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## desertpunk (Oct 12, 2009)

*Havenhuis - 2/08/15*


Belgium, Antwerp, construction site of the new Havenhuis designed by architect Zaha Hadid by Michaël Jacobs, on Flickr


Belgium, Antwerp, construction site of the new Havenhuis designed by architect Zaha Hadid by Michaël Jacobs, on Flickr


Wild!


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## desertpunk (Oct 12, 2009)

*Nieuw Havenhuis - 4/18*


Belgium, Antwerp, Nieuw Havenhuis designed by Zaha Hadid by Michaël Jacobs, on Flickr


Belgium, Antwerp, Nieuw Havenhuis designed by Zaha Hadid by Michaël Jacobs, on Flickr


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## erbse (Nov 8, 2006)

Antwerp is an impressive place, breathing great Flemish and European history. I just wish they'd do more to develop the free old world charme further, come up with a new vernacular style, interpreting the grand Flemish patrician houses (like these) and harbour buildings. Not with the same bland non-descript modernism we see popping up all around the world.



JanVL said:


> There are rumours that construction could start next year .


Did they start work on the Montevideo Warehouses in 2014?


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## JanVL (Jun 25, 2012)

erbse said:


> Did they start work on the Montevideo Warehouses in 2014?


Not yet unfortunately.


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## JanVL (Jun 25, 2012)

Lente-ui said:


> Eens vanuit een andere hoek



..


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## JanVL (Jun 25, 2012)

Dequal said:


> ​


..


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## Neric007 (Feb 5, 2015)

Thermo said:


> AG Vespa is the city agency responsible for lots of (big and small) renovation and city renewal projects.
> 
> This is another small one. They have bought some (empty) upper floors on the prestigious Meir avenue and have turned 'm into apartments. If a private company would do this, these apartments would be far too expensive for 'normal' people to pay. Now they are for rent at democratic prices.


I could definitely see myself living there !

Great projects overall besides ! Haven't been in Antwerpen for more than 10 years, will hopefully get to return soon.


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## Thermo (Oct 25, 2005)

Merry Christmas from Antwerp 🎄






Some exciting projects are coming in the next year(s). Stay tuned!


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## Thermo (Oct 25, 2005)

Not far from the Park Spoor Noord (see page 3), a former industrial area around an old abattoir is getting a makeover.




















The old abattoir:



















The masterplan





































Final renders


























































































Antwerpen krijgt nieuwe groene buurt


Tussen het Lobroekdok en Park Spoor Noord in Antwerpen groeit een bruisende nieuwe buurt met groot park en levendige pleinen. Een gezellige wijk met appartementen en (duplex)woningen op wandelafstand van winkels en openbaar vervoer.




www.slachthuis-antwerpen.be


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## spoortje nijverdal (Sep 21, 2019)

Heel erg mooi.....


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## Thermo (Oct 25, 2005)

Thermo said:


> *Nieuw Zuid* (New South) developments
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Small update on the above ^^ project: last week, the final design of the river bank park next to the Nieuw Zuid developments was presented.

It's about this green space between the buildings and the water:

































































































__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1511612333570863104


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## Thermo (Oct 25, 2005)

Not the most appealing project, yet it's said to be the biggest construction site in Europe at the moment: the Oosterweel (rind road) project. Some recent pics:


DSC_0293.jpg by Jeroen van Lieshout, on Flickr

DSC_0285.jpg by Jeroen van Lieshout, on Flickr

DSC_0266.jpg by Jeroen van Lieshout, on Flickr

DSC_0265.jpg by Jeroen van Lieshout, on Flickr

DSC_0203.jpg by Jeroen van Lieshout, on Flickr

DSC_0272.jpg by Jeroen van Lieshout, on Flickr

DSC_0179.jpg by Jeroen van Lieshout, on Flickr

DSC_0034.jpg by Jeroen van Lieshout, on Flickr

DSC_0001.jpg by Jeroen van Lieshout, on Flickr

DSC_0005.jpg by Jeroen van Lieshout, on Flickr

DSC_0004.jpg by Jeroen van Lieshout, on Flickr

DSC_0012.jpg by Jeroen van Lieshout, on Flickr

DSC_0009.jpg by Jeroen van Lieshout, on Flickr

DSC_0021.jpg by Jeroen van Lieshout, on Flickr

DSC_0278.jpg by Jeroen van Lieshout, on Flickr



















DSC_0002.jpg by Jeroen van Lieshout, on Flickr

DSC_0185.jpg by Jeroen van Lieshout, on Flickr










DSC_0008.jpg by Jeroen van Lieshout, on Flickr










DSC_0013.jpg by Jeroen van Lieshout, on Flickr

Project overview: De Oosterweelverbinding doet 't Stad herademen | De Oosterweelverbinding


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## Thermo (Oct 25, 2005)

Another part of the river bank got its final design (green spaces + a memorial wall)

Current mess:










Plan:
























































The former port/pilotage building will be turned into a 'Flemish culinary center' (whatever that means...)


















Bonapartedok en Loodswezen


Gebiedsontwikkeling Loodswezensite Het Bonapartedok en de gebiedsontwikkeling rond het Loodswezen is een van de zeven deelgebieden van de Scheldekaaien. Het gebied bevindt zich in het noorden van de stad, op het Eilandje. De kaaistrook ter hoogte van het Bonapartedok en het Loodswezen vormt een...




www.agvespa.be


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## Thermo (Oct 25, 2005)

The first part of the new 'Central Park' was recently opened to the public.










It's the left part on this map ^^

Reminder: this whole space used to be a car park... 😵



















Today:

















































































AG Vespa


AG Vespa, Антверпен. Отметки "Нравится": 4 242 · Обсуждают: 11 · Посетили: 44. Vastgoed en stadsprojecten voor Antwerpen




www.facebook.com


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## soren5en (Oct 26, 2009)

_Antwerp City Hall_
_HUB / Bureau Bouwtechnieck / Origin Architecture and Engineering ( 2022 )
by Stijn Bollaert
divisare.com_


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## ZeusUpsistos (Jun 26, 2017)

What a weird project.








Studio Libeskind set to add angular extension to Antwerp art deco tower


Daniel Libeskind's studio has designed an extension for the iconic Boerentoren tower in Antwerp as part of a competition-winning renovation proposal.




www.dezeen.com


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## KlausDiggy (Jan 21, 2013)

No, please no


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## Thermo (Oct 25, 2005)

It still has to be approved by a lot of government/architectural/planning... agencies so I don't think it will be built as on the above renders...

But yeah, quite surprising that this 'shocking' design has won from the more respectful others. Here's an overview of the other proposals:

(Reminder: this is how the tower looks today)










- Noa Architects




























- Binst Architects















































- FVWW

















- Bold



















- META










- JUXTA





























To be continued I guess...


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## franciscoc (Feb 7, 2012)

But I understand that being the first skyscraper to be built in Europe, together with the Madrid Telefónica tower, it has a sufficient degree of heritage protection to prevent an addition that would distort the building. It's also a disaster for Antwerp's historic skyline.


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## gstark0 (Nov 13, 2019)

franciscoc said:


> But I understand that being the first skyscraper to be built in Europe, together with the Madrid Telefónica tower


How do you define a skyscraper in this case?


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## franciscoc (Feb 7, 2012)

gstark0 said:


> How do you define a skyscraper in this case?


There´s debate and controversy because there are other towers before but perhaps the first buildings with a language and a construction system influenced by the Chicago School and that reached at a height between 85-90 meters in Europe.
What is certain is that the Boerentoren tower would be in any classification and is iconic enough in the collective imagination to have an absolute degree of protection.


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## Archinatic (Aug 11, 2020)

ZeusUpsistos said:


> What a weird project.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Even disregarding it being an old monument I do wonder how a designer can look at this and think it looks good? It's like the only design consideration was to look as weird and contrasty as possible. Just cause something looks unique doesn't make it pleasing to the eyes.


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## Mr Bricks (May 6, 2005)

ZeusUpsistos said:


> What a weird project.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


What is wrong with these architects? Are they just trolling at this point?


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## Pitchoune (Jun 17, 2009)

Even weirder are the people that selected Libeskind project as the winning project. Who are these people ? They must be from Antwerp so this is totally unforgivable. I hope it will get rejected!


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## el palmesano (May 27, 2006)

is it a joke?? or what??


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