Antwerpen, Belgium

Port House in Antwerp

Our proposal for the new Harbour Authority in Antwerp starts from the consideration of the ancient fire station building in a way that we feel very respectful to it, regarding both the building itself and the tradition on architectural intervention. The project proposes to remove part of the southern wing, the lower central volume, whilst placing a new piece into this place.
This new volume rises in height to propose a new balance in the relationship of the new Havenhuis with the city, proposing a new image – that retrieves the original tower of the 1912 draft – from distant views. This new tower is meant to help defining the image of the harbour, acting as a landmark, linking the area and the city, like a lighthouse or a gateway does.

We believe that this project strengthens the character of the Brandweerkazerne, by preserving its actual shape and materials, not proposing a new isolated building that might assume the main role. Thus raised, the building becomes a unit consisting of an existing basement – built to fit the scale of the neighbourhood, and a tower inserted in this basement, referred to the scale of the city and the harbour, with a greater impact as a signal from distant views. By these terms, the proposal reinforces the connection between the new and the old harbour, much in the same way the building articulates the relationship between the existing building and the new tower.

The solution refers to other architectures that handle similar compositive schemes: in the Brugge Halletoren, the lower part of the building is made to the scale of the square, while the tower refers to the scale of the city. In Antwerp, both the cathedral and the magnificent Boerentoren (KBC-Toren, by Jan Van Hoenacker) adopt similar meanings.

We think it essential to raise the intervention as a unit, to allow the connected use of the whole facility: old part – new part – garage, so as to provide continuity to the circulations, and taking advantage of the original Brandweerkazerne scheme around the yard, which allows to organize the different spaces and offices under the required terms of accessibility and privacy. The physical interconnection will make easier the collaboration between different departments of the Port Authority.

We feel an obligation to rationalize the use and economy, proposing a building that, without renouncing a contemporary language, not subject to the dictates of fashion to use, both in its spatial configuration in the material. A building capable of work spaces comfortable and versatile and allow for easy adaptation to changing organizational and administrative needs. This adaptability is a good example of the current building Brandweerkazerne, with a structure capable of being upgraded to accommodate various uses, some simultaneously, under a classical compositional scheme.
The new proposal, the tower, interacts with the city, the building and the location, but also with the port, with the Scheldt River and surface water Kattendijkdok. The play of reflections on the water is used as a reference composition of the facades as a metaphor, blurring the boundaries between the real object and the object reflected. This ambiguity is reinforced by proposing a sheet of water lying on the seat of the tower, and continued to the edge of the pier.

The tower is based on criteria of efficiency and economy. The structure is the perimeter and is a core rigid that resolves the vertical communication (stairs and elevators). To allow the evacuation through an alternative system of stairs, they are contraapeadas within the main stairwell, saving significant space in the plant. Within this volume are built up – even without taking – the space needed for the successive enlargements of the Havenhuis.
The cladding system consists of a double façade. The interior, glass, solves the insulation while the outer protects against solar radiation. It proposes that a perimeter of breathing space and energy exchange, which can incorporate energy harvesting systems, plants, systems and replacement of air movement, etc.. This site also provides maintenance and cleaning, and serves as an area to facilitate informal contacts or rest of the workers.