Residential Units | Antwerp

Design – competition: 2017

Design: Residential Units

Location: Antwerp (BE)

Client: Cores Development

Team: Thomas Offermans | Xenofon Moraitis | Luciënne | Dorine Van derPlog | Willem Lucassen

Filling the gap

In 2017 the office of JCAU was selected to participate in a competition for the design of a residential block in Antwerp. The site is located in the Eilandje district, along the river Scheldt opposite of the ‘Museum ann de Stroom’ (MAS) by  Neutelings Riedijk Architects.  The design had to replace an existing office building situated at the edge of very well defined periphery around the MAS. For this reason the chosen approach had to complete the context in an elegant and contemporary way but without competing too much with the protagonist of the situation, the MAS. Another two critical requirements that shaped the final form of the project was the studio’s intent to provide great views for all the apartments, resulting in varying angles and height differences within the volume. And the request from the client to maintain the existing gas station, which needed direct connection with the main street.

After careful consideration of the district’s typology the positions of the tower and the inner garden were selected finalizing the design. The result was a sober yet dynamic shape that responded both to its context and its programmatic requirements, gracefully filling the gap with out being ostentatious.