Located to the north of Italiëlei (the northern segment of the major boulevard of Antwerp), this new residential development stands 8 storeys high with ground level commercial function.
The site is situated at a busy junction, where the new development of ‘The Island’ meets Park Spoor Noord. The building’s form reflects the typical building profile in the area with 6 storeys to the building line and 2 receding storeys above. In this move the street line is recovered in a balanced manner.
To the rear of the commercial space sits a single storey, wheelchair accessible, patio-type dwelling. This dwelling is covered with an extensive green roof.
The living rooms of the apartments on the upper levels are located to the sunny, streetside of the site. A setback terrace, the width of the façade, acts both as sun protection and as a buffer to the noise from the street below. The façade is a self-supporting structure, consisting of smooth, white-concrete prefabricated elements. The rear elevation is built in white concrete blocks that match the separating boundary walls.
In a compact and efficient manner both the vertical circulation and the sanitary functions are located centrally. With the exception of the top level, all the dwellings (90m²) contain three bedrooms and a living room with direct access to a sun terrace. The plan of the apartment on the seventh floor is mirrored, with its living room and terrace to the rear of the site. This dwelling (77m²) has two bedrooms on the streetside.
useable surface: 1074 m² (8 residences + commercial ground floor)
design: 2005
realisation: 2008 - 2009
