Apartments LB

Client: AG Vespa
Location: Antwerp
Realization: 2004 – 2010
Design team: David Driesen, Tom Verschueren, Valerie Lonnoy
Structural engineer: ASB
Photography: Bart Gosselin
Size: 650 m²
Publications


This development is included in the ground- and building management of the city of Antwerp. Starting from 2003 the autonomous city-company AG Vespa systematically buys disused slum dwellings in decayed parts of the city, in order to replace them for small-scale projects of contemporary architecture.

The Lange Beeldekensstraat is situated in the 19th century street-zone of the city of Antwerp. Characteristic for the evolution of the streetscape is the disappearance of the 19th century architecture with its typical vertical windows, the horizontal borders and façades in light colours.

The building program and design of this new volume anticipates on the whimsical form of the building site and the adjacent vast apartment building. A compact building volume, a simple structure, flexible possibilities to fill in spaces and low maintenance materials express sustainability. The façades, per floor designed in several types of white brick, separated by an aluminum profile, and the rhythmic pattern of the vertical windows honouring the 19th century.

The building program and design of this new volume anticipates on the whimsical form of the building site and the adjacent vast apartment building. A compact building volume, a simple structure, flexible possibilities to fill in spaces and low maintenance materials express sustainability. The façades, per floor designed in several types of white brick, separated by an aluminum profile, and the rhythmic pattern of the vertical windows honouring the 19th century.