The city of Antwerp is providing a new building for Kadee childcare, with room for 144 children in 8 living groups. This was necessary due to the aging of the current site, which no longer met contemporary standards. The new Kadee, together with Parkvilla and Brabbel childcare facilities, will be the largest childcare location in Antwerp. The Antwerp firm Vermeiren-De Coster Architecten was appointed by AG Vespa as the architect of the new project. If everything goes according to plan, the new building will be completed at the end of 2024.
The Antwerp municipal company AG Vespa has started the construction of a new modern site for Kadee childcare, combining an inspiring indoor space with a green and adventurous outdoor space. Kadee is also surrounded by greenery, due to its location on the Kielpark. The site takes up less surface area, which increases the public domain.
CLT structure
Kadee’s current location will not be closed during the works, so that there is no shortage of child places. By dividing the construction project into different phases, 6 living groups remain in use at all times. The new building will largely consist of CLT: a pre-made wooden structure. This requires more preparation, but the construction is faster than with more traditional construction methods. The impact on Kadee’s operations is thus kept to a minimum.
Phasing
The new basement for Kadee has already been built, the next phase is now starting: construction above ground. The new building is scheduled for completion at the end of 2024. The second part of Kadee will then be demolished in the spring of 2025 and the surrounding area will be redeveloped.
Sustainable design
Some sustainable solutions were included in the design, such as a heat pump as the main heating system, ecological facade insulation and wooden cladding. The new building will also be equipped with an extensive green roof and be built with a circular system of interior walls and roof finishing, which can be easily dismantled and reused in the future. Finally, the compact plan structure with a rational structure also provides the possibility of broad and multiple use.
