Antwerp Alderman for Urban Development Annick De Ridder has given the long-awaited starting signal for the preparatory works of “the most family-friendly construction project in Antwerp”. In 2019, AG Vespa launched a competition for a project that would focus on a family-friendly development in the emerging Cadix district. Of the 27 entries, the proposal from the Limburg family business Dethier, designed by the Antwerp firm BULK Architects and General Architecture from Sweden, best matched the vision of the city and the neighborhood.
Construction program
Residence Terhaven, right next to the renovated Schengen Square, consists of 59 apartments spread over four residential buildings, each with its own unique character. There are also 8 town houses provided. The project also includes four commercial spaces that connect to Schengen Square, a green courtyard of almost 500 square meters, 445 square meters of communal outdoor space spread over two roof gardens and two multifunctional shared spaces.
“The building will be seven storeys high on the four corners, with its own entrance and characteristics,” says Kevin Dethier from project developer Dethier. “Lower buildings are being built in between, also on the waterfront, which is the most expensive space. But we wanted to prevent the courtyard and the apartments behind it from enjoying maximum sunlight. In addition, we can now provide a large roof terrace in the most beautiful spot of the entire project, which connects to a shared multi-purpose room with a kitchen and all kinds of facilities. This way, all residents can enjoy the view of the water and the recently constructed new pontoon.”
Inspiration from Sweden
Project developer Dethier found inspiration for their design in Scandinavia. By joining forces with Antwerp’s BULK Architects and Swedish General Architecture, a refreshing vision of cohabitation was created that still feels familiar. First of all, the apartments are a lot larger than average, from 120, 140 to 160 square meters, and have two, three and even four bedrooms.
“There is a wide variety of typologies within the range, ranging from studios to spacious four-bedroom apartments“, says Philip Carens, head of project development at Dethier. “The city council requires that there be at least 30 percent of apartments with three or more bedrooms, but we opted for more than 50 percent because we are convinced that there is a need for this, especially in a city like Antwerp.”
Slide to courtyard garden
Each unit is equipped with a spacious private terrace. There is also a green courtyard of 475 square meters, which can be reached not only by stairs but also by a slide. “The lifts will be wider – useful for strollers but also for wheelchair users, for example”, Carens continues. To encourage cycling, a bicycle shed for 260 bicycles will be provided above ground. All cars then disappear from the street scene to an underground car park with 87 spaces.
Two communal heat pumps and solar panels, in combination with underfloor heating and cooling, ensure energy-efficient apartments with an E-level of up to 20. Furthermore, the building is BREEAM certified, a label that indicates the sustainability of the building. Not only in techniques, but throughout the entire construction process.
