Apartment building in Antwerp by Kempe Thill

A pair of German architects who opened their practice sixteen years ago in Rotterdam, Netherlands, have been invited to collaborate on a housing project in the newly developed district of Nieuw Zuid in the southwestern part of Antwerp, Belgium. The urban ensemble Nieuw Zuid comes from the Milan-based studio Secchi Viganó. The site is located on the banks of the Scheldt River at the site of a former railway. The complex consists of an open block development that aligns with the adjacent 19th-century buildings. The minimalist structure was created in collaboration with the local studio POLO Architects. The strict black concrete grid with large-format glazing and a serious appearance targets the middle class, which, after decades in satellite neighborhoods in Flanders, is announcing a return to urban centers without having to compromise on their spatial demands. Tranquil living in greenery also offers pedestrian access to the center. Above two levels of underground parking, the ground floor of the building features a trio of commercial spaces. A pair of core communication shafts leads to five above-ground floors with two to four units on each landing. The building contains a total of 32 apartments, whose layouts are enhanced by glazed winter gardens with a depth of 2.6 meters.

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