Zaha Hadid Architects have won a competition to design the new headquarters of Antwerp Port Authority in Antwerp, Belgium.
The 12,800 square metre development consists of an glazed extension above the former fire station, supported asymmetrically on three concrete pillars.
Clad in glass and aluminium, the 46 metre-high extension overlooks the city and port.
The building will house approximately 500 staff; the refurbished, existing building will house public counters, offices and meeting rooms, while the five-storey extension will comprise an auditorium and restaurant, as well as additional offices and meeting rooms.
The following information is from Zaha Hadid Architects:
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Top international architect Zaha Hadid to design new Port House
The future headquarters of Antwerp Port Authority will be designed by the London firm of Zaha Hadid Architects. The choice of architect was made at the Port Authority board meeting on 13 January. The new Port House will occupy the site of the technical services building on quay 63.
The Port Authority aims to make its operations more efficient by centralising the administrative and technical services which are now divided between the Port House and quay 63. The new headquarters will also solve the pressing shortage of workspace in the present Port House on the Entrepot quay. Some 500 people will be able to move into the new building when it is completed in 2013.
In addition to offering better accommodation, the future Port House will contribute to further development and upgrading of the part of the city known as Het Eilandje. The brief for the new building specified that it had to symbolise the Port of Antwerp as a world port and economic driver of Flanders and the Antwerp area. It also had to be built according to the principles of sustainability.
In selecting the architect it was decided to use the Open Call for Tender procedure of the Flemish Government Architect’s team. The procedure was launched in December 2007, and nearly 100 architectural firms responded. A shortlist of five firms was chosen:
- Consortium of TV A2O Architecten / Atelier Kempe Thill / Marcq & Roba / BEG from Hassel, Belgium
- Vier Arquitectos from La Coruña, Spain
- Xaveer De Geyter Architects from Brussels
- Zaha Hadid Architects from London
- Rapp + Rapp from Rotterdam.
The jury/board of directors finally opted for the proposal by Zaha Hadid Architects, because:
- the design preserves as much as possible of the dignity of the present building as a monument, adding a new object to the site;
- the board and its advisors had confidence in a team such as Zaha Hadid Architects being able to further develop the project so as to achieve a high quality end result that can act as a “shop window” for the Port Authority.
The estimated construction cost is 31.5 million euros excluding VAT and architect’s fees. This includes all the work for an office building with around 12,000 m² of floorspace for around 500 people, together with underground parking for 300 or so cars.
The new building fits in with the Port Authority’s future-oriented investment policy. At the same board meeting it was also decided to purchase four tugs as part of a renewal series of nine. And of course there will be further investments in infrastructure for expansion and renovation of the port. The various Flemish port authorities are currently holding discussions with the Flemish Government about financing for basic port infrastructure.
The new Port House forms part of a programme of improvements to the Port Authority’s own buildings. In addition to various renovation and new construction work that has already been carried out, a public call for tender has been issued for the new VTS (Vehicle Traffic Service) building beside the Zandvliet lock.
The winning design and project team for the new Port House
Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects (London, UK)
Project support: Bureau Bouwtechniek (Antwerp, Belgium)
Stability: Studieburo Mouton (Ghent, Belgium)
Restoration: Origin (Brussels, Belgium)
Special technology: Ingenium (Brugge, Belgium)
Acoustics: Daidalos Peutz (Leuven, Belgium)
Design proposal
The design team from Zaha Hadid Architects proposed a very dynamic architecture that strikes up a dialogue with the Oosterweel road link, with the Lange Wapper bridge forming a backdrop to the New Port House. With its unique design, its facade architecture and its height of 46 metres, the new Port Authority will be an iconic building, visible from many different directions.
The concept is a free interpretation of a beam-shaped volume raised above the existing fire brigade building and supported on three sculptured concrete pillars housing the stairs and lifts. Two of the pillars are situated on the covered inner courtyard of the firehouse, while the third is located beside an external support point and consists of a panoramic lift shaft.
The new volume is oriented North-South parallel to the Kattendijk dock. The head of the building on the South side is a frame that looks towards the city and clearly marks the start of the port area.
The outside walls are made up of glass triangles, some transparent and some reflecting. These do not all lie in the same plane but are rotated slightly with respect to one another, creating an attractive reflecting play of incoming light in a reference to Antwerp’s diamond industry.
The present firehouse will be kept free of building all around, so that the four outside walls will be fully respected. As for the arrangement of the inside spaces, consultations will be held with Flanders Real Estate Heritage and the Monuments department of the City of Antwerp to determine whether open-plan offices (as laid down in the schedule of requirements) are possible, either partly or throughout.
The inner courtyard will be roofed over at the height of the second story so as to create an enclosed interior space. This central entrance hall will be considered as a semi-public space, with various enquiry desks (Personnel department, Harbourmaster’s Office, Planning Permission & Environment Permit office and Port Dues payment desk) integrated in the inside wall portals.
A sculptural, sloping roof unites an underground lobby with the covered inner court. Access to the underground car park is an important aspect of the overall concept, with the loading & unloading bays and the refuse handling facilities also located here. The car park has space for 300 or so cars and consists of a single underground level. The design of the square can be arranged so that daylight is allowed to enter. The above-ground layout forms part of a design project that is being carried out in consultation with the city departments responsible, with the main imperative being to “preserve the visual quality of the outside spaces in the Het Eilandje area.”
The open plan offices are indeed very open, so that office staff will have a great impression of space with a view along the various outside walls. The concept for the open plan office also allows for small areas in which to hold meetings, along with separate study offices.
The new Port House, Antwerp, Belgium
Zaha Hadid Architects
The Antwerp Port Authority will build its new headquarters – the future Port House – on the boundary between the city of Antwerp and its harbour.
Program
The new Antwerp Port Authority headquarters will house approximately 500 staff (currently working in separate buildings) in a single new building that comprises a former fire station and the new extension.
From a central lobby, which also operates as an exhibition space, staff and visitors have direct access to the public counters, offices and meeting rooms in the refurbished fire station, whilst the offices, meeting rooms, auditorium and panoramic restaurant in the new extension are also accessed directly from this central lobby.
In total the new Port House design is 12,800m2 (gross): 6,600m2 in the refurbished Fire Station, and 6,200m2 in the extension. The maximum dimensions of the new building extension are 111m length, 24m width and 46m height (5 additional floors).
Design
The new Port House design consists of two entities: the existing fire station and a new crystalline volume lifted above the retained building. Together they form an impressive new landmark as the headquarters of the Antwerp Port Authority, overlooking the city and port, and symbolizing Antwerp as a port of global importance and a major economic driver of region.
The new extension is positioned asymmetrically over the central glazed courtyard of the existing fire station, allowing light to enter the heart of the building. The extension is supported by three sculpted concrete pillars that house the stairs and lifts. Two of the pillars land on the ground within the courtyard, while the third lands outside the existing building and houses a panoramic lift shaft.
The new building’s volume is enclosed by articulated surfaces that have a façade of glass and aluminium panels, reflecting the surroundings during the day and transforming into a radiating crystal at night. The panels do not all lie in the same plane but are rotated slightly with respect to one another, reflecting light from these facets – a reference to Antwerp’s diamond industry.
Competition
Invited competition, organised by the Flemish Government Architect.
1st Prize: Zaha Hadid Architects
Other Competitors:
- Xaveer De Geyter Architects bvba
- Rapp+Rapp bv
- Vier Arquitectos sl
- A2O architecten
Start Competition: June 2008
Submission date: September 2008
Decision: January 2009
Jury:
- Marcel Smets (head of Jury)
- Kristiaan Borret
- Marc Van Peel
- Eddy Bruyninckx
- Greet Bernaers
- Sigrid Fruytier
- Maarten Schmitt
Zaha Hadid Architects
Design: Zaha Hadid and Patrik Schumacher
Project Architect: Joris Pauwels
Project Team: Kristof Crolla, Sebastien Delagrange, Paulo Flores,
Daniel Santos, Lulu Aldihani
Consultants
Local Architect: Bureau Bouwtechniek
Structural Engineers: Studieburo Mouton bvba
Services Engineers: Ingenium nv & Daidalos Peutz
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Posted by Rose Etherington
January 21st, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Subtle integration between new and old!
January 21st, 2009 at 2:28 pm
one of the best works by zaha in a while! The radial dematerialization of the facade is really stunning.
January 21st, 2009 at 2:35 pm
As a massing it odd, and seems out of scale… not to mention at least give us an actual view standing at 6′-0″ and turn the lens length back to at lease 35mm…
January 21st, 2009 at 2:39 pm
it looks like a giant futuristic insect crapping on history
January 21st, 2009 at 2:41 pm
This is incredibly ugly. No respect to the surroundings and the old building underneath.
January 21st, 2009 at 3:02 pm
I have to say, even though I like most Zaha Hadid works, this one leaves me cold. The new building seems out of place with the old.
January 21st, 2009 at 3:13 pm
there’s a lot of polemic in Antwerp about this bridge by the way …
January 21st, 2009 at 3:42 pm
this on looks a bit like old coop himmelblauw..
January 21st, 2009 at 3:51 pm
Gee, I just don’t know. I have really mixed feeling about this. I understand what the architects are trying to get at with the ship-like profile and all … and by itself the new building looks pretty interesting. But perched atop the grand old structure like that? Seems like a major clusterf*ck to me.
January 21st, 2009 at 4:03 pm
huh, I think it’s a “little” bit to much…
January 21st, 2009 at 4:28 pm
a lebbeus woods project finally gets build through the power of zaha swoops?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bldgblog/1473875177/sizes/m/in/set-72157602238729872/
January 21st, 2009 at 4:39 pm
a group of us in the office declared this project “dogs mating”. What are they thinking? Itlooks like such a joke. Can they really get away with this?
January 21st, 2009 at 4:46 pm
haha it does look like an insect.
January 21st, 2009 at 6:31 pm
The facade is nice but this is out of scale and scary. I don’t like it at all, though I’m usually a hude fan of Zaha Hadid
January 21st, 2009 at 6:48 pm
Looks like an out of control and very large and fast speed boat hit a wave and skipped up on top if this building and got stuck…oorrrrr….the boat is being launched from the top of the building. Either way it’s wacky!
January 21st, 2009 at 6:58 pm
Hey! Someone docked their yacht on top of my building!
January 21st, 2009 at 8:37 pm
quite strange, the giant leg standing on an other giant leg with a shoe on top…
January 21st, 2009 at 8:49 pm
The form and the facade dematerialization remind me of a flame..for this reason i don’t like that “leg” outside the building…i know that without it it would probabily be impossible to sustain the building, but without it it would be better, lighter, and more respectful of the sorrounding…
January 21st, 2009 at 10:11 pm
whats up with all the triangles?
January 21st, 2009 at 10:12 pm
The integration between the new and the old is dramatic. Modern fluidity through the more static historic elements adds a great new level of interest and life to the entire site. The new architecture, by being so unique, makes the original building more solid and historically important.
January 21st, 2009 at 11:59 pm
how can you say this is subtle?? it is a really original idea but definitely not subtle
January 22nd, 2009 at 12:38 am
WTF, that is shocking I can’t believe they want that
January 22nd, 2009 at 12:54 am
… it makes me cry…
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:11 am
Wicked – except triangles??
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:40 am
Awful! One building rudely humping another…somebody has dominance issues.
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:26 am
Zaha probably has a precompiled shapes catalogue where she has been recently picking up her ’shapes’ from. Are the capitalist markets killing the artist in her? Any of her recent buildings can be picked up like metal containers and dropped onto any sites around the world. Has the manifestation of modern brand(ished) architectures’ practice come down to this? No wonder we will see ‘takeaway’ in a box buildings from her soon which come with instructions on how to assemble.
Personally I would have loved to see some language/interpretation carried from the ‘old’ historic to the ‘new’ futuristic. This is more of one step in past, the other step in future and a ‘little wee’ on present.
I hope some of the parametric geeks in ZHA are reading the comments here……
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:53 am
it is a horror.
January 22nd, 2009 at 5:11 am
I can only ask- who really, truly, honestly, and absolutely thinks that looks like a desirable place to be?
January 22nd, 2009 at 9:00 am
i can see respect for the surrounding but the “leg” makes it a bit weak… concept wise you can either put something on top of an old building or you can place it beside something… this leg makes it look like its just a giant “walking over the building”… reminds ma of starwars at-tt-fighters walking…
get rid of the leg even when it will be less dramatic and moved more backwards but this leg destrosys a nice idea imho.
January 22nd, 2009 at 9:13 am
seems like antwerp REALLY wanted a zaha building no matter what the hell it looks like (theres another example of this star design buying about one kilometre away by richard meier which is (also) hellish)
its becoming increasingly difficult to see where this kind of stuff lifts itself above a complete one line approach, you feel it could have been absolutely any ‘organic’ shape and relies more on the guy with the rendering programme than any consideration of context, program or function
i know im old, but this architectural superstar one-upmanship is becoming a real bore. i hop they publish the other entrants, theres some far more intersting architects on the list who mifght have even read the brief or thought about the programme
oh, and , id like to see how it responded to the desire for sustainibility!! (utter bullshit)
January 22nd, 2009 at 9:14 am
@andy:
ha ha ha! one could not say it any better!!!!!!
January 22nd, 2009 at 9:48 am
the times of zaha hadid, frank gehry, thom mayne, etc.. is coming to an end.
January 22nd, 2009 at 9:49 am
i’m still laughing at what patrick bateman said.
now, i have to return some videotapes…
January 22nd, 2009 at 10:21 am
Second on David Klemmer.
It seems considering context is a boring thing.
January 22nd, 2009 at 11:30 am
This rather reminds me to Günther Domenig, but anyway lookslike zaha is out of his curves?
January 22nd, 2009 at 11:56 am
Although it seems to be a bit out of scale, I really like it. It’s good to see that Belgium finally accepts some more extreme architecture. This site just asks for a landmark building like this. well done guys!
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:07 pm
On the 4th image ( the one in which you can see the brigde on background), if you look carefully or let’s say not carefully just with an imagination of a child, it looks like big birds are flying inside the building. They are trying to fly away. It may even burst open and they could reach the sky… like a cocoon…
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:09 pm
it’s a boat on top of a building, wow
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:30 pm
wonderful!
January 22nd, 2009 at 4:59 pm
I like the new building but I hate what it does to the old building and to the overall space looming over the skyline like that.. if it were sitting out on its own somewhere, at ground level, it would be beautiful I think..
January 22nd, 2009 at 6:12 pm
opps, rather …her curves
January 22nd, 2009 at 8:21 pm
Zaha
For me it looks like axe stucked in the head.. 
January 22nd, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Wonderful! What a statement, without sacrificing function. It just seems to float without support. *Golf claps*
January 22nd, 2009 at 8:42 pm
One structural concern though, absolutely no redundancy. Supported on 3 pillars = 1 pillar away from total failure.
January 23rd, 2009 at 5:21 am
it looks like a ship on the building~
big contrast between the new and old!
i like the new part but i think it doesn’t suit the old building.
January 23rd, 2009 at 1:20 pm
just a box on top of an old building… i wonder how many people suggested that before
January 24th, 2009 at 12:19 am
FUTURE IS NOW!
I find it some kind weird as amazing.
January 24th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
like a giant blade tries to slash over the historical building….!!!i dont think this is zaha work….probably her apprentice work!look naive and adolescent.nothing interesting for the interior..!!!!
January 25th, 2009 at 9:12 am
those two legs that are holding it up are extremely clumsy and very very unusual for zaha’s usually harmonious/cohesive forms.
ouch……
January 25th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
too much of “something” above excisting … agree with Jes … maybe it should be nice to find another location for this creation … ’till then, I will keep my opinion floating
January 26th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Can someone explain to me whats going on? I cannot understand what kind of architecture this is . Is that our worst nightmares coming true?? Is there a thought behind this design? It looks like Zaha Hadid is planning on a profession shift…this is obviously the work of someone who’s become skeptical about his job and is trying to create an alibi in order to quit while she’s still on top.
January 26th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
zaha needs some loving and to stop sticking her ugly insensitive cock out into the world..
January 27th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
So light, So stylish, So nice, GREAT!
January 29th, 2009 at 11:51 pm
there’s a good zaha and a bad zaha.. like in these old gangster movies. thats defenitly a bad one. sure she never saw it.. except she also checks out dezeen from time to time. but i think not. otherwise some guys would have been seriously fired over there.
January 30th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
It looks like a crystal — the facade is awesome! The structure is bold, new, and have generated quite a bit of reaction — like it or not, it’s what art is about.
February 1st, 2009 at 8:29 am
Perhaps the global financial meltdown will prevent this absurd disaster from being constructed. Art, my “onlooker” friend, should be able to stand on its own TWO legs, not overwhelm and subsume its historic surroundings.
This cock-eyed In-N-Out Burger stump tries to balance a jingoistic Titanic cum Star Trek prow with Zaha’s own ego.
I know it was a firehouse, but really. Zaha needs to learn to put her firehose away and have a modicum of dignity and respect for those that came before.
Time for her to strap on some big boards and get a breath of fresh air. Might I suggest a ski jump in Bergisel. Now that is architecture to be proud of.
February 2nd, 2009 at 7:50 am
i wonder wahat they were thinking … it’s in the harbor so lets make a boat?
wow what a concept! This project is totally out of scale and purpose…
Stay out of antwerp Zaha!
March 16th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Very uhm . . . original . . . . Chris de Jonge of JHK Architects in The Netherlands did the exact same sort of thing with the Unilever Building in Rotterdam placed above the old building in 2005.
Should I think Saha was very inspired by that idea ?
March 19th, 2009 at 8:36 am
nicely punctuated.
April 1st, 2009 at 9:33 am
DEAR GOD! i dont claim to know what good architecture is.. but this, it is not. Zaha, please, for the love of allah, stop.
July 3rd, 2009 at 1:53 pm
İnteresting design but Is is usable building????
July 10th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
its a massacre, a violation!
August 6th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
It’s art!
About time that we have some bold architectural designed buildings in Antwerp. Most of Belgian architects don’t have the guts to make a statement so they keep on designing atrocious ugly apartments and other buildings.
The contrast between old and new fits the bill!
Good on ya, Zaha!