Antwerpen Havenhuis 5 by Torsade de Pointes is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
The city of Antwerp, Belgium wanted to repurpose this protected historical firehouse to create a place for some of the port’s many employees to work. Prior to the renovation, the Port House’s employees worked in buildings scattered across the city.
Design Challenges
The Antwerp Port House’s main design challenges were sustainably repurposing a protected historic firehouse in a structure that would serve them for years to come. Zaha Hadid Architects won the challenge. Their solution was inspired by research of the area and analysis of the site and firehouse. The addition uses sustainable architectural practices such as reducing artificial lighting, a borehole energy system that uses water for heating and cooling, and reduced water consumption.
The addition allows for excellent views of the port and the glass facade mimics the look and feel of rippling water. The port is a key feature of this region. Currently, Antwerp handles 26% of the container shipments for Europe and plans to grow that number in the years to come.
About Zaha Hadid
Zaha Hadid was a highly recognized architect. She was awarded the UK’s most prestigious architectural award, the Stirling Prize and became the first woman to be awarded the Royal Gold Medal. She was called the “Queen of the Curve” by The Guardian. Much of her work features organic curves or fractured geometric forms. Her progressive works speak of a new age of architecture and design. Although she passed away, her designs will continue to be posthumously released and include a 2022 FIFA World Cup Stadium among others.
Check out my other posts on the work of Zaha Hadid Architects here. Or discover another crazy building here.
