Rozemaai Antwerpen

The Rozemaai neighbourhood is a social residential area with many large apartment buildings that link the centre of Ekeren to Antwerp's Noorderlaan. Plans are to systematically renovate this neighbourhood in the coming years. RE-ST was tasked with renovating two brutalist residential blocks from the 1970s, in collaboration with Atelier Kempe Thill.

Project

The site is nestled between De Oude Landen nature reserve, the motorway, and the Port of Antwerp. A key design principle therefore involved reinforcing the visual relationship with the environment while mitigating the environmental burden caused by the industry. The two apartment complexes were completely redesigned to improve living quality and to better integrate the buildings into the new master plan.

The two renovated buildings served as the starting point and as the symbolic billboard for the large-scale redevelopment of the entire neighbourhood.

All existing façades, balustrades, stairwells, technical installations, and the entire interior of the two buildings were demolished. Only the concrete skeleton was left intact. The exterior walls were totally redesigned to improve the proportions. A plinth was added as a classic architectural element and the existing structure was clad in high-quality, insulating façades.

New transparent stairwells, lifts, and entrance halls at both ends gave the buildings a clearer orientation to the public domain. The open design, the views of the surrounding area, and the soft materials helped to transform the communal access zones into high-quality spaces that encourage interaction among the residents.

The modern apartments on the side of De Oude Landen nature reserve feature glass façades and spacious terraces with glass balustrades to reinforce the relationship with the area. Sturdy and durable materials were used in the interior spaces, in view of the quick rotation of incoming residents. The glass balustrade in the gallery, the access zone, and the interior, as well as the glass façade and the renovated gallery floor create an open and inviting living space with a strong connection to the outdoors.

115ROZE
Rozemaai Antwerpen
Client
Woonhaven Antwerpen cvba
Location
Jef van Hoofstraat, Rozemaai, Ekeren (Antwerp)
Stage
Completed
Partners
Atelier Kempe Thill, BAS, SB Heedfeld