146_Provincial Headquarters Antwerp
In 2011, the Province of Antwerp initiated a competition for the replacement of its existing and outdated office tower on the city’s Koningin Elisabeth lei. XDGA’s winning design removes almost all the existing tower except a single horizontal pavilion volume containing two auditoria which is used as the keystone for the design of the new building. A fragmentary collection of existing gardens is united to form a single entity and an attractive public setting for the public institution. While the width and orientation of the existing tower had cut off all visibility from the street to the rear garden, the new building sits perpendicularly on the remaining pavilion opening up views and establishing an engaging relationship at ground level between new and old. The upper floors of the office volume rotate as they ascend, taking account of existing neighbours and alignments and offering democratic access to views over the gardens and the adjacent parks.
competition winner, under construction
