Noorder
On Noorderlaan in Antwerp, an existing office building is equipped with an additional upper floor. This new structure, located next to the viaduct, is an interpretation of the prevailing industrial context. The slightly sloping roofs follow the movement of the viaduct and refer to industrial stuctures, roofs and construction methods from the immediate surroundings. The structure consists of steel porches where the rhythm is a direct consequence of the structure of the existing building. This in turn prompted the creation of a flexible plan that can accommodate multiple functions. The structure literally forms the building, allowing infills to meet time-related requirements. The new building tries to distance itself from the architecture of the underlying existing building through its unambiguous form, method of construction and flexibility. The steel structure is completed with self-supporting CLT slabs. The façade and roof are finished with industrial corrugated sheets. The new addition is currently being filled in as a school building.
