Montigny

On a corner plot overlooking the new Antwerp courthouse, META architecture firm is realizing a project with mixed functions (offices, apartments, trade).

Located at the intersection of Montignystraat and Cuylitsstraat, the building with a semi-automatic parking lot takes maximum advantage of the favourable location and typology of the corner building. The project knows how to fit into the context of town houses of Antwerp South by means of its facade. By providing a compact core with vertical circulation and utilities at the back, we make optimal use of the facade surface and keep the plan structure open. The planned infill is kept as flexible as possible and can serve as either an office or an apartment. This designed flexibility is the essence of a ‘sustainable building’.

The facade consists of a stack of identical prefabricated frames of white concrete. The frames are filled with floor-to-ceiling windows that provide the various floors with maximum natural light. At the corners, the window profiles are disconnected from the concrete frames, creating indoor roof terraces that form an extension of the living space through the floor-to-ceiling folding windows. The small cantilever forms an accent, worthy of the corner.

By conceiving and detailing the shell in a thorough way, it can be used as a finishing touch. This strategy leads to a lower use of materials and greater adaptability and durability.