University Campus

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The industrial hall at the former slaughterhouse site in Antwerp was thoughtfully redesigned for the AP University of Applied Sciences and Arts campus. The mezzanine floor structures the vast hall and is an essential part of both the structural and technical concept of the transformation. On the one hand, the new structure supports the original facade that was opened up on the ground floor. On the other hand, technical installations are integrated into the platform. The new concrete’s smooth surface dialogues with the robust structure of the past.

Three rows of round window openings rhythmically perforate the facade, bringing daylight and ventilation. This grid gives the hall a new identity as an educational landscape. Inside, two wide parallel corridors provide access to the workshops, lecture halls and laboratories. A new tower volume rises adjacent to the main hall, creating spacious terraces connected to classrooms and offices.

The University campus articulates the tension between past and present, between continuity and intervention, and between authenticity and individuality.

Text: Fabian De Vriendt

Photos: Bas Princen