Atelier Kempe Thill, first prize in the contest for the New Maritime Museum in Antwerp
25/06/2018.
[Antwerp] Belgium
metalocus, JUDIT OTERO
metalocus, JUDIT OTERO
The Atelier Kempe Thill team wins the international competition for the New Maritime Museum located in the historic dry plasters of the city of Antwerp
Rendering. New Maritime Museum in the city of Antwerp. Courtesy by Atelier Kempe Thill
Axonometry. New Maritime Museum in the city of Antwerp. Courtesy by Atelier Kempe Thill
Site plan. New Maritime Museum in the city of Antwerp. Courtesy by Atelier Kempe Thill
Plan 0. New Maritime Museum in the city of Antwerp. Courtesy by Atelier Kempe Thill
Plan -1. New Maritime Museum in the city of Antwerp. Courtesy by Atelier Kempe Thill
Section. New Maritime Museum in the city of Antwerp. Courtesy by Atelier Kempe Thill
Elevations. New Maritime Museum in the city of Antwerp. Courtesy by Atelier Kempe Thill
Elevations. New Maritime Museum in the city of Antwerp. Courtesy by Atelier Kempe Thill
Rendering. New Maritime Museum in the city of Antwerp. Courtesy by Atelier Kempe Thill
Night rendering-3D model. New Maritime Museum in the city of Antwerp. Courtesy by Atelier Kempe Thill
Night rendering-3D model. New Maritime Museum in the city of Antwerp. Courtesy by Atelier Kempe Thill
The team led by Atelier Kempe Thill has recently won the international competition for the new Maritime Museum in Antwerp, Belgium. The museum will be located at the impressive historic dry docks (Droogdokkensite), forming an important part of the on-going redevelopment of the northern edge of the city centre.
The museum will be dedicated to the maritime heritage that has always played an important role in the history of the city. In addition to classical museum spaces, the new institute will offer several large workshops to restore historic boats, offices for the harbour authority, various event facilities as well as a big outdoor exhibition area.
The existing historic buildings were the starting point of the design. A strategically placed new building carefully connects the disparate historic elements while respecting the existing spatial hierarchy of the site. The result is a new architectural ensemble with a surprising sequence of characteristic spaces. All of which are assigned a clear role within the museum concept.
The former AWN-workshop building will be transformed into the entrance pavilion, clearly facing the city centre. It will also host the permanent and temporary collection of ships and is well equipped to accommodate a broad spectrum of public events. The restored figure of monumental pump- and boiler house will contain a didactic exhibition dedicated to the history of the dry docks.
The centrepiece of the museum, both spatially and culturally, will be the ship “Doelse Kogge” – a nearly 700 year-old historic cog of the Hanseatic League – which will be restored and presented in an impressive wooden exhibition hall in the middle of the museum. The opening of the museum is scheduled for 2024.
The museum will be dedicated to the maritime heritage that has always played an important role in the history of the city. In addition to classical museum spaces, the new institute will offer several large workshops to restore historic boats, offices for the harbour authority, various event facilities as well as a big outdoor exhibition area.
The existing historic buildings were the starting point of the design. A strategically placed new building carefully connects the disparate historic elements while respecting the existing spatial hierarchy of the site. The result is a new architectural ensemble with a surprising sequence of characteristic spaces. All of which are assigned a clear role within the museum concept.
The former AWN-workshop building will be transformed into the entrance pavilion, clearly facing the city centre. It will also host the permanent and temporary collection of ships and is well equipped to accommodate a broad spectrum of public events. The restored figure of monumental pump- and boiler house will contain a didactic exhibition dedicated to the history of the dry docks.
The centrepiece of the museum, both spatially and culturally, will be the ship “Doelse Kogge” – a nearly 700 year-old historic cog of the Hanseatic League – which will be restored and presented in an impressive wooden exhibition hall in the middle of the museum. The opening of the museum is scheduled for 2024.
More information
Architects
Atelier Kempe Thill architects and planners, Rotterdam + Paris
Restoration architect
Origin Architecture and Engineering, Brussels
Landscape architect
LAND landschapsarchitecten, Antwerp
Design team
Atelier Kempe Thill
Client
AG Vespa Antwerp / Belgium
Status
1st prize international competition 2018
Engineer HVAC
Studie10, Lier
Structural engineering
Bollinger+Grohmann, Brussels
Location
Droogdokkenweg 4, 2030 Antwerp
André Kempe-Oliver Thill ATELIER KEMPE THILL
Atelier Kempe Thill architects and planners was founded in 2000 by the two German architects, André Kempe (’68) and Oliver Thill (’71), following their Europan 5 winning proposal of three hundred dwellings in Kop van Zuid, Rotterdam. While this project didn’t result in a commission, the office survived the recession of 2002-2004 and has been able to position itself well within the European architectural scene. In the last fifteen years the practice has grown from a ‘two-man band’ to a stable, medium-sized office with around twenty five employees.
The office’s range of work has systematically broadened since its foundation. Beginning with collective housing and small public building commissions, the practice portfolio has developed to include large renovation, infrastructure and urban design projects. Single-sided specialisation and the consequent limitations have been avoided through the wide diversity of commissions; as a result the practice is also more economically stable. Since its foundation, Atelier Kempe Thill has tried not to limit itself to the Netherlands, but instead establish itself within the wider European market. Through its participation in over one hundred and twenty international competitions, the office has acquired commissions in the Austria, Belgium, Egypt, France, Germany, Morocco, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
Atelier Kempe Thill is becoming increasingly well known in architectural circles. In the last fifteen years the office has appeared in around five hundred publications worldwide, amongst which were two monographs. In addition, the office’s partners have given more than two hundred lectures. This professional recognition enables the office to acquire increasingly complex projects and compete with the larger, more commercial practices.
The office’s range of work has systematically broadened since its foundation. Beginning with collective housing and small public building commissions, the practice portfolio has developed to include large renovation, infrastructure and urban design projects. Single-sided specialisation and the consequent limitations have been avoided through the wide diversity of commissions; as a result the practice is also more economically stable. Since its foundation, Atelier Kempe Thill has tried not to limit itself to the Netherlands, but instead establish itself within the wider European market. Through its participation in over one hundred and twenty international competitions, the office has acquired commissions in the Austria, Belgium, Egypt, France, Germany, Morocco, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
Atelier Kempe Thill is becoming increasingly well known in architectural circles. In the last fifteen years the office has appeared in around five hundred publications worldwide, amongst which were two monographs. In addition, the office’s partners have given more than two hundred lectures. This professional recognition enables the office to acquire increasingly complex projects and compete with the larger, more commercial practices.
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