Everyone's neighborhood, Suikerpark by B-city architecten

Architecture studio B-city architecten, was commissioned to rehabilitate an old sugar refining base, which remained in operation until 2005, to convert it into a housing development with parks and shops. The project area is located in Veurne, south of the Belgian city of Bruges and very close to the French city of Dunkirk.

The current name, Suikerpark, means sugar park due to the origin of the place. The complex program consists of 450 residences, apartments, semi-detached houses, and accessible housing for people with disabilities, following the principle of co-housing. Also in the 133,000m² that it covers, there are flexible office units, offices for professionals from the art world, an urban park, shops for the small business sector, and a recreational lake.

Suikerpark by B-city architecten. Photograph by Lucid.

Suikerpark, designed by B-city architecten, is a new residential area that pays attention to the environment without neglecting the flexibility, diversity, and affordability that the area must provide. All this is achieved with the different buildings prepared for different functions, such as offices, homes, and shops. In addition, the construction of a new bicycle bridge and footbridges provide a greater degree of accessibility to the historic center of Veurne.

Thus, the old sugar refinery becomes a place where you can live with a combination of relaxation and work that with the large green areas that are provided in the project, create the temptation to move to the urbanization.

Suikerpark by B-city architecten. Photograph by Lucid.

Description of project by B-city architecten

The Sugar Refinery Site maintained its mere industrial function until 2005. Today, it is transformed into a multifunctional neighborhood, including a park, housing, and retail shops.

The area, flanking the Zuidburgweg, the Rodestraat, and Brikkerijstraat, was renamed Suikerpark (Sugar Park) and consists of 450 residences, retail shops, an expansive city park, a recreational lake, and a lively neighborhood square. Suikerpark thus provides a tantalizing mix of living, relaxing, and working in a green environment.

Attention to the environment goes hand in hand with equal attention to flexibility and diversity, and affordability. These qualities were pursued to the utmost by integrating a variety of building typologies – flats, terraced houses, accessible homes for those with disabilities, by applying co-housing principles, and by including flexible office units and studios for arts professions. In addition, the new cycle bridge and pedestrian walkways make the center of Veurne more accessible than ever.

Location floor plan. Suikerpark by B-city architecten.

Floor plan. Suikerpark by B-city architecten.

Section plan. Suikerpark by B-city architecten.

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More information

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Architects

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B-city architecten.

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Project team

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Evert Crols, Vincent De Keyser, Isaura Doumen, Dirk Engelen, Sven Grooten, Olmo Peeters, Pieter Van Den Berge, Evelien van de Riet, Koenraad Janssen.

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Collaborators

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Denc! Studio, A1AR architects, Delva Landscape Architects, CroonenBuro5, Common Ground, Atelier Ruimtelijk Advies.

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Client

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ION.

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Area

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133,000 sqm.

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Dates

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Completed 2023.

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Location

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Veurne, Belgium.

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Photography

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Lucid.

Evert Crols, Dirk Engelen and Sven Grooten and Sebastiaan Leroy. B-architecten, B-bis, B-city and B-juxta

B-architecten, B-bis, B-city, B-juxta. Back in 1997, Evert Crols, Dirk Engelen and Sven Grooten set up an independent office for architecture: B-architecten was born. The three had met during their education in Antwerp and Amsterdam. At the internationally oriented Berlage Institute, it became clear that Evert, Dirk and Sven shared a common design interest. Today, the office is located in Antwerp and Brussels.

Ten years after the foundation of B-architecten, they started a new initiative together with Sebastiaan Leroy: B-bis architecten became an office that focuses on small architectural projects, residential interior design, offices and shops, scenographies for exhibitions and performing arts, temporary installations and furniture design.

In 2020, B-city was launched as a third B-platform with the aim to shape and supervise complex urban projects. The core of its ambition is to work on large-scale projects that carry the potential of becoming new city districts.

Today, B is the sum of four studio divisions called B-architecten, B-bis, B-city and B-juxta have naturally grown into an office of more than 60 people. Each B-team has its particular focus and way of functioning, yet they all share a distinct innovative view on the variety of projects the B-platforms stand for.