The site of the London Tower, on the area of the former ‘Koninklijke Stapelhuizen’ (Royal Warehouses), is a unique place. As the northern pendant of the southgate formed by the new Law Court, it marks the beginning of the ‘leien’. Moreover, the project site, situated between the ‘Entrepotkaai’ and the ‘Italiëlei’, is surrounded by various new projects, including the new MAS museum on the ‘Willemdok’, the new residential towers on the ‘Westkaai’ and the development of the ‘Park Spoor Noord’. The building program is composed of a variety of functions including retail, offices, living and parking. The flexibility of the volume allows different functions, integrating the project into the urban scenery. This landmark was conceived and created in a well-considered way. Different parameters were taken into account: the immediate surroundings, the dialogue with the involved parties, the complexity of the building program, the criterion of durability, the cost-effective budget and the poetic character. The result is a building which volumetrically integrates itself on the ‘leien’ and restores the original street line. A raw dark-grey stone is the main material used for the façade and is brought to life by the carried pattern of window openings. The structure and materials of these elements evoke the image of water drops and link the building to the nearby harbor. The verticality of the tower is emphasized by the sculptural excision between the tower and the lower volume of the adjacent office building. Some of the immediate surroundings are developed into green zones. Between the office building and the residential tower, a pedestrian and cycling overpass will be constructed, which will connect ‘Park Spoor Noord’ and the area ‘het Eilandje’. The London Tower, a project of about 42.000 m², is a contemporary example of a high-rise building and illustrates the qualities of urban density. The project engages in a dialogue with the local urban landscape on an architectural and urban level and at the same time, it creates a new strong visual identity for the skyline of Antwerp. For more information about the project, please visit www.londontower.be.
Photography © Bram Goots
