Winning design for new infill (former) Kievitplein Building Block 1
The headquarters of De Persgroep Publishing, currently DPG Media, will be definitively based on Kievitplein in Antwerp as an iconic interactive work temple. The design came about after an intense design strategy within the conditions of an open competition.
The site's 'genius loci' has been thoroughly studied and translated into an international architectural icon that takes into account the exceptional interactions that will take place on Kievitplein. With the winning design by Binst Architects, the hitherto underutilised Kievit site will create a new dynamic both on the Kievit side and on the Pelikaanstraat side - in short, the entire station area. The sculptural expression functions as a joint between the existing buildings and the urban settings on the Van Immerseelstraat, which are already under development.
The building provides a generous public ground floor with a mezzanine containing a brasserie- restaurant, coffee corners and various multimedia configurations that propagate the economy of DPG Media 24/7. The façades have been considered from all sides, resulting in each façade being equal in relation to the others. The building materials are sustainable and contemporary; reflecting the international character of DPG Media.
In the glass box on N+2 and N+3 there is a news studio from where VTM news will be broadcast several times a day. The dynamic character of the building is enhanced by this news studio and the various editors around it. Higher up, the design provides for three spacious and accessible roof gardens that make a positive contribution to the living and working climate of the hundreds of employees and visitors. The crown of the building is lined with a belvedere from which the captivated visitor has a 360° view of the city and its immediate majestic station surroundings.
