The bachelor thesis project consisted of the design and redefinition of a school of architecture. Divided in four stages, in the first we were asked the formation of a clear structure as the backbone for both the project and the design process. Program would only be revealed in the end, after being gone through the design of facade and the implementation into its context.
The contemporary urban landscape grows indefinitely, creating poly-centricity. In the structure of the building this phenomenon is translated in the form of load-bearing cores—in which plumbing and circulation—carrying large span waffle slabs. This way, an open plan is created that both offers flexibility and multi-functionality. The lack of load-bearing façades gives the structure a lightweight and floating appearance. This is accentuated in the cladding through the application of translucent polycarbonate. The building occupies an entire plot in the northern part of Antwerp. A huge patio in the middle is created to maximize daylighting in the building, incorporating the language of surrounding courtyard blocks. In the southeast corner, the building opens up as an entrance to create a link between the dockside and the patio.