Antwerp Tower
Alternative namesA-Tower
General information
StatusCompleted
TypeResidential, Commercial, Offices
Architectural styleModern
LocationFrankrijklei
Antwerp, Belgium
Coordinates51°13′05″N 4°24′58″E / 51.218000°N 4.416227°E / 51.218000; 4.416227
Height
Roof100.7 m (330 ft)
Technical details
Floor count26
Design and construction
Architect(s)Jozef Fuyen, Guy Peeters (Original)
Wiel Arets (Renovation)
References
[1][2][3]

The Antwerp Tower is a skyscraper in Antwerp (Belgium). Originally built in 1974 with a height of 87 m (285 ft), the Antwerp Tower was the third-tallest building in Antwerp, behind the Cathedral of our Lady and the Boerentoren. After the completion of an extensive renovation in 2019-2021, where two double-height floors were added, the Antwerp Tower is now the second-tallest building in the city overall and the highest residential building, with a height of 100.70 m (330.4 ft).[4]

History

Since 1900, the site had been the location of the "Grand Hotel Weber", a Belle Époque-style luxury hotel, which was severely damaged by bombings in World War II and stood empty for almost 20 years until it was demolished in the late 1960s.[5] The site was subsequently sold to developers who erected Antwerp Tower, an 87 m (285 ft) high office building which opened in 1974. Despite counting prominent companies among its renters, such as Yellow Pages and Unilever, the office building never became popular and renting out offices became increasingly difficult. In 2012 the building was sold to Wilma Project Development, a part of the Matexi Group, who intended to convert the tower to residential units after an extensive renovation.[6] Before the renovation, the Antwerp Tower was often considered to be one of the ugliest buildings in Europe, both due to its out-of-place location and its copper-colored facade.[7]

Renovation

Antwerp Tower in 2012, prior to the renovation

Wilma Project Development, a part of the Matexi Group, purchased the building in 2012 for 25 million Euros.[8] The renovation started in 2017 and was finished in 2021. The building was transformed from an office building to a mainly residential tower, with only limited commercial and office space on the lower levels. The building was gut renovated, the dimensions were altered by adding two double height floors on top and widening the floors on all levels. The finished tower has a total of 241 residential units.[4]

Commercial and office spaces

Restaurants Hawaiian Poké Bowl and Pitaya occupy the commercial spaces on the ground floor, consumer electronics retailer Media Markt occupies the first floor.[9] Real estate investor Befimmo purchased three office floors, which will become a Silversquare coworking location starting in 2022.[9][10]

References

  1. ↑ "Antwerp Tower". Antwerp Tower – Het mooiste zicht op ‘t stad (in Dutch). Retrieved 2021-12-08.
  2. ↑ "Antwerp Tower enorm populair: meer dan helft van City Vibe appartementen al verkocht". Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch). 2020-03-18. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  3. ↑ Muis, Robert (2018-02-01). "Transformatie Antwerpse blikvanger nadert voltooiing". architectenweb.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2021-12-08. (in Dutch)
  4. 1 2 "Antwerp Tower presenteert residentieel gedeelte na totaalrenovatie - Immo - Trends". 4 November 2021. (in Dutch)
  5. ↑ "Herken jij deze plek? Stadsgids Tanguy Ottomer loodst ons langs historische pareltjes in Antwerpen | Antwerpen | pzc.nl".
  6. ↑ "Wiel Arets transformeert Antwerp Tower tot woongebouw - architectenweb.nl". (in Dutch)
  7. ↑ "De lelijkste gebouwen van Europa - StedenTripper". 27 March 2012. (in Dutch)
  8. ↑ "Matexi: nieuwbouwwoningen, -appartementen en bouwgronden - Huis te koop > Home > Nieuws > Detail". Archived from the original on 2015-01-22.
  9. ↑ "Befimmo acquires the office floors in the brand new Antwerp Tower in the heart of the city of Antwerp | Befimmo".
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