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4TH EUROPEAN SCHOOL

 

BRUSSELS


School building (by 4x4: Conix Architects, Archi2000, DMV, AST and M&R)
Client: Regie der Gebouwen | Date: 2004 | Area: 57000 m² - 613548 sq.ft.
Category: education, competition

Info:
Not far from Brussels, one finds some run-down buildings, in dire need of renovation. The existing structures form a cohesive entity with an impressive character, embedded in its urban surroundings as an important landmark.

For the purposes of this competition, Conix Architects wanted to find a more suitable and manageable concept. Bearing the future users in mind, they encapsulated what people understand by the concept of 'identity' or more specifically, European identity. The conclusion was that the strength of Europe's identity lies in its variety. Socio-cultural differences generate fascinating tensions between people and where they live. Conix Architects focused on specific parameters such as language and cultural diversity. Conscious of romanticizing this concept of diversity, they looked into different ways of designing spaces and buildings which would generate the ability to accommodate and support cultural variety.

The point of departure at Conix Architects has always been modernistic, based on functionality and rationality. In the first place, every design starts off as a neutral base to which the basic outlines of all requirements are added. In the second place, emotion is taken into account, namely the user's perception of the design. The proposal focused on this aspect and so generated an image which coincided with that of the school. Then this feeling was applied to the spatial organization, regarding the scale of the site and the individual buildings. Variety seemed possible by creating a rational framework, mentally and physically.

This is translated into sober buildings, contradicting the existing architecture, resulting in a serene composition. A number of playful and dynamic elements were also added. These elements set the whole in motion, thus generating the idea of subtle diversity.

The frame of the central volume clears the way to the city, creating a direct link with the skyline (macro scale) but also serves as a landmark and center within the site (micro scale). The massive scale of this center (e.g. frame, central stairs and open square) which a child is confronted with as he enters, is replaced by a more intimate scale (e.g. patios and smaller stairs) as he approaches the classroom.
The center connects the three clusters (kindergarten, primary and high school), which, in turn, were built around paths or patios. In this way, the school unifies different elements, each of which keep their own identity. These elements are not clearly demarcated but flow into one another.

The variety of buildings generate numerous spatial sensations and moods, for instance, the staircase in the closed cylinder leads to the dining hall in the open frame. The variety of spatial perceptions, colors, materials, textures and scales (interior and exterior) allows the architecture to fulfill its pedagogical role.
The transparent and airy nature of the spaces is very important as nothing is concealed. Within the buildings, the scale and size of children per age group are taken into account. For instance, in the kindergarten section, some windows are positioned at the height of the average child of this age. The choice of color is also determined by age groups: primary colors are used in the kindergarten section and subdued colors for the high school.

UNITED, NOT BY ONE LANGUAGE BUT BY THE DIVERSITY OF ALL PRESENT LANGUAGES AND CULTURES.


ALBATROSS VILLAGE

 

BRUSSELS


Mixed development: residential use, offices, commercial and health care use
Client: IVV nv | Date: 2007 | Area: 60000 m² - 645840 sq.ft.
Category: residential, budget, masterplanning, sustainable

Info:
Info


ATOMIUM ESPLANADE

 

BRUSSELS


Urban design of the Atomium square
Client: ASBL Atomium vzw | Date: 2004-2007 | Area: 3650 m² - 39288.6 sq.ft.
Category: masterplanning

Info:
During the competition, Conix Architects envisaged what it would be like for a visitor walking up from Boulevard du Centenaire to the Atomium for the first time, as if on a stage set. The boulevard had to be designed in such a way as to welcome visitors in a spectacular manner. The natural slope of the area was exploited to create a new approach, based on the infinite movement of the Moebius ring.

Groups of visitors can walk across the entire esplanade. A new pavilion has been added at the bottom of the Atomium, its inviting character enhancing the Atomium and giving it more flexibility because of the various relationships between the foot of the building, the esplanade and the position of the site, which includes Osseghem Park - the green lung of Expo '58.
The existing roundabout will be transformed into a new, large square which offers visitors the opportunity to look at the Atomium from afar and from different angles. The new pavilion is the starting point of an artistic landscape tour through this landmark construction. The pavilion receives, orientates, links and sets the scene. It supports the functional aspect of the site through its commercial space, ticket office, sanitary and storage facilities. It adds an extra dimension to the Atomium as it is skillfully integrated into its surroundings through the use of materials such as satin stainless steel for the pavilion, which reflect the spheres of the Atomium.

The aim of this renovation project was to enhance and underline its contemporary ambitions. The renovated iron molecule is a shining example of how a new 'skin' has rejuvenated every sphere. This rejuvenation had to be reflected in the internal spaces as well, to bring back the Atomium's bygone charm. By studying the original documents and plans, Conix Architects pinpointed the purity of the spheres' design and recreated the atmosphere it had to evoke. This was done in the least intrusive way possible: covering the interior with galvanized steel and the exterior with stainless steel. Discovering the inner secrets of the Atomium becomes easier as you follow the blue stairs throughout the various spheres. The internal spaces of the Atomium flow uninterruptedly through one another via the spheres and tubes. The tubes act as emotional extensions of the structure. Conix Architects' emotional experience of the spheres is enhanced by the way they treated the interior. The light designer Ingo Maurer created lights especially for the Atomium which enhance the emotional atmosphere of the interior.

Six of the nine spheres are open to the public. The remaining three were never designed for public use and will remain empty. The glass volume surrounding the foot has been emptied and shops and other utilities have been moved to the pavilion. After buying your ticket in the pavilion, you start in the bottom sphere, which is dedicated to Expo '58. This signals the start of a journey of inspiration and emotion that created this structure and leads to the next sphere which houses temporary exhibitions. The next stop is the central sphere which boasts two bars, namely 'Stippenbar' and 'Bellenbar' where visitors can quench their thirst before taking the lift to the top sphere. The restaurant lounge offers magnificent views over the whole of Brussels. On the way down, you walk through the children's sphere, designed in conjunction with the artist Alicia Framis. This world of dreams is the gateway to a place where children can stay overnight in a mini-hotel, fully fitted with water molecules. Adults are only allowed to stand on the outside, looking into the magic world on their way out. Going down via the stairs, you approach the exit and the new square, where the visitors can relax on the new urban furniture or the new stairs integrated into the square and enjoy the Atomium's splendor from a different angle.


ATOMIUM INTERIOR

 

BRUSSELS


Renovation and interior design of the Atomium
Client: ASBL Atomium vzw | Date: 2004-2006 | Area: 3650 m² - 39288.6 sq.ft.
Category: interior, renovation, cultural

Info:
During the competition, Conix Architects envisaged what it would be like for a visitor walking up from Boulevard du Centenaire to the Atomium for the first time, as if on a stage set. The boulevard had to be designed in such a way as to welcome visitors in a spectacular manner. The natural slope of the area was exploited to create a new approach, based on the infinite movement of the Moebius ring.

Groups of visitors can walk across the entire esplanade. A new pavilion has been added at the bottom of the Atomium, its inviting character enhancing the Atomium and giving it more flexibility because of the various relationships between the foot of the building, the esplanade and the position of the site, which includes Osseghem Park - the green lung of Expo '58.
The existing roundabout will be transformed into a new, large square which offers visitors the opportunity to look at the Atomium from afar and from different angles. The new pavilion is the starting point of an artistic landscape tour through this landmark construction. The pavilion receives, orientates, links and sets the scene. It supports the functional aspect of the site through its commercial space, ticket office, sanitary and storage facilities. It adds an extra dimension to the Atomium as it is skillfully integrated into its surroundings through the use of materials such as satin stainless steel for the pavilion, which reflect the spheres of the Atomium.

The aim of this renovation project was to enhance and underline its contemporary ambitions. The renovated iron molecule is a shining example of how a new 'skin' has rejuvenated every sphere. This rejuvenation had to be reflected in the internal spaces as well, to bring back the Atomium's bygone charm. By studying the original documents and plans, Conix Architects pinpointed the purity of the spheres' design and recreated the atmosphere it had to evoke. This was done in the least intrusive way possible: covering the interior with galvanized steel and the exterior with stainless steel. Discovering the inner secrets of the Atomium becomes easier as you follow the blue stairs throughout the various spheres. The internal spaces of the Atomium flow uninterruptedly through one another via the spheres and tubes. The tubes act as emotional extensions of the structure. Conix Architects' emotional experience of the spheres is enhanced by the way they treated the interior. The light designer Ingo Maurer created lights especially for the Atomium which enhance the emotional atmosphere of the interior.

Six of the nine spheres are open to the public. The remaining three were never designed for public use and will remain empty. The glass volume surrounding the foot has been emptied and shops and other utilities have been moved to the pavilion. After buying your ticket in the pavilion, you start in the bottom sphere, which is dedicated to Expo '58. This signals the start of a journey of inspiration and emotion that created this structure and leads to the next sphere which houses temporary exhibitions. The next stop is the central sphere which boasts two bars, namely 'Stippenbar' and 'Bellenbar' where visitors can quench their thirst before taking the lift to the top sphere. The restaurant lounge offers magnificent views over the whole of Brussels. On the way down, you walk through the children's sphere, designed in conjunction with the artist Alicia Framis. This world of dreams is the gateway to a place where children can stay overnight in a mini-hotel, fully fitted with water molecules. Adults are only allowed to stand on the outside, looking into the magic world on their way out. Going down via the stairs, you approach the exit and the new square, where the visitors can relax on the new urban furniture or the new stairs integrated into the square and enjoy the Atomium's splendor from a different angle.


ATOMIUM PAVILION

 

BRUSSELS


Extension with new pavilion
Client: ASBL Atomium vzw | Date: 2004-2006 | Area: 3650 m² - 39288.6 sq.ft.
Category: retail, interior

Info:
During the competition, Conix Architects envisaged what it would be like for a visitor walking up from Boulevard du Centenaire to the Atomium for the first time, as if on a stage set. The boulevard had to be designed in such a way as to welcome visitors in a spectacular manner. The natural slope of the area was exploited to create a new approach, based on the infinite movement of the Moebius ring.

Groups of visitors can walk across the entire esplanade. A new pavilion has been added at the bottom of the Atomium, its inviting character enhancing the Atomium and giving it more flexibility because of the various relationships between the foot of the building, the esplanade and the position of the site, which includes Osseghem Park - the green lung of Expo '58.
The existing roundabout will be transformed into a new, large square which offers visitors the opportunity to look at the Atomium from afar and from different angles. The new pavilion is the starting point of an artistic landscape tour through this landmark construction. The pavilion receives, orientates, links and sets the scene. It supports the functional aspect of the site through its commercial space, ticket office, sanitary and storage facilities. It adds an extra dimension to the Atomium as it is skillfully integrated into its surroundings through the use of materials such as satin stainless steel for the pavilion, which reflect the spheres of the Atomium.

The aim of this renovation project was to enhance and underline its contemporary ambitions. The renovated iron molecule is a shining example of how a new 'skin' has rejuvenated every sphere. This rejuvenation had to be reflected in the internal spaces as well, to bring back the Atomium's bygone charm. By studying the original documents and plans, Conix Architects pinpointed the purity of the spheres' design and recreated the atmosphere it had to evoke. This was done in the least intrusive way possible: covering the interior with galvanized steel and the exterior with stainless steel. Discovering the inner secrets of the Atomium becomes easier as you follow the blue stairs throughout the various spheres. The internal spaces of the Atomium flow uninterruptedly through one another via the spheres and tubes. The tubes act as emotional extensions of the structure. Conix Architects' emotional experience of the spheres is enhanced by the way they treated the interior. The light designer Ingo Maurer created lights especially for the Atomium which enhance the emotional atmosphere of the interior.

Six of the nine spheres are open to the public. The remaining three were never designed for public use and will remain empty. The glass volume surrounding the foot has been emptied and shops and other utilities have been moved to the pavilion. After buying your ticket in the pavilion, you start in the bottom sphere, which is dedicated to Expo '58. This signals the start of a journey of inspiration and emotion that created this structure and leads to the next sphere which houses temporary exhibitions. The next stop is the central sphere which boasts two bars, namely 'Stippenbar' and 'Bellenbar' where visitors can quench their thirst before taking the lift to the top sphere. The restaurant lounge offers magnificent views over the whole of Brussels. On the way down, you walk through the children's sphere, designed in conjunction with the artist Alicia Framis. This world of dreams is the gateway to a place where children can stay overnight in a mini-hotel, fully fitted with water molecules. Adults are only allowed to stand on the outside, looking into the magic world on their way out. Going down via the stairs, you approach the exit and the new square, where the visitors can relax on the new urban furniture or the new stairs integrated into the square and enjoy the Atomium's splendor from a different angle.


ATOMIUM SHOP

 

BRUSSELS


Interior design of the atomium shop
Client: ASBL Atomium vzw | Date: 2007-2008 | Area: 100 m² - 1076.4 sq.ft.
Category: retail, interior

Info:
Info


ATOMIUM EXTERIOR

 

BRUSSELS


Renovation of the Atomium
Client: ASBL Atomium vzw | Date: 2004-2006 | Area: 3650 m² - 39288.6 sq.ft.
Category: renovation, cultural

Info:
During the competition, Conix Architects envisaged what it would be like for a visitor walking up from Boulevard du Centenaire to the Atomium for the first time, as if on a stage set. The boulevard had to be designed in such a way as to welcome visitors in a spectacular manner. The natural slope of the area was exploited to create a new approach, based on the infinite movement of the Moebius ring.

Groups of visitors can walk across the entire esplanade. A new pavilion has been added at the bottom of the Atomium, its inviting character enhancing the Atomium and giving it more flexibility because of the various relationships between the foot of the building, the esplanade and the position of the site, which includes Osseghem Park - the green lung of Expo '58.
The existing roundabout will be transformed into a new, large square which offers visitors the opportunity to look at the Atomium from afar and from different angles. The new pavilion is the starting point of an artistic landscape tour through this landmark construction. The pavilion receives, orientates, links and sets the scene. It supports the functional aspect of the site through its commercial space, ticket office, sanitary and storage facilities. It adds an extra dimension to the Atomium as it is skillfully integrated into its surroundings through the use of materials such as satin stainless steel for the pavilion, which reflect the spheres of the Atomium.

The aim of this renovation project was to enhance and underline its contemporary ambitions. The renovated iron molecule is a shining example of how a new 'skin' has rejuvenated every sphere. This rejuvenation had to be reflected in the internal spaces as well, to bring back the Atomium's bygone charm. By studying the original documents and plans, Conix Architects pinpointed the purity of the spheres' design and recreated the atmosphere it had to evoke. This was done in the least intrusive way possible: covering the interior with galvanized steel and the exterior with stainless steel. Discovering the inner secrets of the Atomium becomes easier as you follow the blue stairs throughout the various spheres. The internal spaces of the Atomium flow uninterruptedly through one another via the spheres and tubes. The tubes act as emotional extensions of the structure. Conix Architects' emotional experience of the spheres is enhanced by the way they treated the interior. The light designer Ingo Maurer created lights especially for the Atomium which enhance the emotional atmosphere of the interior.

Six of the nine spheres are open to the public. The remaining three were never designed for public use and will remain empty. The glass volume surrounding the foot has been emptied and shops and other utilities have been moved to the pavilion. After buying your ticket in the pavilion, you start in the bottom sphere, which is dedicated to Expo '58. This signals the start of a journey of inspiration and emotion that created this structure and leads to the next sphere which houses temporary exhibitions. The next stop is the central sphere which boasts two bars, namely 'Stippenbar' and 'Bellenbar' where visitors can quench their thirst before taking the lift to the top sphere. The restaurant lounge offers magnificent views over the whole of Brussels. On the way down, you walk through the children's sphere, designed in conjunction with the artist Alicia Framis. This world of dreams is the gateway to a place where children can stay overnight in a mini-hotel, fully fitted with water molecules. Adults are only allowed to stand on the outside, looking into the magic world on their way out. Going down via the stairs, you approach the exit and the new square, where the visitors can relax on the new urban furniture or the new stairs integrated into the square and enjoy the Atomium's splendor from a different angle.


BANK J. VAN BREDA & CO

 

ANTWERP


Renovation and extension of an office building
Client: Bank J. Van Breda & Co | Date: 2003-2006 | Area: 12500 m² - 134550 sq.ft.
Category: office, renovation, interior, sustainable

Info:
On this site one finds the former Goederenstation Zuid, a building that fell into disuse during the 1960s. In its heyday it was the epicenter of transport for people and goods. When the southern dockyard reached its maximum capacity, harbor activities moved to the northern docks and the station thereafter became derelict. In 1998 the station was declared a national monument for its rich maritime and industrial archeological value. When Conix Architects visited the building for the first time they realized that it possessed a rich and layered history and appointed themselves as guardians who had to clear the cobwebs of time, in an effort to restore the building to its former glory. Along with upgrading the site and the building, Conix Architects also had to design new offices. The renovated station building and the new offices became the headquarters of Bank J. Van Breda & Co.

This project is located in Antwerp's 'Nieuw Zuid' (New South), an area that is currently being upgraded, near the recently completed Palace of Justice designed by architect Richard Rogers.

The position of the new office building is inspired by the master plan for 'Nieuw Zuid' and the urge to contrast the old building with the new building. The existing building houses the reception area, counters, small auditorium and office spaces.
The new section will be used for open-space offices. The two buildings are connected by light and transparent skyways, which symbolize the transition from old to new, a constant reminder when you move between buildings.

The golden thread in this design lies in the tension between the newly added elements and the original structure. The new building, however, will always be of secondary importance to the historical goods station in terms of volume and materials. By lowering the existing rear wall, the new building and the station building interact; the unity of the entire complex and the corporate identity of the bank are reinforced in this way. The new building reflects elements of the existing station building, in terms of height and through its unmistakable horizontal subdivision of layers. Layer by layer, a contemporary design of closed-up and deep-set open levels has been created.

The closed facade is covered in dark zinc with a patina finish; this material reinforces the contemporary interpretation of the station and reminds us of its industrial character. In this way, the entire complex gracefully integrates into its restored urban environment.


BLAIRON STADSKANTOOR

 

TURNHOUT


Renovation and conversion of the Blairon barracks into offices
Client: City of Turnhout | Date: 2001-2004 | Area: 4300 m² - 46285.2 sq.ft.
Category: interior, renovation

Info:
In order to make the split-level building accessible to visitors of the Stadskantoor, the entrance hall was brought onto the same level as the interior courtyard. The extra height the hall has gained together with its renovated glass entrance, make it the focal point of the facade.

Inside, the staff members behind the elongated reception desk welcome the visitors, assist them or refer them to their colleagues in the corresponding services. The waiting area, to the right of the entrance and diagonally opposite the reception desk, is conceived as a large seating island where you can wait in a pleasant atmosphere until your number appears on the screens indicating that you may proceed to the civil servant or service concerned.

The internal organization on several floors directly reflects the spaces' qualities, character and position. It is based upon a carefully thought out organization chart that fulfils the needs of Turnhout's city offices: flexibility, openness and a maximum circulation between the various floors and services.

Furthermore, every service had its own list of specific demands to be met. The city hall's new location has consequences for the individual working spaces that are now combined with multifunctional working stations, concentration working stations and flexible working stations.

The mayor's office, the aldermen's rooms and offices and the council chamber are all located on the top floor. Here, the colourful glass walls offer a playful touch and allow for the central corridor to be flooded with light.


BORRE

 

OVERIJSE


Residential development & retail
Client: Askimmo nv | Date: 2006-2008 | Area: 460 m² - 4951.44 sq.ft.
Category: residential

Info:
Info


CASA VITAE

 

BOECHOUT


Private residence
Client: Privacy Policy | Date: 1990-1992 | Area: 582 m² - 6264.648 sq.ft.
Category: housing, interior

Info:
Bordered in the south by a protected agricultural zone and in the north linked to the back of the ribbon development close to the village centre. The project is built along an east-west axis, parallel with the ribbon development situated behind it. All day and night time functions lay south of this axis, allowing the panoramic view to be fully experienced in the living room and all of the bedrooms, and be an integral part of each space.

The bedrooms on the first floor are connected on the outside by a covered terrace that acts as a protection against the southern sun and as a continuation of the interior. All service rooms and sanitary blocks are situated north of the axis and enjoy natural light entering the building through skylights.

The office and the relaxation area are situated at the western end of the east-west axis and are connected by a vertical circulation. Here a mezzanine and a double-height window allow the sun to penetrate deeply into the sitting area from the west.

The garage and the covered terrace are disconnected from the main volume, clearly defining the exterior spaces. The freestanding garden walls accentuate the axis and visually mark off the public and the private areas.


CBO LOKERENSTRAAT

 

TURNHOUT


Residential development (social housing)
Client: De Ark | Date: 2006-2010 | Area: 2000 m² - 21528 sq.ft.
Category: residential, budget

Info:



CLOS DU DROSSART

 

BRUSSELS


Residential development
Client: Burco nv, Thomas & Piron nv | Date: 2005-2008 | Area: 1880 m² - 20236.32 sq.ft.
Category: residential, masterplanning

Info:
This project site, situated in a suburb on the outskirts of Brussels, is known for its residential character but also its significant differences in height (about 13.12 feet in places). This high density area needed a spatially well-founded intervention.

Conix Architects conceptualized a building that blends into the surrounding structures in a harmonious way. By using the shape of the site and providing gardens and terraces, an airy structure surrounding a green inner courtyard is created.

This project comprises of 15 apartments and eight houses, spread over the ground floor and three upper floors. The apartments will be built in a stepped slope formation thereby keeping the height lower than that of surrounding buildings; inner areas do not get much cast shadow either. Apartments are positioned in such a way that it would not be possible to look into a neighboring apartment. The buildings are linked by means of roof terraces which can be accessed via the apartments.

The façades are covered in warm materials such as wood and light-colored plastering. The alternate open-closed character is further enhanced by these color and texture choices.


COGELS OSYLEI

 

ANTWERP


Private residence
Client: CBS Immo | Date: 1990-1992 | Area: 360 m² - 3875.04 sq.ft.
Category: housing

Info:
Typical for this street with its eclectic architecture are the many style variations and the marked freedom of forms. We chose to lend this project an imposing aura similar to those of the surrounding buildings yet with a contemporary design in which style and formal elements are incorporated, such as multilayered construction of the fa%uFFFDe, white stucco, plinth, round elements and tower references.

By its almost pretentious individuality and design, its use of primary colours and above all the contrasting effect with its surroundings, this building is meant to represent the late 20th century and offer a counterbalance in this formally exuberant setting.


CONTI-LINES

 

ANTWERP


Office building
Client: Leman Invest nv | Date: 2000-2004 | Area: 5400 m² - 58125.6 sq.ft.
Category: office

Info:
This brand-new office building for a maritime holding company is a prime example of architectural professionalism. The project is situated in one of the main and busiest roads connecting the outer ring road of the city with the center of Antwerp. The building was conceived in a no-nonsense and logical way, offering the client a flexible and sustainable building.

Large glass surfaces are framed by dark stone, creating a strong character for the building. This large frame accentuates the main function behind it, namely flexible and open office spaces. The glass surfaces which are enveloping this frame are decorated with a vibrant serigraphy print on the glass. Behind the facade on the top floor Conix Architects created a terrace linked to the cafeteria. The building blends unobtrusively into its surroundings due to the simple volumetrics used underlined by the soberness of the materials, bringing about a harmonious transition in the varying building outlines of the neighboring buildings.

In contrast to the busy road in front of the building, a nice and quiet garden offers an open view for the offices orientated to the back wall. The fire escape is housed in a freestanding vertical volume with perforated, steel cladding. This volume balances the back facade, adding a vertical and slender accent on to the otherwise horizontal character of this plane.

The interior design is corporate and efficient. The offices are light and open. Shades of grey and blue exude tranquility and calmness throughout the building.


CX - BATH SERIES

 


Design of a Conix object in collaboration with Duscholux/Domovari
Client: Conix Architects i.c.w. Domovari | Date: 2007-2009 | Area: 0 m² - 0 sq.ft.
Category: product design

Info:
The CX bathroom series is the result of a unique collaboration between Conix Architects, Domovari and Duscholux.

The basic concept behind the sanitary collection comes from the action of folding. Approaching the composite material as a white blank paper sheet and operating on it following the simple process of cut & fold, we created a new formal language which is defined by the limited possibilities of actions in modifying paper. This approach guided us to certain design solutions such as avoiding joints, holes and all the operations that do not strictly belong to the original concept. The result we achieved also considers all the limitations that the molding production process implicates such as working with one-cast-material elements, which also suits the original concept of one folded surface. Functionality and a harmony between high visual value and commercial positioning of the product on the market are also important issues. We created a collection which expresses its concept reaching a strong identity, but which is at the same time realistic in production and can be placed in any contemporary interior.

The shape of the wash basin comes from the idea of having a continuous surface that defines the wash basin itself and which folds out on one side creating a little horizontal surface as a support for toilettes supplies. The surface folds then on the two long edges creating the sides to contain the water, which flows away from a linear gap following the same formal language. Flexibility is also a very important aspect of the wash basin; the same element can indeed be installed in three different ways, adapting to every different situation or bathroom’s layout. The same flexibility also allows to obtain different configurations in a master bathroom situation. Two wash basins can be installed one next to each other obtaining, thanks to the original design concept, a continuity of the two folded surfaces, creating one harmonious element which is no longer perceived as two separate wash basins.

For the bath tub we used the same approach as we did in the design concept of the wash basin and in the formal language of cut & fold. The same system for water flow is also used in order to maintain the feeling of one collection. The main difference lies in the expression of the concept itself; while in the wash basin flexibility and adaptation was of crucial importance, we preferred to create a more sculptural element for the bath tub. This different approach is inspired by the different visual importance that the two elements have in a bathroom interior. Therefore we gave the bath tub a stronger visual identity in order to make it an important actor in defining the atmosphere of the room itself. The position for the installation also originates from the same reflection. The bath tub is a free standing element meant to be seen and experienced 360°. Each side is finished and visible; three sides have a visual value and the back side has an accessible niche for towels and toilet supplies in general, using the space between the inside and the outside that would otherwise be lost.

The shower unit was also developed using the same concept of "folding". We created a walk in shower which can be built in (new construction) or which can be placed on an existing floor. The glass surface does not reach the ceiling, but is fixed onto the shower wall. This allows the shower to be installed in each interior, irrespective of the height of the ceiling. The shower unit manifests itself in the interior as a separate object without predominating. The openness of the shower concept is supported by the shower wall, cast in the same material as the shower floor. By combining the shower with the double wash basins, a sanitary element is developed which can be used in smaller rooms and hotel rooms.

The wash basins as well as the shower unit and the bathtub have a distinct identity forming one whole. This allows the different elements to be used separately or together.


DE TESCH

 

HASSELT


Various habitations for a park housing project area
Client: DMI/Democo nv | Date: 2006-2010 | Area: 3650 m² - 39288.6 sq.ft.
Category: residential, competition, masterplanning, budget

Info:
Diversity was strived for both in the scale of the terrain and of the individual housing clusters. The street view needed to display a certain amount of variation within its use of similar forms. Fluctuations in the width and position of the complex's interior street create a vertical rhythm.

4 cluster types were designed, each offering a different internal layout with a variety of habitable surfaces and selling prices. Each type is thus suited for a diverse blend of occupants, a social mix necessary to ensure the entire community's quality of life.

Facilities including green partitions, semi-paved squares and access roads and communal parking spaces for visitors have been provided to help sustain the diversity.

Living individually was the focal point of the project, with a mix of houses and apartments, every typology boasting its own language of forms and specific features.

With a view to spending one's whole life in the same place a flexible layout was opted for. A one bedroom flat on the ground floor can act perfectly as a so-called kangaroo house when combined with the one-family dwelling situated on the floors above. Per block, two apartments can be adapted to the principle of lifelong housing or, alternatively, could be combined.

The design of the fa%uFFFDe combines sobriety and diversity. Large brick surfaces alternate with elongated window openings. Some windows are grouped together by covering the surrounding fa%uFFFDe in wood. Most of the larger windows look out onto the interior terraces.

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DENYS

 

WONDELGEM


Competition - Design of an office building
Client: Denys nv | Date: 2008 | Area: 1000 m² - 10764 sq.ft.
Category: office, competition

Info:
Info


DUBAI TOWER

 

DUBAI (UAE)


Competition - Design of an office & retail tower
Client: Privacy policy | Date: 2008 | Area: 50000 m² - 538200 sq.ft.
Category: tower, competition

Info:
Info


ELIA

 

BRUSSELS


Competition - Design of a passive office building
Client: Elia | Date: 2010 | Area: 10000 m² - 107640 sq.ft.
Category: competition, office, sustainable

Info:



ESPRIT CAFE

 

AMSTERDAM (NL)


Renovation of a cafe
Client: Esprit | Date: 2007-2008 | Area: 95 m² - 1022.58 sq.ft.
Category: retail, renovation

Info:
Info


ETAP

 

MALLE


A "light pavilion" for ETAP, a leading company in lighting equipment
Client: ETAP nv | Date: 1998-2000 | Area: 2500 m² - 26910 sq.ft.
Category: office

Info:
The building includes "light experience" rooms, auditoria, showrooms, offices and a rotating daylight laboratory. It needed to radiate the company's image and be highly energy-conscious.

All aspects of working with light, producing and catching light and creating light for specific spaces, were incorporated in the building's design and organisation.

The long horizontal volume contains several accentuated elements and is linearly extendible to the east and the west. In order to optimize the fa�e's transparency it is built up of a series of large anodised perforated aluminium plates, in which the glass "light" volume is inserted. Monochrome colour fields accentuate the simplicity of the shapes and the materials used. Heating and cooling are provided by a geothermal heat exchanger, assisted by a small conventional unit able to deal with the extremes within the building. The perforated panels and shutters on the south side protect the building both actively and passively. The installations and the technical spaces are large enough to support a further extension of the building.


EXPO SHANGHAI 2010

 

SHANGHAI (CHINA)


Belgian / European pavilion for the Universal Exposition
Client: General Commissionership of the Belgian Government - Belgian Buildings Agency | Date: 2009-2010 | Area: 5250 m² - 56511 sq.ft.
Category: competition, cultural, sustainable

Info:
In May 2010, the new Universal Exposition will start in Shanghai. China expects 70 million visitors on the Expo 2010 with the theme “Better City, Better Life”. Belgium will also be present on this universal exposition. In an area dedicated to European pavilions, a Belgian pavilion with a surface of about 5.250 m² will be constructed. The pavilion will also accommodate the exposition hall of the European Union. The JV Realys (AOS Group) - Interbuild won the competition for the conception, realisation, maintenance and disassembling of the Belgian pavilion for the Shanghai 2010 Universal Exposition. The competition was won in collaboration with Conix Architects (architect), Jan Hoet Jr. (scenographer), JNC International (landscape architect), 3E (energy consultant) and CJI (Chinese contractor).

Constructing a Belgian pavilion for a Universal Exposition in Shanghai made us adopt a different approach. The Chinese culture, which radically differs from ours, the scale and density of Shanghai are not comparable to the European context. The context of the project asked for a specific approach to present Belgium and Europe and to arouse interest of the visitors of the Expo for our culture, our creativity, our talent and our companies, all situated in a very different context.

The pavilion was created around the structure of a “Brain Cell”, being the dominant conceptual image for the pavilion. It evokes the artistic richness of Belgium and Europe, as well as all its scientific achievements which contribute to the development and enrichment of our cultural and intellectual patrimony. During the conceptual phase of the project, in close collaboration with our Chinese partners, this image presented itself as on obvious choice to represent Belgium. It will be able to spark the curiosity of the visitors and make them want to discover Belgium and its intrinsic qualities.

The Brain Cell also refers directly to the role of Belgium as one of Europe’s main gathering centres and cross-points of 3 great cultural traditions: the Latin, the Germanic and the Anglo-Saxon. Belgium, closely connected to its surrounding countries, has always been a “place of balance” where people have gathered with common interests that surpass their national needs. This makes Belgium one of the birthplaces of the Industrial Revolution and the European Union.

In contrast to the playful, organic and intriguing form of the Brain Cell, the exterior of the building refers to the pragmatism and the discretion typical of Belgium. A big roof structure offers a communal shelter, functioning as a flexible, pleasant and convivial public space, fully opened to the outside world.


FERRANESI

 

SIENA (IT)


Restoration of the remains of a Tuscan farm respecting its typical local and regional qualities
Client: Family Van Donick - Conix | Date: 2002-2004 | Area: 640 m² - 6888.96 sq.ft.
Category: housing, renovation, interior

Info:
Conversion from farmhouse to holiday retreat for 5 families, each private unit with its own day and night quarters.

At the basis of the concept lies the wish to respect the distinctive characteristics of the preserved grounds with their buildings in a very homogeneous context.

This old 'podere' is a farm that came into being in the early 19th century. At its peak it could house up to 40 people. Due to the agriculture's systematic mechanization and the exodus from the countryside to the city, the farm was eventually abandoned in the 1950s. Only the volume on the northwest side and a part of the main building were remaining and still in use as a pigsty, although in ruinous conditions. All the other structures had completely collapsed as a result of landslides.

The exterior stairs are used to access some of the units. The covered terraces offer shelter against sun and wind, the northern façades are conceived as a very closed, protecting skin.

The sober interior design that employs traditional local materials in an innovative way creates the desired contemporary atmosphere inside. Originally a relatively poor, basic building, the Tuscan farmhouse lends itself perfectly to this pure approach that favours simplicity. Soft tones support the architecture and mezzanines offer a highly spatial, almost sacral effect. This approach is continued in the choice of furniture, sober yet with a warm feeling.

For more information please visit:
www.ferranesi.it


FRERE ORBAN

 

BRUSSELS


Competition - Design of an office building
Client: Fortis Real Estate nv | Date: 2006 | Area: 25000 m² - 269100 sq.ft.
Category: office, competition, sustainable

Info:
Throughout the history of Brussels, the Quartier L�éopold has always been an ambitious and atmospheric quarter where urban, economic and political activities come together. Nowadays it is the heart of European Union institutions.

The concept is based on some basic principles. Firstly, an entire group of buildings has been demolished, which has enabled Conix Architects to choose the height of the office floors. In addition, they have re-engineered the relationship between private and public spaces at street level. The boundary between the street and the interior is blurred. By using free forms on the street level, a transition is created, which is dominated by the continuous flow of people.

These design elements throw a new light on both sides of the transition zone, like an intelligent organism reacting to its surroundings. With this in mind, Conix Architects looked for ways to create a pleasant interior climate; they applied a double-glazed curtain wall system and a concrete mass to generate heat, to satisfy this requirement.

The final product looks to the future but takes the context and the historical aspects into account. The building anticipates future needs and finds its inspiration in a society marked by variety, communication and a longing for balance.


GASOMETER

 

WARSAW (PL)


Renovation of a gas terminal and reconversion into apartments
Client: Privacy policy | Date: 2007 | Area: 30000 m² - 322920 sq.ft.
Category: residential, renovation, competition, masterplanning

Info:
The existing landscape of Warsaw’s countryside consists out of a typical typology of the beginning of 19th century when the land was divided in green horizontal parcels with the houses aside the main roads. The gasometer dates back from the beginning of the 19th century so in order to integrate the existing landscape of Warsaw’s countryside into the gasometer we needed to use the same elements in the concept by designing this housing project.

Inside the gasometer the main road becomes the main central axis in between the newly designed apartments.
By designing the new buildings outside the gasometer we followed the parceling dimensions of the surroundings.

To preserve the authentic spatial feeling of the curved bricks wall and windows, the dome and the special play of lights and shadows, the design concept has 3 basic ideas:

01
The existing facade creates a magic atmosphere in the inside space of the building and should be preserved as much as possible in the new design.

02
Between the new apartment blocks a main central axis is created.

03
The shape of main void created by the central axis becomes the point of departure for the volumetric of the new apartment building.




GATES

 

EREMBODEGEM


Competition - Interior design of an office building
Client: Gates Europe nv | Date: 2006 | Area: 1000 m² - 10764 sq.ft.
Category: competition, interior

Info:
Info


GIMV

 

ANTWERP


Extension of an existing office block and reception building with lunchrooms
Client: GIMV | Date: 1998-1999 | Area: 4847 m² - 52173.108 sq.ft.
Category: office

Info:
The plot's shape and the nature of the commission led to the creation of three separate buildings; the existing building was extended. By providing the newly-built part with its own central core it would be possible for it to function independently in the future.

A pavilion containing meeting rooms and lunchrooms is located in the interior area and is directly connected to the main building. The façade is entirely glazed. Pivoting wooden panels have been installed to control the view and the incidence of light, depending on the use of the rooms.

The project included an additional new block, independent from the others, to complete the row of buildings in Doornelei. Its façade is complementary to the existing office's strongly geometric granite façade. They are "linked" by a clear similarity in their design. However, the commissioner decided to erect this volume at a later stage.

In the interior area parking spaces for visitors are combined with strongly contrasting green zones.

The mobility of some interior elements allows for the seemingly sober design to express a more playful side. The pivoting wooden panels continue in the wall covering and the storage units. When everything is closed, it gives one the impression of being in a large, protective wooden box.


GLASS HOUSE

 

ANTWERP


Renovation of an offce building and reconversion into apartments
Client: Urban Capital nv | Date: 2009 | Area: 2637 m² - 28384.668 sq.ft.
Category: residential, renovation

Info:
The project concerns the renovation of the ‘Van Ommerenhouse’, one of the first examples of modern architecture in Antwerp designed in 1938 by Brinkman and Van den Broek.

After years of vacancy and use as a squat, project developer Urban Capital decided to breathe new life into the former office building. In 2011, the project will contain 16 city flats and a commercial/office space on the ground and first floor.

Conix Architects decided to restore the building with respect for the original design and integration of contemporary elements. The characteristic façade is completely re-executed in glass with aluminium window profiles and steel frames. The most important additions are the steel bridge on the back façade providing access to the flats, the creation of an inner area with an extraordinary view on the historical city centre and the contemporary shed roofs maximising the infiltration of light.

With the Glass House project, one of the most striking historical buildings in Antwerp gets a new contemporary destination. According to Ludo Van Campenhout, Alderman for City Development, the renovation will be an important stimulus for the redevelopment of the surrounding areas and will make the Glass House a recognizable icon in the city.

>» http://www.atv.be
» http://www.urbancapital.be



HESSE NOORD NATIE

 

ANTWERP


Office building
Client: PSA HNN nv | Date: 2003-2005 | Area: 5600 m² - 60278.4 sq.ft.
Category: office, interior, competition

Info:
PSA HNN was formed in 2002 through the merger of two established terminal operating companies. After the merger, PSA HNN became part of the PSA group, a leading global port operator with home base in Singapore. The maritime activities of this company are both linked historical and local to this site, thus creating an extra valuable layer to this project.

When Conix Architects first visited the site, the project zone 'Het Eilandje' had not been fully designed. It was only the beginning of the rejuvenation of the area surrounding Willemdok (Willem docks). The renovation of the Koninklijk Depot (by architect Koolhoff) signalled the start of a new era in urban development in the Antwerp North area.

This site played an important role in completing the enclosure of the entire area. The position of this building is necessary for supporting the urban look and feel of the Willemdok and the surrounding area. Hence, the specific location of this building demanded a rigid approach, in order to 'restore' and rejuvenate the neighboring environment. By erecting this office building here, Conix Architects restored the boundaries of the Willemdok and the adjacent street.

The design for this functional and flexible office building is combined with specific architectural details both in plan and in elevation. Conix Architects have implemented a fragmented scale division for the design of the facade to formulate a solution
for existing and future occupants and the public alike. Light-colored stone is used for the walls, combined with a darker, rough-hewn stone. The horizontal segments correspond to those of adjacent buildings and are needed to create the requested flexible office spaces. The closed character of the fa%uFFFDe is interrupted by a void at the entrance. This entrance area is a big double height space and opens the building up to its surroundings, thus offering this project a clear dialogue with its context.


HOOPNATIE

 

ANTWERP


Residential development and commercial spaces
Client: Himmos nv | Date: 1999-2006 | Area: 13000 m² - 139932 sq.ft.
Category: residential, masterplanning

Info:
The area between Cockerillkaai and Timmerwerfstraat looked chaotic because it lacked design unity. Due to the existing relationship between a number of large buildings - namely the Zuiderpershuis, a block of apartments on the corner and a museum (Muhka) - the perspective had already been determined by and large. Conix Architects felt compelled to put an end to this mish-mash of building styles. Their final organization of the buildings lies between urban compacting and spatial perception.

The project comprises three buildings. Block A is connected to an existing corner building, thus completing the facade line in Cockerillkaai and Timmerwerfstraat.
Block C runs parallel to Timmerwerfstraat. Block B is an existing warehouse which is renovated and extended. The triangular space between the three buildings is turned into a private courtyard. Where the three buildings meet, a small, private area is formed with views of the Schelde docks, the Zuider docks and the Zuiderpershuis.

The interaction of horizontal lines on the Cockerillkaai (Block A) - interrupted by vertical strips - serves as a counterbalance to the massive structure of the Muhka museum. Conix Architects used lines more or less everywhere to unite the designs of these buildings and thus create a unique and recognizable character for the entire complex.

Only in the case of Block B - to accommodate the extension to the warehouse - a closed design was used for the north-facing facade, using materials consistent with the specific historical background of the warehouse. The horizontal detailing of the facade is limited to the two end walls.

The fa�cades of Block A and Block C on Timmerwerfstraat are interrupted in places to make incidences of light and air possible in the sharp angle between the two streets. Consequently, the facades reflect the existing building outline of the street. Because of this design choice, Timmerwerfstraat has become more airy and spacious, in contrast to the enclosed and massive facade of the social housing on the other side of the street.

Block B in Leuvenstraat repeats the horizontal theme but in a more fragmented way with openings. By placing the building further back - compared to the building line of the warehouse - one has a view from the Schelde docks of the towers of the Zuiderpershuis. By not connecting the building to the enclosure and using mostly glass for the ground floor, the Zuiderpershuis can be seen in its totality. The detailed construction of the end wall on the Waalse Kaai opens up the Leuvenstraat, allowing for a clear view of the entrance to the Muhka. Conix Architects created recreational spaces here with water features and stepping stones.


HOUSE DL

 

THE HAGUE (NL)


Private residence
Client: Privacy policy | Date: 2007 | Area: 250 m² - 2691 sq.ft.
Category: housing

Info:
Info


HOUSE HO

 

PRIVACY POLICY


Private residence
Client: Privacy policy | Date: 2005 | Area: 325 m² - 3498.3 sq.ft.
Category: housing, interior

Info:
This family home can be described as a functional, austere whole, tailored to the client's needs, incorporating the specific subdivision requirements. The rectangular volume has a strong presence on the side facing the street, and is illuminated with cutouts in a few places. Proportional relationships of the cantilever and window compositions were closely examined in function of light entry and spatial experience.
The entry hall is dominated by glass surfaces, behind which integrated wood cupboards line the walls, thus corresponding to the unity of the facade.

In this way, the front-facing facade forms an exceptionally strong unity, encapsulating the essence of the brick architecture. Once inside, the connections between the various rooms are noteworthy. The spaces are linked by an S-shaped circulation through the layout, through which the space on the terrace becomes optimally integrated.


HOUSE HU

 

PRIVACY POLICY


Private residence
Client: Privacy policy | Date: 2004-2008 | Area: 605 m² - 6512.22 sq.ft.
Category: housing

Info:
The concept for this freestanding house was derived from the characteristics of the site. The rolling landscape and forest vegetation provided the inspiration for the design. The house is immersed in its natural surroundings and relates to nature in form and function in both plan and section.

Although the structure is partially imbedded, the landscape has been respected as much as possible. The living spaces are located on an extended plinth on the first floor. This space, flooded by daylight, offers panoramic views of the green surroundings. The solid plinth on the street level houses all the services. The subdued bedrooms are located on the top floor. An integrated terrace offers yet another view of the hilly landscape.

Throughout the house, three types of material are used: slate (used for levels with supporting functions), dark brick (bedrooms) and glass (living areas). Every level is characterised by a specific type of material. The glass volume encapsulates the living areas, thus giving the inhabitants panoramic views of their surroundings.

Sustainable and ecological materials such as fibre reinforced gypsum lining board - made from gypsum and recycled paper fibres - are used for the interior finishing. In addition, solar panels and a ventilation system with a heat exchanger were installed.


HOUSE OC

 

PRIVACY POLICY


Private residence
Client: Privacy policy | Date: 2004 | Area: 750 m² - 8073 sq.ft.
Category: housing, interior

Info:
This newly built house for a large family is located in the vicinity of Brussels. The most important characteristics of the site are the presence of a slope on the side facing the street, the southern orientation of the front fa%uFFFDe and the presence of a magnificent oak tree. These were integrated into the design. The building volume was shifted open to create a patio. This provides the whole rear of the house (main hallway, study, children's play corner and living room) with daylight. Additionally visual relationships were sought with the oak tree.

The volume of the house was partly moved into the slope and partly raised, creating an exciting relationship between the existing terrain and the new house. The front-facing facade was given a massive and closed design. The windows were formed through fine vertical cut-aways, with pivoting shutters to shut out the sun. The spaces on the floors - specifically the parents' bedroom and bathroom - were also afforded privacy by shutters, which can be opened or shut completely. In contrast to the closed front-facing facade, the rear facade opens up completely. This way the garden, designed by landscaping architect Eric Dhont, is integrated into the experience of the living spaces. Because of this the opened up kitchen and spacious living room are bathed in light.

Classic and natural-looking colors and materials were chosen to materialize this project. Wood, brown brick, a cream-colored marble for the flooring finish and pale oak wooden floors supply a homogenous and warm character.


HOUSE TE

 

ROTTERDAM (NL)


Private residence
Client: Pravicy policy | Date: 2005-2007 | Area: 300 m² - 3229.2 sq.ft.
Category: housing, interior

Info:
Info


HOUSE WY

 

PRIVACY POLICY


Private residence
Client: Privacy Policy | Date: 1996-1999 | Area: 556 m² - 5984.784 sq.ft.
Category: housing, interior

Info:
The house was designed on a strict 1.2 by 1.2m grid, an open plan interior captured within a compact white skin. The wall of large windows at the back completely opens the volume to the garden, while at the front the edifice shows a rather more closed character. Perforations in the walls and glass doors make for a clear layout inside and spaces that flow into one another.

The interior design follows naturally on from this strict modulation, favouring functionality and sobriety. The warm accents provided by the frequent use of wood relax the cold atmosphere and give the house a homey feel. The alternation of perspectives and viewpoints creates a surprising effect within the strict grid pattern and heightens the experience value.


ICC MADRID

 

MADRID (ES)


Competition - Design of an international convention centre
Client: City Council of Madrid | Date: 2007 | Area: 50000 m² - 538200 sq.ft.
Category: competition, masterplanning

Info:
The City Council of Madrid wishes to build an International Convention Centre on the Paseo de la Castellana of Madrid (the central axis of the new city), in order to complete the demand of the city in this sector, and thus strengthen Madrid's strategic position as a business space.

The fragmentation of the green areas and the central position of the site made us reconsider to chance the perimeter boundaries of the site. The proposal set-out to modify the perimeter, to integrate green spaces into the project and to create a new park for the city.

With the new distribution, a visual continuity of the green zones is guaranteed. The two functions we considered when dividing the space in elevation, were: The center of Congress (the inferior component) and a large urban park (the superior component). A thoroughfare for pedestrians was created, which started between the towers and continued through the building, away from vehicular traffic. These pedestrian routes guarantee the continuity of foot traffic through the site and create two open spaces, which become the entrance. This helps to connect the towers with the green zones and the bus-station, by means of 'artificial topography' that follows the natural slope of the land.

The center is formed by a continuous roof, which follows the natural slope of the land. This roof or 'cover' rises about eleven meters above the ground floor level and extends the project within the perimeter of the site, generating a facade to the main streets and encloses all necessary functions.

In order for the project to work within the difficult surroundings and to satisfy the complex functional program, the main functions of the center are distributed over different heights. The commercial functions are located on the ground floor, which is directly linked to the Castilian, as well as a restaurant, the functions related to the entrance and ticket sales and a direct access to the main audiences.

Three main zones are made from concrete structural segments. The fully glazed facades, which are orientated west, enhance the spatial relationship with the outside and generate views to the nearby green zone. The perforations along the patios provide natural light and ventilation.

The exposition space is divided into three separate parts, which are simultaneously connected by 'strips', that lead to the vertical circulation through the use of escalators. These strips also house flexible spaces for activities related to the exhibition, such as catering, projection and small meeting rooms; their flexibility also allows for the increase in surface area of the exhibition space.

The rooms dedicated for presentations and to accommodate audiences, are located on both ends of the building. The main audience hall has a capacity of 3500 seats. Combined with an audience hall of smaller capacity, it is possible to organize events for up to 5000 people. On the other side of the building the remaining audience halls are located. These rooms are equipped with moveable walls, which make it possible to vary the capacity of the audience halls, until a maximum of 2200 spectators is reached. Both zones are linked via meeting areas.

The large urban park located on the roof is considered as the 'fifth facade', which is visible from its surroundings. A variety of zones are created, through the use of different materials and surface treatments that are linked to the functions below. As a result, a unique landscape is created, a 'mosaic' of different pavements and aromatic vegetation (appropriate to the dry climate of Madrid), which helps contribute to the variety and diversity of the setting. Other elements that take part in the landscape of the park are the great lucernarios, the seats and solar panels, which occupy strategic places on the roof.


IDEAL FELT

 

BRUSSELS


Showroom & offices with additional industrial hall for a felt factory
Client: Ideal Felt | Date: 2002-2003 | Area: 1853 m² - 19945.692 sq.ft.
Category: office

Info:
The building is situated on a corner plot, approximately 1 meter above street level, in an industrial area along Haachtsesteenweg in Haren.

The variety of materials incorporated in the fa%uFFFDçade give a clear indication of the diverse functions contained within the sober rectangular volume. Unlike other SME buildings this project aims to achieve a complete interweaving of offices and workshop with all of the functions being housed under one roof.

The office space and the workshop can be identified by the combination of clear glazing and wooden sun slats. The layout makes for easy visible contact between office and workshop. Technical and logistic functions are situated beneath in the closed, solid plinth. The optimisation of natural lighting sources was also thoroughly considered. One part of the plinth has been opened up to provide sufficient daylight for the showroom located within. A continuous skylight above the office area brings daylight into the circulation zone and the offices in the middle of the building. The industrial hall has clear glazing on all sides and a daylight dome to create a bright and pleasant working environment.

The interior is characterised by a similar sober design with bright, airy spaces. The red surfaces, clearly visible from the exterior, form a link between the inside and the outside world.


IKOGEST

 

BELVAL-NORD (LU)


Competition - Design of residential development (with Fabeck Architectes & Vogt Landschaftarchitekten)
Client: IKOGEST | Date: 2003-2004 | Area: 27000 m² - 290628 sq.ft.
Category: residential, masterplanning

Info:
Jo Coenen's existing masterplan is optimized, reinforcing the basic assumption of 'living in the green' The residences are placed within the naturally undulating landscape, completely integrated in the original setting. Clusters of two building blocks are created around an interior area, via which the houses and apartments are accessible. The interior area is closed off by a group of large crowned trees, maintaining the views but still creating a sense of private space. Green zones between the clusters, each with a different character, provide communal outside space for the residents. An extra advantage of the hillside location is the discrete solution it offers to the question of parking.

Houses and apartments are never combined within the same volume. A deliberate choice was made to build the apartments no higher than the ground floor plus one storey, and combine these with a few tower blocks of maximum 5 storeys to lend the project a playful accent. The houses consist of a ground floor and 2 storeys. Some of the top floors are not completely built upon, thus offering some differentiation.

All of the residences have been designed with a great deal of attention towards future flexibility and adaptability. The wide range of layouts - houses to live and work in, open plan apartments, maisonettes, luxury homes and smaller flats - have all been applied within the same basic structure. All apartments are equipped with a terrace or a loggia and the single-family dwellings have a garden on the ground floor level, adjacent to the communal outside area.


KDG HOGESCHOOL

 

ANTWERP


Interior design of a school building and renovation of the façade
Client: KdG Hogeschool Antwerpen vzw | Date: 2004-2008 | Area: 3045 m² - 32776.38 sq.ft.
Category: education, competition, renovation

Info:
During the design process we noticed that we needed to upgrade the visibility and the logical use of the building.

For the upgrade of the visibility of the school we enhanced the relationship between the interior and the street along the façade, named Nationalestraat. As an outcome to the optimised internal circulation we became one obvious main entrance in the Nationalestraat. To enhance the openness and the presence of the school in this zone they chose complete transparency, the interior and the exterior flow into each other. Behind this glass zone you’ll find the school yard, the meeting point within the school. The presence of students, teachers on one site and the pedestrians on the other makes the border lines fade away, and ads to the curiosity.

The presence of the school on the site of the Groenplaats can be enhanced by a better organisation of the circulation to the metro station. By removing the two unpractical volumes on either site of the entrance, the flow of pedestrians will be enhanced.

More circulation implicates less dark corners and more safety. By ma-king volumes that slide out completely in glass, an optimal transparency arises. In a way both volumes become show-windows. One would be perfect as an info point, the other as a commercial space. Service volu-mes are slotted into both glass volumes to make them function in a better way. These volumes are completely closed and finished with dark plate material.

Because of the complete transparency of both volumes you become an interesting view of the backside of the auditorium. This makes the school also present on the site of the Groenplaats. This can also benefit if you would like to led it out or use it for presentations, concerts etc.

In our design we kept the design of the yard. The main meeting point forms the central core from where other functions like the auditorium, the library and the study hall are reached. Visual relations enhance the internal readability and functionality of the building.



MATEXI

 

GRIMBERGEN


Office building and interior design
Client: Matexi nv | Date: 2004-2007 | Area: 1238 m² - 13325.832 sq.ft.
Category: office, interior

Info:
Two volumes are implanted on the full dept of the site. The flat roofed volume is implanted crosswise to the street while the volume with the sloping roof is placed in the middle of the site, parallel to the boundary of the plot.

A long narrow window shows the models made by the developer from the outside as well as from the inside and guides the visitors to the entrance. The design consists of offices, meeting rooms, a kitchen and restaurant and a parking.


MC GREGOR

 

GHENT


Interior design of the flagship store Mc Gregor Women
Client: Mc Gregor België Retail nv | Date: 2007 | Area: 330 m² - 3552.12 sq.ft.
Category: retail, interior, competition

Info:
It concerns the reinterpretation of the Wolweverskapel in Ghent, a protected monument that underwent a thorough conversion in 2002 to preserve the building. Because the necessary means for a comprehensive restoration were not available at the time the rich frescoes were hidden behind a protective coat of plaster. A decision by the historic buildings council prescribed us to leave the walls untouched. This meant we were not allowed to secure anything to the walls or to paint them. A palette of ochre and cream now reinforces the patina of the high slender columns and chapel walls. When entering the building, one’s attention is immediately drawn towards to the original wooden truss, which still displays all the grandeur of honest craftsmanship.

McGregor asked us to create a concept for their women's collection in this unique setting. Until recently the collection had been regarded as the men's collection's little sister, but will now be presented in individual sales outlets. The shop in Ghent is the women's collection's first flagship store and will pave the way for McGregor's development scheme.

Respect for the chapel as a monument was the point of departure for the whole project. The shop had to exude class. Transparency, minimalism and timelessness were the three major qualities introduced to ensure complete integration of the concept. The fusion of the old chapel and the new refined design would emphasize the qualities of both.

The façade in Kortedagsteeg remained untouched, only the entrance to the chapel (now the shop), situated in a gallery slightly set back from the street, was drastically transformed. Finally receiving the attention it deserves, the entrance today is more than just another opening closed off with glass, it is a portal worthy of guarding the sanctuary within.

The interior layout is based upon a simple principle: a central area with circulation around it, a reference to the traditional layout of a church, with its central nave and two aisles. A painted steel structure - partially covered with leather strips to protect the intimacy required for the women's collection - was designed for the central area to help rebalance the disproportion between the shop design and the chapel.

The existing white painted concrete floor is covered with a herring-bone walnut parquet, finally giving the chapel the floor it deserves: a warm and honest surface, rich in shades, a worthy ally for the majestic truss. Beneath the painted steel structure, the middle section has a hazelnut tint, fitting in perfectly with the surrounding walnut and the rest of the colour palette.

The project succeeded in its mission: a powerful, minimalist environment was created and the clear and sober concept presents the clothing as a valued object within this magnificent space.


MERCELIS PHASE 1

 

BRUSSELS


Library
Client: Investimmo nv | Date: 2004-2009 | Area: 1600 m² - 17222.4 sq.ft.
Category: cultural

Info:
This project entails renovating houses facing a street, building two blocks of apartments (behind the houses) and integrating a library into offices.

The volume of this development softens and improves the appearance of these buildings. In combination with the architectural intervention, the development is integrated in a transparent and airy manner behind the front houses. Conix Architects envisage two buildings, each with its own entrance and front garden. The entry axis is supported by the positioning of the buildings and the library entrance. The courtyard area becomes a hub of activities which interact with each other in different ways. The rational design of the buildings strengthens the feeling of tranquility, necessary to ensure the quality of life in an urban area.


NEW BRUSSELS

 

BRUSSELS


Competition - Design of an apartment tower and offices
Client: Atenor nv | Date: 2005 | Area: 86000 m² - 925704 sq.ft.
Category: competition, residential, office

Info:
This site is located along a road that approaches Brussels from the north, near the Gare du Nord (North Station) in an urban area which is in the process of being completely transformed. A canal and skyscraper set the scene, creating a mixed context of industrial and urban beauty. Conix Architects created a bold statement, where two towers rise up and serve as landmarks for the area.

The program is divided in two parts: offices and apartments on the higher level, shops, bars and restaurants on the lower level expressed by a 'void'. The aim is to combine two scales: the city (urban scale) and the neighborhood (human scale).
The urban scale is represented by two towers of differing heights. The façades are designed to act as structural and aesthetic elements that duplicate the pattern of crossing lines visible on the floor plans. These lines generate continuity between vertical and horizontal parts of the building and also strengthen the links with the industrial character of the site.

The office entrance is visible from the main street; the apartments have breathtaking views of the canal. All levels have been designed to offer a flexible floor plan, which allows for different layouts and arrangements.

The human scale is represented through public spaces on the ground floor (shops) and the first floor (esplanade with pavilions) of the building, which offer a space to host festivities and cultural events. The patios of the offices allow light to penetrate and create vertical viewpoints throughout the building. The ground floor is pene-trated by several openings, which allow for numerous framed views from the street to the canal.

In combining the different scales it creates an interweaving pattern of functions that are projected in plan and elevation. By doing so, the occurrence of the built environment becomes a crossing-over event between a multitude of actions and motions taking place.


NEW LOKEREN

 

LOKEREN


Residential development
Client: Himmos nv | Date: 1999-2006 | Area: 23000 m² - 247572 sq.ft.
Category: residential, budget

Info:
On the edge of downtown Lokeren, located on the shores of the river Durme, lies the site of a former flax mill. This district has recently been cleared and prepared as residential area.

On the opposite side of the site is a street of laborers' houses from the start of the previous century, serving as reminder of Lokeren's fascinating industrial history.

The site had enormous potential due to its perfect location and orientation. Conix Architects had the opportunity to build 121 apartments here, spread over seven buildings. They departed from a conceptual approach of optimal integration of the buildings, using a rigid architectural vocabulary. In view of the grand scale, they opted for free-standing apartment buildings. By dividing these into buildings A through G, a harmonious, contemporary whole is created, breathing new life into this area next to the Durme.

Buildings A and B, located on the shoreline of the Durme, have lead to better integration of the project into the area by building B being placed at an angle in relation to building A.
These buildings consist of four storeys and a recessed top storey. This top layer of construction on buildings A and B is pushed back to keep the scale size of the
buildings in check. This creates a powerful line, formed by the continuous beam.
Building C forms a connection link with the existing buildings in the Koophandelstraat. Buildings D, E, F and G in Nijverheidstraat are urban villas, consisting of three levels and a top storey.


NOH

 

NEDER-OVER-HEEMBEEK


Competition - Design of a school building for special education
Client: Gemeenschapsonderwijs SBSO-MPI | Date: 2007 | Area: 5000 m² - 53820 sq.ft.
Category: competition, education

Info:
Info


NORTH GATE - LONDON TOWER

 

ANTWERP


Apartment tower, offices & retail
Client: Amca | Date: 2005 | Area: 43700 m² - 470386.8 sq.ft.
Category: residential, tower, office, masterplanning, budget

Info:
This site is in an area that is currently undergoing a complete transformation. The master plan sets out to change a suburb into a residential-business area by condensing and completing a series of sites.

The master plan entails a high-rise apartment block and an adjacent smaller office block. Inspired by the modernistic viewpoint of the city of Antwerp, the building should function structurally to determine a specific, well-defined streetscape. This results in an obligatory and rigorous observance of the building line, which gives the envisaged construction a strong iconic character. It marks the starting point of an axis.

Another design criterion is met by adding a pedestrian overpass that links the building with Antwerp north. This overpass, included in the master plan, leads to an enclosed courtyard, whose atmosphere will be created by the flow of people and their work-life relationships in a city. This interaction applies to the entire site and serves as the point of departure for designing the apartments, offices and public spaces.

Conix Architects had a no-nonsense approach to designing the apartments. So, the building is styled like a sculpture that diminishes as it increases in height. In this way, the design vacillates between static stability and dynamic vanity. The designs of the adjacent inner areas and façades evolved from their relationship with the nearby water which served as inspiration. There are seven apartments on every floor; each with a different design to cater for different types of tenants. The ground floor houses an exhibition room and commercial space, in addition to apartments, as well as a visitor's pavilion. Conix Architects are turning this site into an attractive meeting place that offers a multitude of activities and atmospheres.


OCEANS FOUR

 

GDANSK (PL)


Residential development
Client: CFE nv | Date: 2008 | Area: 75000 m² - 807300 sq.ft.
Category: tower, competition, residential, masterplanning

Info:



OM PARTNERS

 

WOMMELGEM


Office building
Client: OM Partners nv | Date: 2002-2005 | Area: 4000 m² - 43056 sq.ft.
Category: office

Info:
OM Partners is a software and consulting company. Situated in an industrial zone, an office building was designed for the specific needs of this client.

A strict division between the accessible zones for the public and the non-accessible zones led up to the conception of the plan. An L-shaped volume is created and houses besides the office function, a training zone, a research zone and spaces for supply and stock.

Particular atmospheres for the functions of this building are created. A dialog between the functions on the one hand and the fa�es linked to them on the other hand creates a fascinating architecture, both logical and variable at the same time. The materials used for the building are restrained: light-colored profiled concrete and glass for all facades, alternating with dark plate material for protruding parts in the fa�e and back wall. The interior design is both contemporary and sober: white walls, small accents with green and red planes and soft touches with wood for flooring and furniture.

When approaching the building, one can discover a frame construction on the upper floors covered in dark plate material, with the directors' offices situated behind it.
On the floor below, the entrance to the building is situated. This concept is repeated on the back facade, thus creating an invitation to go outside and enjoy the well-planned garden area. Near the training center, a visually private area was created by means of rhythmically placed vertical panels made of light-colored profiled concrete.

The architecture of this project is clear, offering this company a corporate identity of being modern and up-to-date, but also stable and durable at the same time.


PEPIN

 

BRUSSELS


Mixed development; apartments, office & gallery
Client: Guillaume Kervyn & Lucas Boels | Date: 2007 | Area: 4290 m² - 46177.56 sq.ft.
Category: residential, cultural, sustainable, office

Info:



QUEEN ANNE

 

BRUSSELS


Competition - Design of a hotel and renovation of apartments
Client: Van Belle Family | Date: 2006 | Area: 8400 m² - 90417.6 sq.ft.
Category: competition

Info:
The requirement for this competititon was to build a new three-star hotel with 80 rooms. The family Van Belle-Hermans wanted a new brand hotel in the center of Brussels near their existing hotel, the Queen Anne. This hotel will be renovated in a second phase together with existing apartments in the same building, transforming these into 23 units. Conix Architects described this project as a 'journey within a journey'.

The starting point was a study of the possibilities and circumstances in a city like Brussels. Conix Architects realized that Brussels is undergoing a rejuvenating process thereby attracting a lot of young people. This new energy led them to various new themes. All aspects of 'meeting' were considered and chosen as the main theme. There are various instances of meeting or connecting such as nature and city, design and styles, sounds, music and dance, fashion, and the typical Brussels lifestyle. Conix Architects were guided by the spatial and social context of specific buildings such as Le Th�re National, KVS, Kaaitheater, and Antoine Dansaert street with its well-known cafés,� dance troupes, musicians, street artists and many more.

Getting to know all these elements is close to impossible especially for visitors, tourists or business people. However, Conix Architects want to reflect this journey in the hotel's design. The synergy of the city had to be tangible in the hotel's design and planning. The dialog between planning and the architectural design is expanded: the entrance will look like a catwalk, the bar like a cocktail lounge, the lobby like a retreat showing projections of modern day Brussels.

Conix Architects envisage 80 bedrooms, each with an area of 237 sq ft. Despite the compactness, they have found enough space to design a stylish and exclusive room. The rooms give a sense of spaciousness, partly due to their open-plan design and a see-through bathroom with glass partitions. In the same way, the window sill is extended to become part of the interior.

Hotel guests moving around as well as the abstract movement in a city were the main inspiration for designing the façade. This movement leads to exceptional confrontations similar to those when travelling and staying in hotels.


RAC

 

BRUSSELS


Competition - Design of residential development, offices & retail
Client: RAC investment corp. nv | Date: 2007 | Area: 134000 m² - 1442376 sq.ft.
Category: residential, competition, masterplanning

Info:
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RINNEN-OFFERGELD

 

VIELSALM (LU)


Competition - Design of a masterplan for revitalisation of a city centre
Client: Espace Didier sa | Date: 2007 | Area: 9100 m² - 97952.4 sq.ft.
Category: competition, residential

Info:
Info


SEAMCO

 

RANST-OELEGEM


Office building
Client: Seamco nv | Date: 2004-2008 | Area: 500 m² - 5382 sq.ft.
Category: office, interior, sustainable

Info:
Seamco manufactures machines that are used to produce reusable plastic bottles. The concept for this office building had to reflect their core business. Conix Architects' mission was to establish the logical functionality within the building and therefore light, high-tech materials were used to emphasize this aspect. The top floors are massive constructions, supported by a few concrete buttresses. In contrast, the ground floor is spacious and open.

It appears as if transparent plastic tubes support the top structure, thereby creating the impression of a floating floor.

The interior design is sober, a logical combination focusing on functionality and spatial abstraction. Bearing the exterior in mind, contrasting elements are used. Massive black elements rest on flimsy white elements, suggesting that the black elements are floating. This effect is enhanced by the white polyurethane floor. A few colorful accents in the loose furniture break the pure black-white contrast, resulting in a playful yet cohesive interior.


SIBELGA I

 

BRUSSELS


Renovation of an office building and interior design
Client: Sibelga cvba | Date: 2005-2006 | Area: 3600 m² - 38750.4 sq.ft.
Category: interior, office, renovation

Info:
The head office of Sibelga, close to Brussels Gare du Nord (North Station), is housed in a building with a lot of character that was built in a typical 1970s style. The concrete façade and rigid canopy at the entrance remind Conix Architects of the heyday of constructivism. Although the building had retained its distinctive character, some parts needed to be restored and reorganized. Given the background of the building, Conix Architects had to find solutions to meet the needs of the current owners. The most significant changes included redecorating the work and meeting rooms and redesigning the reception spaces. By doing this, the flexibility of spaces was increased and the representativity of the company emphasized.

The requirements are interpreted in a clear and dynamic way. The third floor is designed to serve as the 'template'. Closed work spaces are situated next to the outer walls, offering maximum flexibility; meeting spaces are placed in the middle zones as free-standing structures, with a rotation of axes.

This creates a dynamic in the circulation spaces and additional secondary connections between both sides of the building. The meeting room gets daylight as the inner walls are transparent.

On the second floor, the system's flexibility is clearly demonstrated. A central area is created in the landscape office by placing cabinets strategically to separate functional zones. In the directors' office area, the interior design contributes to the flexibility. The reception is situated near the façade, the longitudinal fa�çade. Next to the reception, one finds the modular room which can be opened up.
The meeting rooms can be completely opened up to lead into the modular room, to become a large differentiated space that can be used for parties, exhibitions, seminars, presentations, etc. The layout of the offices is identical to those on the third floor, whereby daylight can penetrate the middle zone.

Every floor has its own identifying color. Different shades of that color are applied to accentuate the reception and informal areas, the small kitchen, and curtains. The light shining from the building is colored, thus turning the building into a landmark in the street.


SIBELGA II

 

BRUSSELS


Renovation of an office building and interior design
Client: Sibelga cvba | Date: 2007-2008 | Area: 3560 m² - 38319.84 sq.ft.
Category: office, interior, renovation

Info:
Info


SPORTS CENTRE

 

AUDERGHEM


Competition - Design of a sports centre with underground parking area
Client: City Auderghem | Date: 2007 | Area: 8000 m² - 86112 sq.ft.
Category: competition, cultural

Info:
Info


THALASSA

 

ANTWERP


Conversion of a warehouse into small office units with commercial space
Client: Thalassa Seafoods NV | Date: 1992-1994 | Area: 850 m² - 9149.4 sq.ft.
Category: interior, renovation

Info:
The characteristic facade and the structure of wooden beams and columns were preserved wherever possible. Both the facad�e and the wooden structure were sandblasted in order to show the original materials to their best possible advantage. The necessary vertical circulation and technical and sanitary spaces have been added. The interventions are minimal and functional. Because of the small windows very little daylight enters the warehouse. The spatial execution of the lift and the stairwell, with its frosted-glass separation, allow for a maximum level of daylight to be drawn in through the cupola above the stairs. Primary materials (steel, glass and wood) were used for the interventions to reinforce the contrast between the old and the new.


TOKYO EMBASSY

 

TOKYO (JP)


Competition - Design of a new Belgian embassy (with UG Toshi Kenchiku & Tetsuo Kawabe)
Client: Belgian government | Date: 2006 | Area: 60762 m² - 654042.168 sq.ft.
Category: competition

Info:
The site is located in Chiyoda Ward which is the center of Japan nowadays. This area with sporadically located Universities, embassies and temples has been developed for prestigious residences. Complexity and density resulted by recent construction of buildings in the area has affected reduction of green.

For the architectural expression of Belgian values and the specific features of Belgian identity for the project, the architect proposes space with diversity and symbiosis with the environment.

Diversity: A hybrid of various elements. The facility expresses a hybrid of various elements with human scale, not a tedious juxtaposition of two large building volumes. This concept subdividing the scale of the building affects creation of harmonious expression with adjacent townscape.

Symbioses with the environment: from conservation to creation of plants. Recent construction of buildings has changed townscape in Ban-Cho area, an area that was know as a place with abundant green in the past. The architect proposes the creation of the facility as a green oasis within the area through maximizing the volume of the plants as well as conservation or relocation all of the existing trees on the ground. By placing plants on the wall of the building, the architect aims to contribute to the greenscape in the town.


UMICORE

 

HOBOKEN


Masterplanning of an industrial site & office building
Client: Umicore nv | Date: 2005-2009 | Area: 1100000 m² - 11840400 sq.ft.
Category: office, interior, renovation, masterplanning, sustainable

Info:
The company plant of Umicore, south of the Antwerp agglomerate, is part of a larger industrial park. The site is a city in itself but lacks structural cohesion and coherence.
Conix Architects had to structure this complex site to promote a new corporate identity. In order to integrate the plant better into its surroundings and generate an improved feeling on the whole, reconversion was considered.

Conix Architects developed a strategy which creates a new and more accessible identity for the company. The strengths and weaknesses of the terrain were determined. Based on this, Conix Architects drew up a master plan, including the problem areas and particular issues. The master plan points out the complexity and diversity of the necessary actions. Consequently, the perception and emotions of future visitors and employees are also considered. The functionality and flow of logistical activities are revised and modified, where needed.

Multiple spatial changes are made: adding a compact tower building with offices, screens, green areas, billboards, signage and route descriptions and the renovation of a number of important industrial buildings.

The new office building is the eye-catcher, encapsulating and generating the company's new corporate identity. It offers a place to stop on the main axis which runs through the entire site. By narrowing and shaping the street profile, the idea of an entry area is created, an element that was lacking. The office building is unrestrained in design in contrast to the monotonous and randomly selected surroundings. The design draws one's attention, in an emotional response, counter to the existing rational background. By positioning the building at a slight angle, the axis of the central entry road is broken.

The powerful, high-tech look and feel creates an innovative image, thus modernizing the company. Umicore is ready to face the 21st century as a dynamic and innovating company.


UPSTREAM

 

ANTWERP


Commercial spaces, residential development and offices
Client: Himmos nv | Date: 1995-1997 | Area: 2812 m² - 30268.368 sq.ft.
Category: office

Info:
A building containing several functions, placed in an environment with very specific characteristics: it forms part of the 'skyline' of the quays along the river Scheldt and is surrounded on three sides by the solid volumes of MuHKA (the Museum for Contemporary Art in Antwerp).

The levels are built up neutrally, around a compact central core. As a result every level can be filled in flexibly: apartments, offices, commercial spaces. The fact that the plot is enclosed on three sides implies that the ground, 1st and 2nd floors only have windows on one side. The floors are not fully continued up until the boundary wall leaving an open space. This offers an important spatial plus-value to the ground floor and allows for the daylight to enter deeply into the building.

The ground, 1st and 2nd floors together form one commercial space. The 3rd floor houses two apartments. The 4th and 5th floor accommodate the offices of Conix Architects. The 6th and 7th floor are combined into one penthouse. The flexible floor plan allows for an easy conversion from office to apartment and visa versa.

Physically disconnected from the MuHKA's volumes, the building nonetheless "completes" the riverside profile of the museum complex. By its open, light and floating character it offers a counterbalance to the museum's closed volumes. The façades are open and neutral, thus stimulating the internal flexibility. Integration in the existing building block is furthered by the choice of material and colour.


UMICORE IDENTITY

 

HOBOKEN


Signalisation design for an industral site & office building
Client: Umicore nv | Date: 2009 | Area: 0 m² - 0 sq.ft.
Category: identity

Info:



VAN DEN BERG

 

SCHELLE


Extension of an office building
Client: Van Den Berg nv - Heijmans | Date: 2001-2004 | Area: 3150 m² - 33906.6 sq.ft.
Category: office

Info:
This project details the design of an office building with a cafeteria, meeting rooms and archive cellar. The building has a communal entrance that leads to the new section as well as the adjacent existing office building. The layout is done in a clear design. The structure is built on the same line as the existing building but has four storeys instead of two, resulting in the new structure dominating the space. The internal functions are conveyed externally in design and choice of materials.

The communal functions such as the central hall, cafeteria and meeting rooms are on the ground and upper floors but only in the central strip in an L-shape. This shape consists of alternating transparent and opaque glass panels and is set back two meter deeper than the fa�e line, creating a sharp contrast to the offices on the upper floors that form a complete glass structure.

The two parts are separated by a 20-inch strip of grey concrete which forms the backbone of the building.

The transition from the building to the surroundings is sudden, showing no sign of ambiguity. By elevating the building a bit, a rigid border is created between the green grass and the rigid cement line. This can be clearly seen at the entrance and at the back. A concrete wall encloses a large terrace and obscures the view of the parking area.


W16

 

BRUSSELS


Renovation and extension of an office building
Client: Beroepskrediet nv | Date: 2005-2009 | Area: 10000 m² - 107640 sq.ft.
Category: office, renovation

Info:
This building, designed by Hugo van Kuyck and built in 1958 for the SNCI, is situated in the commercial area boulevard de Waterloo, known for its luxury shops.
It is a Y-junction of the 'small ring road', running through old parts of the city, a proper 'river of cars', surrounded by commercial enterprises and hotels in a multicultural area.

The concept for this project is based on the presence of a number of striking architectural elements. This building is reminiscent of the glorious 1960s. The combination of contemporary architecture with the existing style has breathed new life into this building. This project entails renovating the building completely as well as the Bâtiment de l'Horloge at the rear. These two structures were also linked while the enclosed inner area got an atrium.

A new façade is envisaged for the building, a commercial section on the ground floor and offices on the upper floors. While designing the fa%uFFFDçade, Conix Architects wanted it to integrate into the existing context. It became more appealing with a contemporary, new look. By using twisted glass plates a refined vertical level is created that makes the building less imposing. In this way, the building forms a fragmented resting point, dominated by a continuous flow of urban movement on the side.


WERF- & VLASNATIE

 

ANTWERP


Conversion of existing warehouse into offices and apartments
Client: Annicimmo bvba | Date: 2005-2008 | Area: 2300 m² - 24757.2 sq.ft.
Category: renovation, office

Info:
This 19th century warehouse is one of Antwerp's classified (historical) buildings. In order to convert this industrial building into offices and luxury apartments, Conix Architects have restored it to its former glory, have upgraded and modified it to meet modern standards and needs.

Behind the building runs an inner street, flanked by buildings on both sides. This warehouse is made up of many wings that are all dilapidated. The surrounding buildings are mostly former warehouses and houses that have been turned into lofts. The existing structure and façades are slightly modified, respecting the initial design of the building.

The inner street is treated as a semi-public space that can be used by office workers and tenants. In order to stay true to its character and allow optimal light penetration, the street is kept completely open.

A particular new element in this design is the vertical ventilation duct behind the main building, positioned between two buildings as a deliberate added structure. The original footbridge between two parallel wings will be reintroduced in the new design. The ground floor serves as office space; the other floors as apartments. In this way, an old industrial building is upgraded by giving it a new function.

Conix Architects create unity by using the same materials and colors throughout. The entrance gates, window frames, parapets, glass entrance doors and lattices are all made of steel with the same anthracite color, creating an industrial look. The idea of continuity can also be seen in the interior. The industrial character of the building is reinforced by the use of open spaces, brick, steel and glass.

The tailor-made furniture, floors and ceilings create a warmer and acoustically improved living and working space. By using plasterboard and room defining furniture, instead of bricks, the space can be used in a more flexible way.


WILLIOT

 

ANTWERP


Apartments and terraced housing
Client: Vooruitzicht nv | Date: 2004-2007 | Area: 10700 m² - 115174.8 sq.ft.
Category: residential, budget, housing

Info:
Over the last 10 years, increased development of the suburb of Berchem on the outskirts of Antwerp has shaped the area. Offices as well as housing areas are being developed near the Berchemstadionstraat. The area near the Filip Williotstraat, called 'De Veldekens', was set aside for quality and affordable housing.

The area is divided into three project zones: A, B and C. Apartments will be developed in zones A and B, whereas C is earmarked for houses. At the corner where Filip Williotstraat and Berchemstadionstraat meet, the free-standing apartment block A signifies the start and the end of the house fronts. The street level is partly open to provide a view of the houses in zone C at the back. Sixty apartments will be built in zones A and B, divided into two blocks with 12 and 48 units, respectively. There will be a choice of one-, two- or three-bedroom apartments.

The main building's façade is flat with some cut-aways. Walled-in terraces and alternating cornice heights create a varied look. The cornice heights of the central part of the back wall are limited to four building layers to prevent the walls from impacting on the quality of light and views of those houses nearest to the building. As the apartment block faces towards the street, it also serves as a social control area. A strip of lawn in front of the building creates an open and spacious feeling but separates the public area from the private. On the one hand, block A forms the end of this zone, but on the other hand, it opens the way to the nearby houses. In this way, the area is clearly structured as to where one can walk. The passageway leads to a park that is nearly completely enclosed. As a result, the density diminishes gradually thereby connecting to the living area. The design for the apartment developed from a conceptual quest for variety within one building. The design process became a search for complexity and variety but based on a rational take on living. Within this rationally designed structure, Conix Architects were striving to find the right composition which would reflect a predominantly urban look. By adding passageways and lines of sight, this aspect was emphasized thereby creating an airy and clear construction.

Project zone C comprises of clusters of family houses. Conix Architects wanted to have variation on the theme but had to bear in mind what it would look like from the street too. In this neighborhood, they focused on every individual house. Playful design, varying cornice heights, different roof slopes and volume interaction between the different houses formed the spatial lines of force in this new prototype house. These garden homes are situated in a greenbelt. By making provision for a driveway, front gardens and more green areas on the street and at the back, this feature is further enhanced. There will be 30 houses in total, each unit with its own specific design and look, connected in a different way to the other units. To achieve this, three basic designs were made. Every house has four bedrooms, allowing for the optimum use of space for any type of family composition. This residential precinct is ideal for young families as it is close to the town center but still in a quiet, green area.


ZILVERMUSEUM STERCKSHOF

 

ANTWERP


Restoration, renovation and interior design of a museum
Client: Province of Antwerp | Date: 2007-2015 | Area: 4000 m² - 43056 sq.ft.
Category: cultural, competition, interior, renovation

Info:
With a history going back to the 13th century, ‘the Zilvermuseum’ is a unique building situated in a green area at the border of Antwerp (Deurne).

In 2006, the Province of Antwerp judged that the building was in need of a thorough restoration and renovation and Conix Architects took on the challenge to start with an analysis of the site and building to come to a final master plan and is now finishing the preliminary design.

After restoring the qualities of the current building by a thorough restoration by Steenmeijer Architecten, Conix Architects will start with the renovation of this unique building.

In our concept, the subordination of the new elements to the existing building and the creation of a dialogue between the beautiful garden and inner courtyard were the guiding principles. Moreover, the used materials will directly refer to the identity of the museum.

Apart from the optimization of the visibility of the entrance, the accessibility of the museum route will be enhanced through the creation of a new circulation glass axis containing a spacious staircase and elevator. In order to attain a logical structure in the museum structure, the different functions of the museum will be regrouped into clusters.

We already look forward to starting the construction of this unique project in 2012.



ZILVERMUSEUM STERCKSHOF IDENTITY

 

ANTWERP


Logo design for a museum
Client: Province of Antwerp | Date: 2009 | Area: 0 m² - 0 sq.ft.
Category: identity

Info:


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