☉ Horseshoe building in Antwerp is an academic project by Alejandro Moreno Maxime Staquet Oussama Ajjaji and Lothar Morioux for Universiteit Antwerpen in 2019. It is located in Antwerp Belgium in an urban and park setting. Its scale is medium with a surface of 2.000 sqm. Key material is concrete.
The project combines three different structures in order to satisfy not only the program but also to create spatial quality. It is located near the city centre of Antwerp, Belgium, facing two different streets, each with its own character.
Responding to that the first structure on the ground floor, the wall, connects both streets making a continuous and smooth transition between the Albertpark and the interior of the plot. It is a massive structure that aims to break the city block and pull people into the plot. On top of the wall, the metallic porticos bring lightness to the building and creating diaphanous spaces where the structure is shown.
Different atmospheres and spaces are created by a difference of height between the different porticos. As the third structure, the bridge, consists of four hanging beams made of concrete. Its function is not only to connect both buildings but also to create an almost dramatic feeling when entering the plot.