Call
The City of Antwerp manages numerous museums, heritage institutions and archaeological material amounting to some 800,000 collection pieces. Only a limited part of this impressive heritage collection is on display. The vast majority is stored in various heritage repositories, out of the public eye. The existing method of storage is under pressure. Some repositories are struggling with structural problems, distributed storage is sub-optimal, there is a capacity issue, and the existing management method is becoming unaffordable.
The City of Antwerp's ambition is to house its heritage collection in a single Collection Centre. A place where collective art treasures can be optimally preserved, consulted and, where possible, made available to the public. Where specific professional knowledge can be disseminated more widely and an active restoration policy can be pursued. Sustainability plays a crucial role. The city wants to focus on a passive building concept that can meet the required climatic conditions with minimum techniques and energy.
The City is looking for design teams to draft a detailed design concept. The scale of the project is approximately 12,500 m² with a guideline of 80% for storage and 20% for internal and public activities. The site is planned on a plot in the middle of Pomppark Zuid between the Antwerp Ring Road and Desguinlei, a new green area on the city's southern outskirts.