New design for Antwerp’s Groenplaats

In 2020 the City of Antwerp launched a competition to find the best ideas for the renovation of Groenplaats, the well-known square in the historic city centre. The main challenge: to develop a design in which the above-ground structures are linked with those below ground in an ingenuous and architecturally appropriate way. The aim of the renovation is to make Groenplaats a connection point between the various users of the city centre and its different means of transportation. Together with Cross Architecture, Witteveen+Bos created a design in which ‘simple integration’ is key.

Maximum green for increased liveability

At an architectural level, the design needed to take the decor of the historical and culture-rich city centre into consideration. Changing climate conditions, however, mean that Groenplaats is in need of a transition. For this reason, clever solutions are called for. By respecting the logic and history of Groenplaats, we will be able to re-establish coherence between the components above and below ground. The design takes as its starting point the notion that the underground structures can help create a situation above ground in which greenery and water can be given a prominent place in the future. We have also created the necessary conditions to reactivate the square as a green space in the city. As a result, Groenplaats will offer an inner-city location where people can come to cool off.

International and multi-disciplinary approach

To achieve the seamless alignment of technical and architectural considerations in a challenging urban context – while taking the current economic reality into account – we put together an international team consisting of considerable expertise. We are very much looking forward to refining the design over the coming two years in consultation with various stakeholders, so that we can begin realising our vision around 2023.