Antwerp Port House
Antwerp is a port city, it is included in the 20 largest cities - ports around the world. Antwerp Port House is a way to connect modernity and history. The original building not only accommodated everything necessary for the operation of the headquarters of the Port Authority, but also became a real masterpiece.
General information
More than 25% of all European ships pass through the port of Antwerp. For more comfortable work of port services in 2007 the city authorities decided to build a new office. It is interesting that for this they proposed to reconstruct the old fire station. The building of the part itself could not be demolished, as it is an architectural monument. There were several projects to choose from. As a result, the choice fell on the plan of Zaha Hadid - a well-known woman architect, the founder of her own architectural bureau. Hadid designed ultra-modern buildings, distinguished from others by unusual shapes, a combination of many lines and angles.
The fire station has been integrated into a silhouette hovering above it, which is shaped like a ship. Its sharp nose seems to cut through the sky, and many glass panels are reflected and partially dissolved in it. Part of the panels is made of transparent material, the other is opaque. From the outside it is difficult to make out what is a window and what is part of the wall.
In the year of completion of construction in 2016, the architect passed away, and the square in front of the Port House was named after her.
What's inside Antwerp Port House
Inside there is a fire station, port authority, as well as free space, which is filled at the discretion of the administration. More than 500 jobs have been comfortably equipped at the headquarters of the Antwerp Port.
The first three floors of Antwerp Port House remained brick, and they also retained the original arrangement of windows and arches. You can get into the glass superstructure using stairs or panoramic elevators. The glass ceiling is divided into identical squares supported by snow-white beams. In general, there is a lot of light and white structures inside - walls, ceilings. The glass ceiling forms a spacious courtyard, above which the "ship" is located.
In order to independently get on an excursion to this grandiose building, you must first register through the site. For tourists and not only, there is an observation deck with a beautiful view of the river and the city.
