Oudemansstraat / Woonwerk Architecten

Architect: Woonwerk Architecten
Area: 3,841 m²
Photographers: Aiste Rakauskaite, LUCID
Year: 2025
Design team: Rik De Vooght, Johan de Wachter, Pepijn van Voorst, Krystyna Warsinska-Fivez
Contractor: Gillion Construct
Client: AG VESPA, Autonoom gemeentebedrijf
Primary Building Materials: Concrete, Wood
City: Antwerp
Country: Belgium

Oudemansstraat by Woonwerk Architecten transforms a former nightclub and aging housing in Antwerp’s Schipperskwartier into 23 affordable homes, complemented by parking and a shared garden. Commissioned by AG VESPA, the project incorporates elevated maisonette entrances for privacy, a robust brick façade with refined timber detailing, and generous circulation spaces to foster social interaction. Sustainable construction strategies include selective demolition, bio-based and CO₂-neutral materials, FSC-certified timber frames, and high-performance insulation. Energy systems feature a collective heat pump, underfloor heating, ventilation with heat recovery, and solar panels, resulting in nearly energy-neutral performance. The landscaped courtyard and green roofs use native plantings to attract pollinators and birds, enhancing biodiversity and urban climate resilience. By blending adaptive reuse, ecological design, and social inclusivity, the development supports the district’s transformation into a vibrant, connected residential area.

Set within a district long known for its layered history, the Oudemansstraat project redefines how architecture can contribute to neighborhood renewal. Rather than serving as an isolated intervention, the development engages its surroundings by reinforcing the visual rhythm of the street, introducing façade proportions that respond to neighboring structures, and creating subtle thresholds between public and private space. The elevated maisonette entries serve as vantage points, allowing residents to observe daily activities while maintaining a sense of retreat. At the heart of the block, a slender steel framework encloses a communal garden, softening the dense urban setting with greenery and offering a space for informal social exchange.

The project unites two distinct buildings into a cohesive residential complex. One was a disused nightclub adapted into apartments, while the other, on Crauwelengang, was converted into three compact dwellings. The robust street façade combines brick cladding, a concrete plinth, and finely crafted timber joinery, integrating seamlessly with its urban context while marking a clear shift to residential use. Timber-framed portals and small staircases personalize each entrance, reinforcing the individual identity of each unit. A double-height entrance hall links the street to the garden, encouraging residents to move through shared spaces designed to be more generous than conventional layouts, thereby encouraging casual encounters.

Accessibility is fully integrated, with all communal areas and upper apartments designed for residents with limited mobility. The passerelle provides a direct link from upper floors to the garden, making this shared green space central to daily life.

Sustainability guided the construction process. Selective demolition preserved existing structural walls, floors, and façade openings, significantly reducing waste. New interventions used bio-based, CO₂-neutral materials such as solid timber and cross-laminated timber, while concrete and wood served as the primary building materials for durability and performance. The building envelope features high-performance insulation and FSC-certified timber frames. Energy-efficient systems include a collective heat pump, low-temperature underfloor heating, ventilation with heat recovery, and rooftop solar panels, resulting in a nearly energy-neutral building with low operational costs and minimal environmental impact.

Ecological measures extend to green roofs and a landscaped elevated garden that captures and stores rainwater for reuse. The planting palette was chosen to attract birds, bees, and butterflies, enriching biodiversity and improving the microclimate. This integration of environmental strategies ensures that the project benefits residents and contributes to the city’s ecological health.

By merging robust architecture, inclusive planning, and climate-conscious construction, Oudemansstraat demonstrates how underused urban properties can be reimagined into sustainable, socially connected communities that serve both people and nature.