Family-friendly housing

Houtdok, Antwerp

On the north side of Cadixwijk, the autonomous municipal company AG Vespa plans to create a family-friendly stacked housing project with 25 units on its own land. Happel Cornelisse Verhoeven from Rotterdam is the architecture firm that won the design competition. Their plan features a five-storey apartment block to the north and a block of stacked duplexes to the south. Both blocks are connected by an inner courtyard and a lower block with a bicycle storage that also serves as a meeting place for parents and children. The collective courtyard was designed to be the ultimate play area for children. All residents have a view of the garden from their apartment/duplex or their terrace, which contributes to the liveliness of the complex.

Other shared spaces include a laundry room with a drying loft on the roof terrace and a casual cafe or alternative meeting place on the ground floor. The apartments were designed from the perspective of living together with children. The following practicalities were taken into consideration: an entrance hall with space for a pram, shoe cupboard and jackets; a bedroom for each child; a closable corridor that doubles as a playroom; sufficient storage space for food and other items; a large balcony with storage cabinets.