Renovation of former showroom into offices, workshops, and apartments, Antwerp, 2014-2015.

Collectivity in transition
In 2013 bought a ceramist, a theatrical costumier and two architects, the former showrooms, office - and working areas of plumbing and sanitary distributor Desco, in Bloemstraat Borgerhout.
The building complex was abandoned by Desco 30 years ago. Over a period of one hundred years 3 generations of entrepreneurship have radically transformed the two terraced houses and the area behind, including 7 site houses. An area of 800 m2 was completely built up, purely for business needs.
The new owners, who each bought a private part, collectively agreed to open up a total of 300 m2 of private space, placed together at the center of the five individual cadastral plots. The individual projects, developed around this empty space, are an exercise in the search of private spatial boundaries and collective overlaps (both spatial, programmatic as well as material) with the neighbors.
For the design and planting concept of the inner area a design was created by Land landscape architects.

Photos: kamer808