Challenging design for new Antwerp HQ

“With the construction of the new Port House we have opted for an ambitious, challenging project,” said port alderman Marc Van Peel. “However, we want to keep this challenge under tight control. We set up a risk management workgroup right at the beginning in order to limit the risks, in terms of time, budget and quality, as far as possible. Furthermore, according to the principle of good management, we will keep a very close watch on the actual carrying out of the work.”

In line with this policy the price offer by the contractor is a fixed amount that cannot be revised during the construction period of three years, and the selection of the contractors was the result of an intensive negotiating procedure that took ten months to complete.

The design by Zaha Hadid Architects promises a high prestige building that will form a new landmark on the Antwerp skyline. “With this building the port of Antwerp aims to position itself on the world map architecturally as well as commercially”, said Marc Van Peel. The new headquarters for the Port Authority comes in response to the pressing lack of space in the present Port House on the Entrepot quay, in the Eilandje district. By centralising the Port Authority departments on quay 63 it will also permit more efficient operation.

The Port Authority has now selected the contractors who will do the building work. The choice has fallen on Interbuild NV for the general contracting, Victor Buyck Steel Construction NV for the steel structure of the new building, and Groven+ NV for the outer wall. Altogether the new Port House will cost €49.9m and the work will take 33 calendar months. Some 500 Port Authority employees will move into the new headquarters in the autumn of 2015.

Work on construction of the new Port House can start in mid-September. In the meantime the environmental and construction permits for the project have already been granted by the Flemish government.