Blending Old and New

Antwerp Port House

This project not only renovates a derelict fire station, it also extends and preserves the existing historical structure and repurposes it into the headquarters of the port- which previously had its offices scattered around the city. The port of Antwerp is the biggest in Belgium, and Europe's second largest, making this project an important part of the city.

The location, by water, contributed to the building's low carbon print, as most of the materials employed in the renovation could be transported by water. The complete use of the existing building also contributes to the project's sustainability and was a competition requirement from the start; Hadid's project was deemed by the jury as outstanding in its approach to mixing the existing structure and the new.

Streetmekka in Viborg

This project won a competition to renovate an old warehouse building and turn it into a "streetMekka", a place aimed at youth where urban culture can thrive freely without outside supervision, including spaces for street art and sports. The program proposed includes a skating bowl, workshop facilities, studios and labs for music production. Each area includes congregation spaces, to allow social interaction.

The design has an industrial aesthetic corresponding to the existing building; the translucent facade will allow a visual connection between the project and its surroundings, showcasing the events taking place in front of the streetmekka and allowing the outside to be part of the inside of the building.

The Forks Market Food Hall

The Forks Market is the hub of Winnipeg's urban social life, a place where people from all over the city gather to relax and share with their friends and loved ones. As time went by, the users changed but the space remained the same, thus it was decided the food court portion of the market - where most social interactions take place- was in need for a renovation, bringing the market a fresh contemporary space akin to its visitors.

The existing building itself is a result of a renovation dating from the late 1980's, which united two factory and fright structures using a common atrium space to create a market. The food court renovation was heavily inspired by the industrial past of the building, including industrial materials such as naked steel beams and trusses, and details such as the use of LED Edison bulbs.

Rotermann Grain Elevator

This project is located in the Rotermann quarter, one of the most important historical areas in the city, which houses a number of historical buildings, such as this one, most of them dating from the XIX century. The nature of this historical area makes the conservation of the buildings all the more important, which is why any addition to the quarter has to include the pre-existent structures into the design, making sure the old and the new coexist in harmony.

The historic supervision side of the building includes a restaurant in its new layout; its roof was raised one meter in order to make the second floor habitable and to create a new source of natural light. The ground floor of the main building houses a series of businesses and the second floor accommodates a dance studio.

The Warehouse Hotel

This 37 room boutique hotel is the result of the conversion of three XIX century warehouses, which are an important part of Singapore's trading history. One of the carefully restored facades of the hotel faces the Singapore River; the color white was chosen in order to make it stand out among the rest of the city and accentuate its historical importance. The middle warehouse was left as an open space featuring a double height in order to host the lobby; the other two accommodates the guest rooms, which follow the aesthetic language of the rest of the project featuring white paint finishes and steel while contrasting the historical character of the facade with a more contemporary look.

580 George Street

This renovation, a lobby located in an art-deco style building in one of the busiest intersections in Sydney, aims to reinterpret the relationship between the street, pedestrians and the rest of the city. It creates a transitional space between the street and the workplace, acting as a dynamic gateway/interlocking structure that truly reflects the spirit of the company.

The aluminum gridded structure was created with the use of parametric tools, which allowed the architects to design a flexible-looking cover comprised of a series of unique diamond-shaped pieces.