Transformation of Campus of Karel de Grote Hogeschool, Retail Space in Belgium to Begin

BESIX and Wycor have been awarded the contract for a new campus and retail space on the Meir in Antwerp (Belgium). The project comprises the transformation of a building complex including the former site of Belgian telecommunications company Belgacom (now Proximus) and the two adjacent buildings.

Located in the commercial center of Antwerp, the buildings — including the former Belgacom building — are getting a new, twofold destination after years of vacancy. The top floors will form a new 29,000-square-meter campus for higher education organization Karel de Grote Hogeschool to accommodate about 6,000 students and 650 employees. On the ground floor, 10,000 square meters of retail space is foreseen for developer Meir Corner.

The project is designed by architectural firms Binst Architects and B-architecten. The general contracting activities include site installation, all technical installations, landscaping, site organization and coordination, as well as the BIM coordination. Works are expected to start after this summer. Students of Karel de Grote Hogeschool should be able to move into their new campus in autumn 2026.

The transformation of the buildings consists of a combination of renovation and new build. Whereas part of the buildings will be taken down and re-built, the remaining part will be renovated and integrated in the rest of the project. Preserving heritage plays an important role in the renovation. Especially with regard to the façades, this is a complex job, as up to 90 different materials will be used.

In addition, sustainability plays a core role. On the second floor of the campus, a courtyard is foreseen including a great number of green elements. On the rooftop, there will be a big garden where students can meet and where small events can be organized. Further, the Flemish government’s new sustainability index, called GRO, is used as a standard in the Design-Build, as well as for the use of the building afterward. In this context, the campus part is aiming at a certificate ‘Better’ of the GRO. The retail part is designed to achieve a BREAAM certificate ‘Excellent.’

With Antwerp’s central station and various metro and bus stops within walking distance, the location of the new campus is a large asset. For retailers as well, the site is ideally located. In addition, bicycle parking for students and staff is planned, as well as a smaller one accessible to the public.