Masterproef

During the first semester, these themes were explored through both individual literature reviews and a collaborative case study. Together with a fellow student, I analyzed the Kabo Beringen project —an adaptive reuse of a former miners’ bathhouse into a contemporary elementary school. This analysis provided valuable insights into spatial transformation and social reinterpretation of existing buildings.

In the second semester, I applied these insights to an individual design proposal focused on the Eiermarkt building in Antwerp. Built in 1961 and centrally located near the Meir, the building is currently underused, serving mainly as a parking facility with office and retail functions. Despite its prime location, it suffers from considerable vacancy. 

This thesis addresses the central question of how architectural adaptability can be enhanced through targeted and strategic interventions—particularly in the context of urban structures such as the Eiermarkt building. The project investigates how such interventions can act as catalysts for reactivation, aiming not only to address current spatial inefficiencies but also to embed within the architecture a capacity for long-term transformation. 

Rather than being bound to a predetermined program, the proposed design strategies seek to establish a flexible spatial and structural framework—an intelligent structure that operates as a durable extension of its site, capable of responding to evolving societal needs. In doing so, the architecture is reimagined as an open-ended system: one that supports diverse uses over time, fosters user appropriation, and strengthens the resilience of the urban fabric.