De Waterduivel Fire Department of Mechelen Building / HUB

De Waterduivel Fire Department of Mechelen Building  / HUB - Interior Photography, BeamDe Waterduivel Fire Department of Mechelen Building  / HUB - Exterior Photography, ConcreteDe Waterduivel Fire Department of Mechelen Building  / HUB - Image 4 of 23De Waterduivel Fire Department of Mechelen Building  / HUB - Interior Photography, GlassDe Waterduivel Fire Department of Mechelen Building  / HUB - More Images+ 18

  • Architects: HUB
  • Area Area of this architecture project Area:  21000
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2019
  • Photographs
  • Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project
    Manufacturers:  Arcelor Mittal, Miba
  • Lead Architects: Bart Biermans, Koen Drossaert
More SpecsLess Specs
De Waterduivel Fire Department of Mechelen Building  / HUB - Interior Photography, Concrete
© Jeroen Verrecht and Wouter De Ceuster

Text description provided by the architects. De Nekker is a dual-purpose building earmarked for the regional fire department of Mechelen and the City of Mechelen’s municipal services. Both programme elements have very specific requirements but will nevertheless occupy shared facilities in the future.

De Waterduivel Fire Department of Mechelen Building  / HUB - Image 4 of 23
© Jeroen Verrecht and Wouter De Ceuster

The building comprises truck parking, workshop space, a salt depot, office and meeting rooms, extensive sanitary facilities and living quarters for the fire department. The ensemble can be thought of as a machine, whose design is the direct consequence of the operational activities, which take place within it, and the efficiency with which they are, by necessity, conducted.

De Waterduivel Fire Department of Mechelen Building  / HUB - Interior Photography, Beam
© Jeroen Verrecht and Wouter De Ceuster
De Waterduivel Fire Department of Mechelen Building  / HUB - Image 19 of 23
Floor plan
De Waterduivel Fire Department of Mechelen Building  / HUB - Interior Photography, Glass
© Jeroen Verrecht and Wouter De Ceuster

All principle programmatic elements are organised around a centrally located practice yard for the fire department, which is hence disconnected from the surrounding environment. Together, the respective elements form a coherent whole. The architecture, materiality and finishing are namely identical, irrespective of the programme associated with each individual element.

De Waterduivel Fire Department of Mechelen Building  / HUB - Interior Photography, Concrete
© Jeroen Verrecht and Wouter De Ceuster
De Waterduivel Fire Department of Mechelen Building  / HUB - Interior Photography, Concrete
© Jeroen Verrecht and Wouter De Ceuster

Due to the limited available surface area on site, we were forced to redirect the trucks to the upper floor. The spatial result is a generous and robust concrete infrastructure wrapped in a thin sheet of galvanised steel. The overall appearance is somewhat elemental in character – it refers to the ‘basic’ nature of the semi-industrial programme – but is combined with an exceptionally refined and detailed finishing. Together with the scale and composition of each element, this adds a certain public character to the project as a whole.

De Waterduivel Fire Department of Mechelen Building  / HUB - Interior Photography, Glass, Door, Concrete
© Jeroen Verrecht and Wouter De Ceuster

The building is a nearly zero-energy building and has been created with significant attention for prefabrication, low maintenance and potential dismantling. 

De Waterduivel Fire Department of Mechelen Building  / HUB - Interior Photography
© Jeroen Verrecht and Wouter De Ceuster

Project gallery

See allShow less

Project location

Address:N15, Mechelen, Belgium

Click to open map
Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "De Waterduivel Fire Department of Mechelen Building / HUB" 07 Jan 2020. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/931390/de-nekker-fire-department-of-mechelen-building-hub> ISSN 0719-8884

You've started following your first account!

Did you know?

You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.