Photographer: Tim Fisher | ArchDaily

Het Steen Antwerp - Visitor Center and Tourist Reception / noAarchitecten

Nina Vuga — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000

The eventful construction history of Het Steen lies at the basis of the design. After centuries of being part of the city walls, the collection of buildings acquired a freestanding character around 1890 after the straightening of the Scheldt, known as Het Steen of Antwerp.

The European AHI Award 2025 Celebrates Six Public Heritage Interventions Across Europe

Antonia Piñeiro — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 05:30:00 +0000

The European AHI Award recognizes architectural heritage interventions across Europe, highlighting their role as a forward-looking model for 21st-century architecture with tangible social, environmental, and economic benefits. In its seventh edition, the award honored six projects, four first prizes and two special mentions, during a ceremony held in early June at the Paranimf Ceremonial Hall of the Escola Industrial in Barcelona. A total of 238 projects from architecture studios in 24 European countries were submitted. The selected winners are located in Antwerp, Kortrijk, Olot, Ancient Corinth, and Milan.

Contrast or Harmony: The Aesthetic of Modern Adaptations to Historic Buildings

Paul Yakubu — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 08:30:00 +0000

As cities grow and evolve, the question of preserving, rehabilitating, or adapting historic sites arises. The intervention in such buildings requires a delicate balance between honoring their heritage and meeting contemporary demands. Often, the most innovative and radical solutions emerge when architects attempt to renew a building while maintaining its original footprint and as many features as possible. They then create modern extensions that either harmonize or contrast with the original structure. This approach not only revitalizes the building but also celebrates the synergy between the past and present, including materials, construction technology, architectural movements, stories, and overall building quality. The layering of both old and new elements through harmony or contrast requires an intelligent and sensitive approach that gives the building a unique aesthetic and a new meaning.