Towerblocks De Luchtbal
architect/designer: Hugo Van Kuyck (1902-1975)
landscape/garden designer(s): –
collaborators (enginners, consultants, etc.): Constructor
building contractor(s): Onze Woning en AMGH
location: Venezuelastraat 1-5,2-6
town / country: Antwerp, Belgium
gps: N 51 25.3715, E 4 42.2386
Cronology
commission/competition date: –
design period (s): 1944
construction: 1960-1962
completion/inauguration: 1962
Status of Protection
protected by: preserved by ‘Inventaris Onroerend Erfgoed’ ;ID nummer: 122126
grade: Partly preserved
date: since 27.11.2011
valid for (whole area/parts of area/building): whole complex (bigger and smaller buildingblock)
remarks: –
AN ORIGINAL PROJECT
Description of the site/buildings
brief introduction
‘De Luchtbal’ is a large-scale residential area north of Antwerp, located between the Noordelaan, the Havanastraat, the rialway line Antwerp-Rotterdam and the Groenendaallaan. Social residential area De Luchtbal is a major illustration of a district built by reknowned architects and urbanists in different stages, reflecting the evolution of modernism and testifying to a pragmatic approach. Especially because of its scale, with almost 3000 residents in almost 1000 residential units, De Luchtbal is unique in flanders. In 1944, the social housing company, ‘Onze Woningen’ commissioned Hugo Van Kuyck to design a plan for the southern development of the Luchtbal. The construction plan was in line with the CIAM principles a that time. Van Kuyck provided numerous collective facilities, such as schools, a church, a post-office, kindergarten, petrolstation, medical-social center, sports halls and sporting goods. It wasn’t until 1954 the design of Van Kuyck was realized. The most important buildingblocks that were realized for this research are namely four large-scale long.
