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Urban and social context: The redevelopment of the western bank of the Vergote Dock into a building materials hub makes a powerful statement about sustainable urban logistics and distribution. By focusing on water-based activities, inland waterway transport is encouraged, and freight traffic is taken off the roads for the delivery of building materials to the capital. In the Port of Brussels, the transformation of the canal zone does not entail a reduction in port activities. On the contrary, operations are reorganizing within the existing sites and urban context and leveraging the strategic location to penetrate deep into the city center via inland waterways.
The architecture of the building materials village breaks through the visual barriers that previously existed between Havenlaan and the Canal with well-placed, open interstitial spaces extending along the side streets. Through perspectives and views across open spaces extending from the cross streets, the city’s metabolism becomes visible. In the sequence of modules, a folded roof form ensures the continuity of the system. The roof is a subtle transformation of the classic shed roof. By connecting the corners in a different way, a new, compelling structure emerges.
Modularity and versatility of the program: The right bank of the Vergotedok gains greater coherence and uniformity through the implementation of a grid that extends between the CCB concrete plant and Interbeton. With a 20-meter spacing—the distance between two bollards on the quay—the grid divides the site into 31 bays. 
This grid forms the basis for a modular steel structure measuring 36 by 10 meters. This creates large, column-free spaces suitable for various, multipurpose port activities: retail space, rack storage, bulk storage, loading and unloading areas, … and which can be occupied by various tenants. 
Emphasizing sustainability: the need to shape the city’s industrial metabolism and the modular construction are explicitly reflected in the architecture. In addition, the design is layered and technically reversible. The architectural module can be scaled up or down: an open zone of 10x36m, a covered canopy, a cold warehouse, and an insulated warehouse, which maximizes the adaptability and future-proofing of the building materials village.