Scheldehof, Antwerp, Belgium
Nieuw Zuid, a significant new quarter west of Antwerp’s old town, is currently under development. This large-scale project includes nearly 2,000 apartments across 38 buildings, over 3,000 underground parking spots, and 12 hectares of green space. The master plan, designed by Studio Secchio-Viganò and landscape architect BAS Smets, positions the site alongside the River Schelde, creating one of Antwerp’s largest recent developments.
Residential High-Rise Building received an 2025 International Architecture Honourable Mention from The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design.
The district is planned as a half-open perimeter block, interwoven with residential streets and small open areas. It will be a mixed urban neighborhood featuring homes, offices, two schools, childcare centers, a sports center, and local commercial spaces, fostering vibrant community life. Social housing is integrated throughout to ensure diversity. Green spaces include a 6-hectare large park, 2 hectares of neighborhood green areas, and a 6-hectare riverside park strip, enhancing the living environment.
Max Dudler, collaborating with local Jaspers Eyers Architects, is designing a riverfront block at the heart of Nieuw Zuid. This block features two interconnected buildings: an L-shaped structure with cascading leafy terraces inspired by the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and an 80-meter tower resembling a reversed staircase rising toward the city center. Together, they form a sculptural whole framing a central square that opens to the river, blending public space with privacy. The layout enables residents to engage visually and socially, similar to an amphitheater, where interaction occurs across the buildings and outward to the city and river.
Architecturally, the two buildings share unity through a consistent sand-colored stone façade mesh and rhythmic facade elements that extend across 303 apartments. Each apartment includes a balcony and winter garden, integrating outdoor living into the design. The staggered facade adds a sculptural quality that distinguishes the project within Nieuw Zuid. The central plaza oriented toward the Schelde stands out with its open, public character.
Supporting amenities include 2,300 m² of office space, ground-floor shops, and restaurants. Large terraces and galleries form grandstand-like viewing areas over the inner courtyard and river. Furthermore, a spacious communal rooftop terrace offers residents additional outdoor space and a social gathering point. The semi-public courtyard, crafted by Bas Smets, creates a lush, tranquil green oasis in the urban center.
Dudler highlights the unique appeal of waterfront living in European cities, noting the project’s prime riverside location as a core design feature. The U-shaped configuration maximizes river views, targeting the growing preference for water proximity among city dwellers. Modern residential priorities now focus more on quality views, thoughtful architectural design, and ample outdoor spaces like terraces rather than mere size. In Flanders especially, there is rising demand for smaller, high-quality homes that combine exceptional aesthetics with green and open living.
Nieuw Zuid exemplifies a harmonious integration of urban living, community, nature, and waterfront life, creating a vibrant new quarter that connects city, residents, and river elegantly.
Architects: Max Dudler GmbH
Lead Architect: Max Dudler
Design Team: Anete Bajrami (Project Lead & Project Management)Tassilo Lochocki, Josef Niermann, Caroline Framont, Timon Frank
Local Architect Belgium: Jaspers-Eyers Architects
Associate Architects: M.+ J-M Jaspers-J. Eyers & Partners
General Contractor: BAM Interbuild bv + Jan De Nul
Landscape Architects: Bureau Bas Smets
Client: Triple Living
Photographers: Stefan Müller
