Venue Building Silt Middelkerke

Venue building Silt Middelkerke is the new landmark on the Belgian coast. A unique project with multiple goals: a new event building, dike reinforcement, a car-free promenade, and an improved public space. With these principles, the multidisciplinary design team created a unique design where building and landscape merge. Venue Building Silt Middelkerke enriches the Belgian coast by combining coastal reinforcement, liveability, and sustainability. With its striking silhouette, wrapped in beams of Accoya wood, it is visible from Ostend to Westende and acts as a catalyst for a vibrant heart of the coastal town. The architects have anchored the building to its location by integrating it into a new experiential landscape inspired by the former island of Testerep. A casino, restaurant, multifunctional events space and two-level underground car park have been placed beneath an artificial dune. The result is a car-free public space double its previous surface area. Pleasant new public space Silt’s design maximizes public space while maintaining a modest footprint. Rather than being isolated, the building is in a sustainable relationship with its surroundings. With its modest, oval shape, the tower preserves sea views for neighbouring apartments and minimizes wind impact on the surrounding square. Inside the building, the central hall connects all key facilities, creating a dynamic flow of visitors around the concrete core. Sustainable building and computational design Silt’s wooden exterior will age gracefully, emphasizing its sustainability as well as safety, functionality, aesthetics and economic value. The design optimizes energy supply, waste disposal and production processes. Its complex geometry, achieved through parametric design, utilizes materials like ceramics and Accoya wood that can withstand the salty coastal climate. The hotel rooms boast large doors leading to balconies with sea views, enhanced by the wooden latticework that provides privacy. Coastal protection A new seawall protects Silt against extreme storm conditions, making it the safest spot on the Belgian coast. This project, completed in just two years through dedicated collaboration, reflects the character of the coastal town and aims to rejuvenate its centre, making it an attractive and sustainable place to live or to visit. Silt Middelkerke: a fossil-free building with specific sustainability measures -Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC): Units with free cooling and high-performance heat exchangers; air/water heat pumps; low-temperature system; comprehensive HVAC coverage. -Electrical: Exclusive use of LED lighting; motion detectors wherever possible; emergency units connected to the Building Management System (BMS); continuous monitoring of consumption. -Sanitation: Rainwater recovery systems; water-saving shower heads; infrared faucets. -All energy and water consumption is continuously monitored. Venue Building Silt Middelkerke was designed and build by the Nautilus consortium; a collaboration between developer Debuild, chief designers architectural studio ZJA (architecture) and DELVA Landscape Architects (landscape architecture), OZ (casino and hotel design) and Bureau Bouwtechniek (execution architect), contractors TM Furnibo-Democo. They are assisted by experts from COBE, VK Engineering, Beersnielsen, Witteveen+Bos, Plantec, MINT and Sertius.