One Baelskaai is the figurehead of the East Bank, in Ostend’s historic port. Binst Architects gave the iconic corner building commissioned by the Versluys Group undulating patios and expressive patio borders. To evoke the dune grass and dune fencing, the architects chose Renson Linarte brown-black/bronze profiled façade cladding to contrast with the flowing horizontal lines. We spoke to Binst Architects about the search that preceded this.
Pioneering icon
“At the time, Binst Architects won the competition launched by Versluys Group among three Belgian architectural firms,” project architect Ward Lagrain interjects. “Plans were already in place for the East Bank urban redevelopment project, located between the port mouth, scouring basin, urban forest, and dunes on the east side of Ostend. Versluys wanted an iconic, residential corner building with a high-end finish for the Vuurtoren district site. They felt that this prominent corner – where the sun hits perfectly and there’s a view of the sea from a certain height – deserved an outstanding project in which architectural boundaries could be pushed.”
Focus on façade
“We didn’t have to go into details on a plan basis for this project, which allowed us to fully focus on the outside. The luxury apartments are large and Versluys knew that they already had a marketable project at that location on a plan basis. Only they don’t have the expertise to design ground-breaking façades. Which is why they contacted us. The façade reflects the character of the site, port area, and coast. The patios and their expressive patio borders give the complex a unique look and maritime character. The building’s undulations mirror the undulating character of the dune landscape in front and the sea. Undulating continuous glass balustrades reflect light, air, and water.”
Material usage
The material usage at One Baelskaai also refers to the surrounding dune landscape. The profiled Linarte façade cladding by Renson evokes the image of the dunes. Although Linarte offers the possibility of personalisation by adding wooden inserts or led lights, the architect chose the clean, sleek look. “Our decision to use Linarte wasn’t made on the spur of the moment. The yard was already at level +3 in structural work when the Renson product came into the picture. As architects, we did say that we wanted a vertically profiled façade that hinted at the dune grass and the wooden posts with barbed wire that demarcate the dunes. That subtle vertical reference in our façade contrasts nicely with the horizontally sloping patio borders.”