Luchtbal: changing definitions of modern architecture Part 2

To give an impression of Luchtbal that does the area justice, it is necessary to make a distinction between the oldest part consisting of a garden village that was developed in several building campaigns, the open CIAM-inspired development and the recent alterations. This second part will focus on the apartment buildings and tower blocks build in the 1930s, 1950s and 1960s, the most iconic component parts of the area.

The undeveloped areas of the garden village were developed by S.M. Huisvesting (Social Society for Housing) as blocks of flats around communal gardens. These Darsenblokken were built between 1951 and 1964 in three areas.

The brick-clad Darsen-blocks are typically 4 to 5 storeys high with two entrances and stairwells per block. The buildings were designed by E. Craeye, L. Clymans, J. Fuyven and R Haan as social housing for families and the elderly. Amenities are not included in these blocks of flats.

The Darsen-blocks are all of a similar design, although they increase in scale as the building project goes on. Cost cutting measures mean that more housing units per building are required. Also the bricks change, not only in colour (they get increasingly lighter) but also in quality (yellow bricks are more prone to chipping and frost damage). From the late 1950s blocks of garages are built on the edges of the neighbourhoods.

The design of the Darsen-blocks is restrained with little ornament other than the component parts, creating a very pleasant facade. The horizontal expression is countered by the vertical emphasis around the stairwell. Every block of flats has the same entrance with the same prefabricated concrete detailing.

After 1960 four high-rise apartment buildings are added to the Darsen-blocks; one in the northwest neighbourhood and three in the northeast neighbourhood. Parking also becomes an increasing problem as the paved over areas between the blocks of flats now present themselves as large expanses of paving surrounded by slivers of greenery. 

The Maria Boodschap Instituut (Annunciation Institute) was built in a similar style to the Darsen-blocks using brick and long ribbons of large windows. This building -now a catholic primary school- also dates from the early 1950s and expresses the same religion-inspired conservatism in architecture as shown in the Darsen-blocks. This style contrasts heavily with the neighbouring tower blocks (right) that are an expression of CIAM-inspired progressive attitudes to life.

The high towers known as Torengebouwen dominate the skyline of Luchtbal and are one of the area's most important landmarks, also because of their visibility from the neighbouring railway and motorway. The six buildings are set in extensive public gardens with a lot of grass and predominantly fastigiate trees like Poplar and Hornbeam. The original borders with shrubs have been replaced with perennial plants and patches of annual flowers. 

The tower blocks are 18 storeys high on an elevated base. The buildings are constructed from reinforced concrete and are clad in yellow brick panels. There are 4 apartments on every floor of the building around a central elevator and stairwell. The emphasise was clearly on modern comfort and providing air and sun with the balconies on the west and east side of the building. The covered balconies break the verticality of the design with their horizontal lines.

A large park with playing fields separates the towers from the centre of  Luchtbal-Zuid. Offset by so much space the tower blocks become part of a suburban landscape wherein buildings and greenery determine the outlook equally.  The recently replanted park is only a square in name (Tampicoplein) it was always intended as a recreational green area. An activity centre is located underneath the grass and flowers, hidden from view.

Amenities are also loosely scattered in this open urbanised landscape along CIAM-principles. On the left the public library that is built in a similar style as the theatre on the right. Both building have been adorned with artistic murals to break the concrete-dominated facades. They street art is part of a series of so-called art interventions to improve certain deprived neighbourhoods in Antwerp.

Tampicopark is the new name of the larger part of the Tampicoplein. A large expanse of grass with flower borders and playgrounds make up this public space. An area for football sponsored by FC Antwerp is integrated in the park. Across the park one gets a clear view of the Canada-blocks that sit at the heart of Luchtbal South. To the right of these superblocks the new church and activity centre are clearly visible.

The Church of Our Lady Annunciation north of the shopping centre replaced the earlier church on the edge of the Garden village built in 1927 in a Romanesque revival style after designs by Canon R. Lemaire. This church had a copper bal in its steeple as a relic of the old Herberg Luchtbal (Sky Ball Pub). After re-use as a sports club the building has been demolished. To raise money for the new church an activity centre with a café, community hall and bowling alley was built first in 1954.The much larger new church was consecrated in 1967. It was designed by René van Steenbergen in a modernist style with brick and concrete. The entrance via an atrium (right) is probably inspired by the Bossche School architecture of Dom. Hans van der Laan.

As an example of modern social housing of the 1930s the so-called Canadablocks by H. van Kuyck was built by S.V. Onze Woning (Social Housing Collective Our House). The architecture is based on the socialist superblocks built in Vienna. This superblock was built between 1938-'39 around two large courtyard gardens. On the ground floor communal spaces and room for amenities were incorporated. The building was built in yellow brick in 5 storeys and originally intended to be the first of many. 

The architect H. van Kuyck was also the designer of the Long Blocks. These slabs sit amongst public gardens on the southern edge of Luchtbal. The large expanse of open space works to provide some scale and thus counteracts the massive buildings to create a much less urban feel. The slabs are placed north-south with the living accommodation oriented west and the bedrooms due east.

The Long Blocks are constructed in reinforced concrete with the outer walls clad in yellow bricks and concrete panels. The architect uses the same construction and outer treatment for both the tower blocks and these slabs. This provides a certain sense of unity although the buildings are so far apart that this is probably only experienced by planners and architects. The green space between the buildings is now mostly grass, some large trees would improve the feel of the place tremendously by introducing a sense of scale.

The 8 storey Long Blocks have been placed on pilotis raising the apartments above the ground to allow for unimpeded view underneath the buildings. The space underneath isn't dark nor uncomfortable. The entrances to the apartments above are pushed underneath as small blocks. The stairwells each give access to 16 apartments and provide a vertical accent in the long facades. Underneath the buildings there is room for bicycles near the entrances. The cars are always located further away, thus favouring slow traffic.

The sports hall is located along the Noorderlaan (North Avenue) next to the large open space south of the Canadablocks. The area has always been used sports and recreation. The athletics track is still in place. A large playground, skateboard park and a small velodrome have been added recently.