Flexible offices inside a true icon
The new headquarters for the Province of Antwerp is undoubtedly iconic. With respect for the architectural context, Silo developed and designed a comprehensive signage system. The result is an optimised and more pleasant user experience.
Client
Province of Antwerpen
Partners
Architect: Xaveer de Geyter Architects (XDGA)
The provincial government building is compact and sustainable, surrounded by a large, publicly accessible park.
Triangular windows
XDGA designed the provincial government building as a composition of a transparent low-rise building and a perpendicular office tower that gradually pivots outwards. The minimalist low-rise includes the council chamber, exhibition space, conference centre and auditorium. The pattern of triangular windows characterises the brutalist high-rise.
Intrinsic beauty
Pure materials dominate the interior: concrete, brushed aluminium, high-gloss white and many glazed partition walls. The clear choice of materials, high-quality craft and the use of geometric rhythms and patterns give the building an impressive intrinsic beauty. The signage is designed in a formal language that matches the architecture and uses the interior surfaces as a canvas.
The icon set is designed as an extension of the font's characters.
Follow the user
Different scenarios of visitors, guests and employees were analysed to guide users to their destination in the most optimal way. User flows based on these scenarios inform the sign plan, including all communicative touchpoints critical in the user journey. The systematic approach ensures that users receive the correct information at the right time.
The signage is set in IBM Plex.
A layered system
Silo developed an elegant layered system with a sculptural appearance. Thanks to an intelligent construction system, the signs impact the underlying materials as little as possible. A dynamic system complements fixed signs so that signage adapts to the programming and flexible use of spaces.
