Six candidate-designers selected for ambitious Flemish new museum building for Muhka
The Minister of Culture has appointed six candidate designers who will be tasked with developing their proposals for the new museum building for M HKA over the course of this year. This new building marks a new era for M HKA and serves as a crucial means for further advancing the Flemish contemporary visual arts sector and enhancing its international visibility. In this manner, within the new building, the museum will have the capability to showcase its own art collections in a high-quality and sustainable manner while hosting prominent international exhibitions. Furthermore, it will enable M HKA to fulfil its vital social role even more effectively, offering programming for a diverse audience and prioritising participation from various communities.
The construction of a new museum building for M HKA is outlined in the Flemish Coalition Agreement, as part of the cultural heritage catch-up that Flanders requires. After the initial procedure was halted in 2019, the current Flemish government has reinstated the process. The Flemish government opted for the construction team approach, which prioritises quality while maintaining a realistic execution plan. Sustainability is also a top priority in this endeavour.
“In a contemporary architectural setting, the new museum will provide the collection space that the M HKA currently lacks. It will strongly focus on an open, public-oriented space, an aspect that the M HKA already regularly emphasises.”
Bart De Baere, general and artistic director of M HKA
Cultural heritage institution with international ambitions
M HKA is one of the Flemish Community’s premier museums. As a cultural heritage institution, it aims for international appeal and strives to set an example for the sector in Flanders. Currently, it is situated in a converted and expanded grain silo on Leuvenstraat in Antwerp’s Het Zuid district. As a Flemish cultural heritage institution, M HKA is expected to excel in its museum operations. Various preliminary studies have indicated that the current infrastructure is inadequate for this purpose. To fulfil its international ambitions, the Flemish government included provisions in the coalition agreement for the study and construction of a new M HKA. Furthermore, M HKA is expanding its programmatic scope towards a more expansive operation in the future. In collaboration with the city of Antwerp, the Flemish government has decided to maintain M HKA in the artistic district of Het Zuid in Antwerp.
The new museum building will be located on the site of the Court of Appeal, near the Zuidersluis, central to the axis of the new Zuidpark.
“The Flemish Community aims to establish optimal infrastructure for opening up its rich art collection. Through this new building project, Flanders emphasises the presentation of contemporary art and practice within an international context. This represents the next step in unlocking our own collections and contributes to bridging the gap in the cultural heritage sector.”
Jan Jambon, Flemish Minister of Culture
The appointment of the design team
The Flemish Community published the public contract to appoint a design team in June 2023, with supervision from the Flemish Master Builder. This marks the completion of the initial phase in the process.
A selection committee of experts shortlisted six candidate designers from 54 submissions.
- Bovenbouw Architectuur + Christ & Gantenbein (CH)
- DRDH Architects BV + Jamie Fobert Architects (UK)
- noAarchitecten + EM2N Architekten AG (CH) + Sergison Bates Architects (UK)
- OFFICE Kersten Geers David Van Severen + SO–IL Office (USA)
- Robbrecht en Daem architecten + Dierendonckblancke architecten + Laura Muyldermans
- Studio Nauta Bedaux VOF (NL) + Feilden Fowles Architects Limited (UK)
The selection comprises a mix of Flemish and international architects, including one exclusively Flemish team, three international teams, and two mixed Flemish-international teams. The selection process considered not only the teams’ experience and vision of what a museum can be today but also their capacity to build sustainably.
The six candidates will soon be able to submit their bids, which will be evaluated by the award committee in the course of the year. The Flemish Government will announce the recipient of the design contract in early 2025. The publication for appointing a contractor and advancing the project will follow in the next legislative period.
“Antwerp boasts not only a rich art history but also a vibrant contemporary art scene, with the M HKA serving as a crucial hub. A brand-new building for the M HKA will invigorate the contemporary visual arts in the city and beyond.”
Nabilla Ait Daoud, Antwerp alderwoman for culture
Construction team collaboration
To execute the study assignment, the Flemish government will engage in construction team collaboration. This involves a project-based form of cooperation comprising the contracting authority, the selected design team, and the contracted construction team for the works contract. The design team and contractor are selected through separate assignments, distinguishing the procedure from a design-and-build formula. Each member of the construction team maintains independence and individual responsibility. Special attention is given to the independence of the design team, while allowing the contractor to propose cost-efficient solutions in consultation. Within a construction team, members collaborate from the early stages. Each team member contributes their experience and expertise to deliver the assignment to high standards, within the planned timeframe, and within the maximum construction budget set by the contracting authority.
Together, they seek the optimal solutions from the outset of the assignment.
Adjusted programme
Antwerp is developing a SIP (Site Implementation Plan) for the project site. Throughout this process, the city continues to conduct several public surveys. Following the findings of the high-rise report, the Flemish government and the city of Antwerp jointly decided not to proceed with a portion of the programme on this site. The M HKA will have a research facility located near the new museum. The research centre will serve the needs of the sector. A design team is being sought for the ambitious new building project of the M HKA. Architects can now submit their applications.
