07 / 10 / 2020
Photo: an artist impression of the new 'Ocean Innovation Space' at the Halve Maan site in Ostend (Claeys/Haelvoet architecten).
The three-storey 'Ocean Innovation Space' will be situated next to the Marine Station at the Halve Maan Site in Ostend. The architects designed a contemporary, compact and almost energy-neutral building based on the typology of a fishing village. The design also reflects the roof structure and facade material of the current buildings in order to respect the heritage value of the site as much as possible.
Whereas the InnovOcean Campus - currently under construction in the Ankerstraat - provides office spaces, seminar and meeting facilities and a marine library for VLIZ and its national and international partners, the 'Ocean Innovation Space' will enable an extension of VLIZ's research capacity. Besides the recently established Marine Robotics Center, the Ocean Innovation Space will house technical workspaces, cooling and freezing rooms and laboratories.
The realization of the 'Ocean Innovation Space' marks the start of the first phase of a master plan for the site, which covers a total surface area of 1,250m². In a second phase VLIZ has the ambition to realize additional infrastructure such as wet and dry workspaces, extra laboratories, storage space, offices, and multipurpose areas for the educational and public activities of VLIZ.
VLIZ granted the contract for the design and realization of the site via a 'Design & Build' formula to the consortium Stadsbader and Claeys/Haelvoet architects.
The building in numbers:
- 550 m² gross floor space
- 3 floors
- Work space for 40 VLIZ employees
- Total investment value: 1.3 million euros (incl. VAT)
- Start construction works: spring 2021
- Commissioning: spring 2022