Construction new prison Antwerp reaches highest point
In November 2023, the construction of the new prison in Antwerp started, which is to house 440 inmates starting April 2026. Meanwhile, contractors Jan De Nul Group and EEG Group made good progress, and the site reached its highest point. That milestone was symbolically celebrated with a pumpkin planting.
The Hortus Conclusus consortium, comprising Jan De Nul Group, EEG Group and TINC, is building the new prison on the former Petroleum-South industrial estate in Antwerp. It should be ready for use by April 2026. A tight schedule, but the site is making good progress.
Liesbet De Decker, project director at Jan De Nul Group:
"The entrance building is currently the most advanced and is in the process of completion. The five residential buildings are at different stages. Meanwhile, we have also started work on the perimeter wall around the prison. The central city building will be the tallest in the complex and has now reached its highest point. We wanted to take that moment to celebrate the hard work of our teams. Given the time of year, we won't do it with a traditional maypole, but rather with a pumpkin planting."
The contractors are putting maximum effort into prefabricating all kinds of building elements, such as walls and floors, as well as techniques. This results in a more efficient process and faster project delivery.
Brecht De Brouwer, Implementation Manager at EEG Group:
“The traditional maypole celebration used to mark the end of structural work and announced the start of the technical installations. But the deployment of current technologies has significantly changed this process. Thanks to EEG's expertise in BIM (Building Information Modeling) and prefabrication, the technical installations in the new prison in Antwerp are already in full swing during the shell construction phase."
Laurent Vrijdaghs
Administrator-General of the Public Buildings Administration
"The speed at which this project has risen from the ground is truly impressive. Reaching the highest point in just under a year is an achievement well worth celebrating. The Public Buildings Administration is already looking forward to the site’s continued progress and the ongoing strong cooperation with all partners involved."
People-oriented and modern concept
The new prison is adapted to contemporary detention policies with the aim of keeping life in prison as close as possible to the 'normality' of the outside world. The design takes the form and scale of a city with buildings, squares and streets. The outdoor space and landscape are essential here. For instance, the cellular buildings are located on a raised ground level and surrounded by poplars, which also makes the prison wall less prominent. This form of humane detention focuses on successful reintegration on the one hand, and on a modern working environment for prison staff on the other.
Mathilde Steenbergen, Director-General of Penitentiary Institutions and Chairman ad interim FPS Justice:
"I am extremely pleased with the arrival of the new prison in Antwerp and the progress made in its construction in recent months. Providing correct detention capacity as well as ensuring meaningful incarceration is a big priority for us. This facility will be a beautiful example."
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