Former KET mini theatre in Beveren gets new purpose with brand new Forum residential project
20/12/2024
‘Forum’ provides 29 sustainable flats and helps answer housing need.
On Gravendreef in Beveren the demolition of the former mini theatre KET and some garages has just started. The site will soon be home to a brand-new sustainable housing project where 29 families will find a new home. ‘In this way, ‘Forum’ will soon help provide an answer to the housing shortage in Beveren,’ project developer ION says. ‘If everything goes smoothly, the first residents will move in at the end of 2026.’
Beveren has been gaining popularity for some time now: close to Antwerp and the Netherlands, plenty of employment opportunities and all possible amenities within easy reach. No wonder, then, that many young families as well as the elderly like to come and live there. However, the supply of modern and sustainable homes has been unable to keep up with the high demand for some years now.
With ‘Forum’, we will soon help provide an answer to the housing shortage in Beveren. On the 1,380-square-metre site, we have just started demolishing several old buildings, including the former mini theatre KET. In February, we will then start the construction of 29 brand-new and sustainable flats.
Specifically, ‘Forum’ includes 29 one-bedroom flats ranging from 69 to 83 square metres or two bedrooms from 89 to 104 square metres, spread over four floors. Each flat includes parquet floors and a terrace. Some flats have two terraces, to attract even more sun inside. In addition, property developer ION provides bicycle parking facilities and a parking garage with charging stations. This will keep the parking pressure in the neighbourhood low.
The modern and stylish design of ‘Forum’ is by Antwerp-based FVWW architects, known for, among other things, the renovated Yper Museum in the Cloth Halls of Ypres and the renovation of the Vleeshuis in Antwerp. For this Beveren residential project, they devised a structure with non-adjacent terraces - allowing each resident to enjoy their privacy - and added large windows for maximum light incidence.
‘Forum’ also promises to be a sustainable project. For instance, there will be a communal courtyard garden with lawn, flowers, plants and trees. This will not only be a green, but also a cosy meeting place with some benches for quiet enjoyment. All flats will also have a maximum E-level of 10 (E10).
All flats will also have a maximum E-level of 10, which is the lowest energy level. Not only a good thing for the climate, but also for the residents' wallets. Because in addition to a lower energy bill, such a low E-level also offers a tax advantage. We are therefore working in ‘Forum’ with numerous smart technologies. Just think of heat pumps via geothermal energy. After all, we provide a BEO field (Borehole Energy Storage). This is a very sustainable alternative to conventional heating systems. Specifically, it uses ground heat to heat the flats during cold periods and passively cool them during the summer months. In addition to the BEO field, the buildings will also have thermal and acoustic insulation, high-efficiency glazing and solar panels.
If everything goes smoothly, the first residents could move into ‘Forum’ by the end of 2026. Sales of the first flats have now started. For those interested: flat prices start from 245,900 euros (excluding costs).
