Type: Redevelopment, Mixed-Use Residential
Developer: Revive
Owner: Revive
Master Planner: Architecten Achtergael
Designers: POLO, ECTV architects, Areal Architects, Architecten Achtergael, Denc! Studio
Site Size: 14.83 acres (6 ha)
Date Opened: March 1, 2023
Date Completed: December 31, 2026
Buildings: 365,973 square feet (34,000 sq m)
Parking Spaces: 350
Open Space: 289,549 square feet (26,900 sq m)
In the Belgian municipality of Edegem, a 20-minute bike ride from Antwerp’s city center, a camera film roll packing plant has become Minerve, a biodiverse, sustainable mixed-use residential and commercial neighborhood.
The former industrial site was originally the Minerva bicycle factory, which opened in the 1920s and later produced motorbikes and luxury automobiles. During World War II, German forces commandeered the site for aircraft repairs, which led to a deadly Allied bombing raid. Later, AGFA-Gevaert used the facility to cut and pack camera film. When operations ceased, the buildings remained dormant until 2016, when developer Revive purchased the site to create a community with homes for 330 families.
For Revive, the Minerva site represented an ideal opportunity. “Brownfield reconversion is our bread and butter,” says Alice Boydens, project developer at Revive. “We mainly look at brownfield sites that we can remediate, if necessary, and then redevelop into residential urban quarters.”
Once Revive secured the site, they worked with the municipality to rezone it from industrial to mixed residential use, then collaborated with Architecten Achtergael as master planners to create the current design. The diverse housing mix stems from careful market analysis, resulting in apartments and houses of various types, sizes, and price points. Revive also partnered with specialist developers to come up with social housing and co-housing options and offer plenty of public gathering spaces, including one residential building with a communal rooftop terrace.
Planning for Open Space and Connection
Master planner Dirk Liekens of Architecten Achtergael says that his team looked for site-specific elements that could connect the new development to its history. “In this case, there weren’t any monuments or things like that to work with,” he says. “We had to consider the small things that are interesting to reincorporate in a new plan, so people could feel the history of the site.” These historical connections appear in details such as the reuse of original bricks and the size of the open spaces.
The master planning process prioritized open space over built areas. “We always start to develop the open space rather than the built space and then other considerations come into play, such as where does the water go?” Liekens says. “All of these things help guide decisions.”
The public spaces were designed for families and intergenerational activities, and the demographic mix has created a vibrant community. “Most of the buyers are young families with children,” Liekens says, “and older people who left their big house to live in an apartment.”
This diversity generates daytime activity that makes the site attractive for the five commercial units, which include a physiotherapy center and offices. Residents have created their own community newspaper, which helps neighbors stay informed and connected. “They publish it every three months, and everybody knows what’s happening,” Liekens says. “That helps make the neighborhood thrive.”
Boydens emphasizes the critical role of municipal collaboration, particularly regarding approval for innovative features like the district heating network, which redirects residual heat from the neighboring AGFA-Gevaert factory to supply hot water and heating to the community, significantly reducing the development’s energy costs and fossil fuel dependency. “The municipality never, at any point, forced us to go down this road of implementing the [heat redistribution] network or told us we weren’t allowed to do it,” Boydens says. “They always supported our research and analysis of the possibilities.”
The comprehensive overhaul of the water management system also sets Minerve apart from similar projects. Historically, the nearby residential area suffered from flooding, a common hazard when housing adjoins large industrial sites that have extensive paved surfaces and limited water infiltration. “When we bought the site,” Boydens says, “we knew that there was going to have to be some extra attention to water management on site.”
Managing Water On-Site
Rainwater is now collected in a 422,675-gallon (1.6 million-liter) storage buffer and reused for toilet flushing and garden irrigation, which reduces the impact on the area’s sewage system. Excess water is also redistributed to industrial partners and municipalities via a collective water service company, WASCO. WASCO is a collaboration between the municipality of Edegem and external partners that connects industrial sites possessing large roof surfaces to residential developments that can effectively use the recovered runoff.
Water-absorbing plant borders and three ravines facilitate soil infiltration. Last year’s exceptionally wet weather provided a real-world test of the system’s effectiveness, and Boydens reports it performed well for the completed portions of the development.
Construction incorporated recycled materials, such as bricks and wood. The selection of native plants, the integration of nesting opportunities for bats and swifts, and the minimization of wildlife-disrupting lighting enhances the biodiversity of the area. Residents also have access to communal electric cars and electric cargo bikes, as well as convenient access to public transportation.
The development process included extensive community engagement, beginning with information sessions to inform neighbors about the rezoning and development plans. An information booth encouraged neighbors to leave messages and suggestions.
Market response has been overwhelmingly positive, with the first phase fully sold out on completion of construction in 2023 and strong sales continuing in subsequent phases. The development has attracted particular interest for its innovative heat distribution network and extensive green spaces in an urban setting.
Through its comprehensive approach to sustainability and community building, Minerve demonstrates how thoughtful design and innovative technology can turn brownfields into resilient communities while fostering social connection and environmental stewardship.
