A unique visitors’ centre for Antwerp

In the Eilandje district at the foot of the new Museum aan de Stroom (MAS) the Port Authority opened the Port Pavilion with the main attraction a giant surround-screen with film images and sounds creating the impression of actually being in the middle of the port.

Visitors of the Port Pavilion will have lots of things to experience. In the centre of the Pavilion a unique film is shown on a cylinder-shaped 360-degree surround-sound projection screen offering a continuous flow of action, putting visitors in the middle of port activities. In addition, footage from the locks and real time radar displays allow the public to witness the entrance and docking manoeuvres of large container vessels. And finally, visitors get the chance to see how extensive the port is through a 6-metre wide Port map on the floor of the Pavilion.

The Antwerp Port Pavilion was designed by Crepain Binst Architecture. The idea for the central, cylindrical screen is based on the many storage silos used by chemical companies, dotted around the port. The pavilion is cooled with water pumped from the nearby Willem dock. This is not only environment-friendly but also particularly efficient: the water is pumped into a heat exchanger in which the heat from inside the building is transferred to the dock water. However, this does not affect the temperature of the water in the dock making the whole project an example of sustainable energy.