Community House

Community house Knokke-Heist

The Community House offers a unique solution to coastal density: instead of a monolithic tower, it features a clearly defined layering of homes, gardens, greenhouses, and shared spaces. Spanning 15 levels, the project encompasses 15,200 m² of mixed-use space and creates 19,000 m² of public space to preserve the historic market and provide parks, playgrounds, and event venues.

To blend into the low-rise residential fabric, the structure is organized into a series of terraced residential blocks. Its colorful facades and fragmented volumes provide a human scale and a gradual transition. The central location and sunlight analysis were used to calibrate the building’s dimensions to limit cast shadows and preserve the neighborhood’s quality of life.

Opening onto the square, the vibrant ground floor connects the building to the city by housing a library, municipal services, shops, and community spaces. On the residential floors, shared greenhouses and common areas foster social cohesion and a sense of community ownership.

Environmentally responsible, the project combines natural ventilation, natural light through a central atrium, rainwater harvesting, solar power generation, and low energy consumption, meeting the strictest Belgian and European standards. Its rational structure and design logic allow it to adapt to changes in the program over time. It thus embodies a synthesis of density, urban quality, performance, and public service—a prototype for the future of Knokke-Heist

Client City of Knokke-Heist

Programme Public spaces, housing, town hall, shops, multi-purpose hall 

Team CAAP, Execution architect : B2ai, Engineer : Bollinger, Landscape : Sempervirens, Ligt : Magic Monkey

Photos : Roland Halbe