Immersed in Antwerp

The ING team has just returned from an energising few days in Antwerp, and it’s safe to say the city lived up to its growing reputation as one of Europe’s coolest new design destinations.

With the city being lauded as a must-visit destination in the Telegraph, London Standard and Conde Nast – and reaching number 42 in ING’s own ranking of online presence for European cities, The Rise of TikTok Cities – suffice to say that we had high expectations as we boarded the Eurostar and one big question to ask: what are the key ingredients that contribute to the city’s visibility?

One aspect that immediately stood out was the seamless interplay of contrasts. From the 16th-century guild houses of the old town to the bold, contemporary architecture of the docklands and Nieuw Zuid, we saw first-hand how heritage and innovation can coexist, and the vital role of carefully planned infrastructure and investment strategies working together to support the two.

Our itinerary started with a tour of De Singel International Arts Centre, where we met with Dennis Pohl and Egon Verleye from the Vlaams Architectuurinstituut, who we worked with on the Belgium pavilion at this year’s Venice Biennale of Architecture. We were lucky enough to have a private viewing of the exhibitions currently on display at De Singel, exploring the relationship between the built and natural worlds through a range of perspectives, from the changing cultural and social significance of green spaces as city infrastructure to strategies for embedding nature into built design.

We then had the pleasure of sitting down with Bart De Greef, the City of Antwerp’s manager for industry and investment. Drawing on his 15 years of experience, Bart talked us through the strengths that set Antwerp apart internationally, from its strategic geography and established reputation to its diverse and evolving sector base, including raw materials (diamonds), through production and industry (chemicals, energy), to consumption (retail, fashion) and the data economy (AI, IoT). He highlighted the city government’s role as a mediator – speaking the language of entrepreneurs, making the innovation advantage tangible, and de-risking investment through infrastructure and land preparation.

The next morning, we took a tour of Nieuw Zuid, a new climate-smart district designed by Studio Secchi-Viganò with buildings by the likes of Shigeru Ban and David Chipperfield and landscaping by Bas Smets. Then in the afternoon we explored the Eilandje neighbourhood, where the regeneration of Antwerp’s docklands is being led by a mix of cultural institutions, world-class architecture and supporting cycling and transport infrastructure.

In between, we managed to squeeze in visits to some of Antwerp’s impressive cultural institutions – MAS, MoMu, FOMU, KMSKA – each providing its own lens on the city’s identity and a different anchor for Antwerp’s global narrative.

And yes, the fries were excellent. We sampled the best of Antwerp’s food scene, including dinner at Samenloop, a restaurant offering training to refugees and asylum seekers and featuring a rotating menu based on their culinary memories. We also made time for waffles, chocolate and a few Tripels.

As we get ready for the next edition of ING’s city research, this trip has given us a fresh appreciation for the different ways cities build visibility through architecture, culture, infrastructure and storytelling.