Havenhuis Antwerpen

Old and new in one building

The Havenhuis in Antwerpen is one of the most photographed buildings in Belgium, and for good reason. Zaha Hadid designed a diamond-shaped glass structure that sits on top of a neo-Gothic fire station from 1922. That combination of stone and glass, of historic brickwork and futuristic reflections, gives you enormous creative scope as a photographer. You can take in the whole building or zoom in on details: the rhythmic windows of the old facade, the angular glass planes above, the lines that run parallel to nothing.

When to go

Golden hour works particularly well here. When the low sun catches the glass, you get warm reflections that shift from minute to minute. The upper structure mirrors clouds, sky and surroundings in a way that is never quite the same twice. The blue hour, just after sunset, reveals the interior lighting glowing through the glass while the sky still holds colour. Those twenty minutes are worth waiting for.

In summer the sun sits high and you lose those angular shadows on the old brickwork. Autumn and winter produce more dramatic light, and a greater chance of cloud that adds interest to the glass.

Compositions and focal lengths

Wide works well when you want to capture the contrast between old and new in a single frame. A focal length around 24mm gets the whole structure in, but watch for distorted verticals when you tilt upward. If you would rather not correct that in post, a tilt-shift lens helps, though a deliberate diagonal perspective can also make for a strong composition. From further back with something longer, 70 to 135mm, you can isolate the geometric details of the glass shell more effectively.

On the waterside, along the Willemdok, you have room to step back and include a broader context: the harbour, the water, the building as a whole. Early in the morning it is quiet there.

Practical

The building is the headquarters of the Port of Antwerp. Photographing from outside is completely free. Parking is available nearby at het Eilandje, but it is easier to walk from the centre or take the tram. The square in front of the building is called the Zaha Hadidplein, named after the architect who died in 2016 before the building was completed. That fact adds something when you are standing there.

Sources and further reading

• Port of Antwerp-Bruges, officiële website
• Stad Antwerpen, Havenhuis
• Wikipedia: Havenhuis Antwerpen