Neighborhood
Zuid / Waagnatie
in Antwerp, Belgium
Design, port proximity and Darklands context.
Where it is
Het Zuid (the South) lies south of the old town on the right bank of the Scheldt; the Waagnatie is a former warehouse and harbour complex on the river at the quarter's western edge.
Address: Antwerp
What it is
The quarter is regarded as the creative and culinary heart of Antwerp, with museums such as the M HKA for contemporary art, many galleries, design shops, bars and restaurants. The riverside Waagnatie now serves as an events venue, and the setting along the Scheldt quays makes Zuid especially appealing for an evening stroll.
History
Het Zuid took shape at the end of the 19th century on the site of a demolished fortress, laid out on a grid of broad boulevards and bourgeois townhouses. After a period of decline it developed from the 1990s into an arts and nightlife district.