Multi wins BLRW award for Stadfeestzaal shopping centre

Multi Development's 20,500-m² Stadsfeestzaal Shopping Centre in Antwerp has been chosen by the Belgium-Luxembourg Shopping Centre Board (BLRW) as winner of the Shopping Award for the best shopping centre in Belgium and Luxembourg of 2008.

Stadsfeestzaal, a project of Multi Development Belgium, was opened in October 2007. T+T Design of Gouda supplied the concept. 'The renovation of the striking, hundred-year old Stadsfeestzaal in Antwerp, which was almost destroyed by fire in 2000, not only meant the return of a much-loved historic building to the city centre, but also linked together two separate shopping areas with 20,500 m² of new shops and sustainable public space,' Multi said.

The biennial BLRW award, Multi said, is being awarded as a major recognition of the vision and perseverance needed to realise this project with architecture of the highest quality. It has also been a stimulus to both the government and private parties to work to achieve first-class, sustainable city centre developments.

The jury's reasons for awarding the Shopping Award 2008 to Stadsfeestzaal included the impressive performance, which was needed in view of the level of difficulty (historic building) and the setback during construction (fire). The jury was very impressed by the high level of technical finishing and extremely professional approach taken throughout the project. They also referred to the excellent market positioning and reputation of Stadsfeestzaal even long before the opening.