Experience

ANTWERP | Katoen Natie plans to demolish the top of the Boerentoren, including the KBC logo

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Katoen Natie plans to demolish the top of the Boerentoren or Farmers’ Tower in Antwerp, including the KBC logo, as the first step towards a panoramic platform and potentially a new ‘A‘. Fernand Huts and Katoen Natie aim to begin dismantling the top three floors of the iconic tower in January 2025, citing stability issues that fail to meet current safety standards. 

This development, reported by Gazet van Antwerpen, also means the removal of the well-known KBC logo at the summit, although it remains uncertain whether the logo will be reinstated. A public inquiry into the demolition permit begins this week.

Few pedestrians may have noticed the new yellow posters on the ground floor of the Boerentoren, announcing a public inquiry for an environmental permit. The posters refer to the “demolition of the crown – three technical (floors 26 to 28)”. 

Investigations confirm this demolition will be significant, with plans to remove the top three floors entirely. The tower’s current height of 95.75 metres will be reduced by nearly ten metres, temporarily reverting to its original 87.5 metres, as it stood when completed in 1931, Belgium’s first skyscraper.

1970s

The top floors in question were added during the 1970s, nearly 45 years after the original construction. This renovation dramatically altered the tower’s appearance, removing its copper cladding and raising the structure to accommodate a new panoramic hall atop the original water reservoir. An additional floor was added to house the Kredietbank logo, which later became the KBC logo in the 1990s.

The primary reason for the demolition is structural instability. Katoen Natie, the tower’s owner, revealed that asbestos removal had uncovered severe deterioration in the building’s condition. Stability studies indicated that the uppermost floors were unsafe, with some steel support beams improperly modified during the 1970s renovations. Engineers concluded that the top floors could not withstand extreme weather conditions, such as heavy storms, despite no immediate risk of collapse.

The demolition, if approved, would be temporary. Plans for a new ‘crown’ are expected to be unveiled next year. These could include restoring and expanding the old panoramic hall beneath the water reservoir, creating a public viewing platform akin to those on the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Empire State Building in New York. 

Fernand Huts has expressed his vision of opening such a platform to the public, offering panoramic views of Antwerp and beyond.

However, the immediate focus is on the public inquiry, which began on Wednesday 11 December, allowing residents to submit their comments or objections until 9 January. Final approval of the permit would then determine whether the works can proceed.

The fate of the iconic KBC logo remains uncertain. Installed in 1999 following a merger, the logo has become synonymous with the Boerentoren. Despite KBC’s sale of the building in 2020, the company stated its intent to maintain a connection with the tower, including retaining the ground-floor bank office and potentially the logo. Nevertheless, Fernand Huts appears disinclined to feature advertising prominently on the renovated tower.

2001

There is growing speculation about the return of the large red letter ‘A’ that adorned the Boerentoren for a year in 2001 during the event ‘MODE 2001 LANDED GELAND‘. Popular with Antwerp residents, the ‘A’ was removed due to unsuitable materials. Some suggest Huts might reintroduce it as part of the redesign.

Alderman for Urban Development Johan Klaps (N-VA) stated that the permit application is separate from the final design of the Boerentoren. Discussions between the city architect, the Agency for Immovable Heritage, and the architects are ongoing, but no consensus on the final design has been reached yet.

Risk of collapse?

An engineering firm has warned of a “real risk of collapse” of the Boerentoren during severe storms, but the city engineer disputes claims of any immediate danger. According to a study by Bollinger+Grohmann, commissioned by the tower’s owner, Katoen Natie, the Boerentoren faces significant instability issues that necessitate the urgent demolition of its top floors. 

This information comes from the permit application for the demolition, reviewed by Gazet van Antwerpen. Despite the engineering firm’s concerns, city engineer Steven Fremault has expressed doubts about the presence of any acute risk.

The permit application highlights serious structural flaws in the Boerentoren, particularly in its upper levels, referred to as the ‘crown’. A descriptive note from architects Studio Libeskind and ELD, appointed by Katoen Natie, outlines findings from Bollinger+Grohmann’s study. 

The report warns of “serious risks” to the tower’s stability under modern wind load standards, which are stricter than those in place when the tower was constructed in the 1930s and renovated in the 1970s. The report identifies significant design flaws in the original structure, notably in one of the steel structure’s nodes, which creates excessive stress on nearby connections, particularly above the 20th floor.

Further compounding the issue are structural modifications made during the 1970s renovation, including the removal of load-bearing masonry and other elements. The engineers describe these changes as “detrimental structural adjustments.” 

The report states that under conditions comparable to the storms of 1953 or 1967, the tower could suffer serious damage or collapse, endangering public safety. It also suggests that in the event of winds exceeding a critical threshold, evacuation of the tower and surrounding streets might be necessary.

Winds

The proposed solution involves demolishing the top floors added in the 1970s to restore the Boerentoren to its original 1930 profile. This reduction in height would lessen wind loads on the steel structure. Additional wind bracing throughout the tower is also recommended to improve its resistance to strong winds. 

Onroerend Erfgoed, the agency responsible for heritage protection, has already approved the temporary removal of the crown, deeming it necessary to secure the tower and prevent further damage.

City engineer

Not all parties agree with the demolition plan. City engineer Steven Fremault has criticised the urgency of the proposed measures. In a letter to Katoen Natie, he noted the absence of evidence for immediate danger, pointing out that the fire brigade had not been called to assess risks. 

Following an on-site inspection in August 2024, Fremault stated he found no indications of acute risk that would justify immediate safety measures. Instead, he recommended installing a digital monitoring system to track structural behaviour over time, allowing for theoretical predictions to be tested against real-world data.

Katoen Natie, however, argues that while additional wind bracing could theoretically stabilise the building without removing the crown, this approach would take longer. 

They estimate it would require twelve months to install the bracing alone, whereas simultaneously demolishing the crown and installing the bracing could achieve an acceptable safety level within six months. The company emphasises the urgency of the situation, noting the unpredictability of extreme weather events and the need to mitigate risks as quickly as possible.

A replacement

“If the crown of the Boerentoren is removed, something will replace it,” says Antwerp city architect Christian Rapp. However, it will not be the same as the current structure, which must be dismantled for safety reasons. According to Rapp, the decision is based on findings from engineering firm Bollinger+Grohmann, an authority on high-rise buildings. Their report clearly states that the current construction cannot withstand strong gusts of wind, which occur regularly.

Rapp also highlights that the tower’s stability was compromised during renovations in the 1970s, when structural changes were made both at the top and the base of the building, further exacerbating the problem. He notes that while the removal of the crown, including the KBC logo and the radiant A, is necessary, it does not hold heritage value. The Flanders Heritage Agency, which has significant influence in these matters, has advised that the crown is not part of the original design and thus not essential to preserve.

Although no decisions have been finalised, Rapp assures that a new structure will be built to replace the current crown. Discussions are ongoing, and while details of the new plans are not yet public, the City of Antwerp and Heritage Flanders are said to be working constructively with the owner, Katoen Natie.

Mayor Bart De Wever (N-VA) and Alderman Johan Klaps have declined to comment on the plans, stating that the permit application process must run its course. The mayor’s office confirms that a public inquiry will follow before any environmental permit can be issued. Rapp also references earlier, now rejected, proposals to stabilise the building by constructing a second tower connected to the Boerentoren. Whether such a plan will be reconsidered remains uncertain.

“KBC logo must stay”

KBC Group has reacted that retaining its logo on the Boerentoren was a condition agreed upon during the sale of the building. With plans to demolish the tower’s highest floors and potentially replace them with features such as a new panoramic roof, the fate of the KBC logo is uncertain. 

“It was agreed during the sale of the Boerentoren that the KBC logo would be retained. We understand that all agreements made will be honoured”, stated Viviane Huybrecht, spokesperson for the KBC Group.

While it is certain that the logo will be removed during the demolition phase, it remains unclear whether the bank’s name will be reinstated on the tower in the future. 

Huybrecht emphasised that KBC has binding agreements with Katoen Natie, the building’s current owner, and expects all parties to adhere to them. She referred to earlier public communications confirming this understanding, including press releases from 2021.

One such press release, dated 11 July 2021, included a statement by KBC Group CEO Johan Thijs, who praised the collaboration with Katoen Natie. At the time, he assured that KBC, which had maintained a long association with the Boerentoren, would remain symbolically tied to the building. “The KBC logo will continue to adorn the top of the building as a recognisable landmark,” the statement read.

A year earlier, another press release from KBC noted that the logo would remain visible on the tower and the bank would continue to operate a branch on the ground floor. Despite these assertions, the KBC Group is currently refraining from further comment. Whether any recent discussions have occurred with Katoen Natie or its owner Fernand Huts about the logo’s future placement remains unclear.

On the look of Antwerp