The Unity District or garden district Boeksveldplein in Wilrijk
(VAi Collection - Flemish Community Collection)
The Eenheidswijk neighborhood was built in response to the housing shortage after the First World War and is one of Antwerp's oldest garden districts. It is located on Eenheidstraat, Uitspanningstraat, Gallaitlaan, Boeksveldstraat, and Boeksveldplein in Wilrijk. The neighborhood was developed by the Eenheid tenant cooperative.
Garden cities were originally an English idea to create a living environment for the ideal harmonious society. They envisioned planned, self-sufficient cities with collective amenities and abundant greenery, separate from the main city. In Belgium, the garden city was seen as a housing solution after the First World War. However, the idea was often downgraded to planned urban expansion with a focus on planting and maintaining public spaces. The tenant cooperative Eenheid was founded in 1922 by the Algemene Centrale Antwerp. The establishment of this and other tenant cooperatives was part of the aftermath of the 1919 Housing Act. This stipulated that not only workers could benefit from financial support, but that any employee whose wages were below a certain threshold could also apply for a bonus and favorable loan terms. Thus, various lower-level employees formed employee associations with the ambition of building garden cities.
After purchasing a suitable building site in Wilrijk, the Eenheid cooperative launched a public competition to find an architect. The competition jury was composed of representatives from the professional associations of the stakeholders. From 1923 onward, various types of single-family homes were designed by different architects. For example, in 1926, Eduard Van Steenbergen designed fifteen workers' houses on Uitspanningstraat, commissioned by a "group of house builders" from the Minerva factory. The extremely simple facades with paired portals bear a strong resemblance in layout to the small houses in the Unitas Garden District in Deurne. The modernist apartment building at Uitspanningstraat 47 was designed by Alfons Francken in 1931. After World War II, the same architect was also responsible for replacing the destroyed houses on Boeksveldplein and Uitspanningstraat with a series of contemporary residential complexes containing 24 apartments.
Social Works stand at the 1930 Antwerp World Exhibition
(VAi Collection - Flemish Community Collection)
In 1930, architect Eduard Van Steenbergen, commissioned by the General Federation of Trade Unions, designed the stand for their social welfare program at the Antwerp World's Fair. The Finnish birch paneling, beautiful stained-glass windows, and stylish interior and furnishings gave the space a modern look. For the décor, the architect also enlisted the help of fellow Antwerp artists. Sculptures by Albert Poels and murals by Lode Seghers adorned the stand.
In the exhibition space, visitors could learn about the social work of organizations such as the General Diamond Workers' Union, the Dockworkers' Union, and the Federation of Mutual Assistance. The focus was on health, housing, social security, and education.
Renowned Dutch architect Piet Kramer was full of praise for the stand's design: "Blessed artist E. Van Steenbergen. My admiration for your beautiful stand at the Antwerp exhibition. Forward, serving beauty!"
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