Grote Schijn pumping station clad in Corten steel expanded metal

Since the Grote Schijn pumping station is such an eye-catching feature of the landscape near the Antwerp ring road and cycle path, a decision was made to clad it in Corten steel expanded metal. To enhance the effect still further, Corten steel was also used for the surrounding fencing and two entrance gates. The main building was first fitted with a supporting structure or skeleton weighing approximately 35 tonnes and made of steel girders that had first been hot-dip galvanized and then powder coated in brown. The side walls and roof were then clad with Corten steel cassettes. Along the side of the jacks and the back, both the girders of the supporting structure and the cassettes were rounded off to increase architectural impact, and eight panel doors made of expanded metal were fitted to conceal the doors in the concrete building. Including the fencing and the gates, a total of around 1,400 m² of expanded metal was fitted.