The impressive Godefriduskaai mural in Antwerpen was recently unveiled. It welcomes visitors at the pedestrian entrance to Q-Park’s car park near the Felix Pakhuis and the MAS museum.
The impressive Godefriduskaai mural in Antwerpen was recently unveiled. It welcomes visitors at the pedestrian entrance to Q-Park’s car park near the Felix Pakhuis and MAS museum. To enhance the visitors’ experience at the Godefriduskaai, Q-Park commissioned art collective Treepack to bring its vision of art in the public space to life. The mural is not only a visual asset to the location, it also reflects the core values of meeting, connection and urban integration.
The mural, entitled Urban Flow and designed by artist and Treepack art director Sam Billen, is an ode to the dynamism of Antwerp’s dock area. Two open hands on either side symbolise how the parking facility welcomes visitors and the connection with the city. Between the abstract lines and powerful colours, we can see faces, urban birds, a sailing boat, the moon and the rising sun – all elements that reinforce the lively atmosphere of this location.
The design also includes architectural references to the MAS museum building, which means that the mural not only fits in perfectly with the surroundings, but actively strengthens the ties. From now on, visitors will experience the pedestrian access route as more than a functional corridor: it has become a location that speaks, moves and connects.
Now, more than ever, Q-Park is positioning itself as sustainable urban mobility partner. Q-Park’s mission goes further than simply operating parking facilities: Q-Park wants to actively contribute to the urban liveability and aesthetics. By giving art a prominent place in its infrastructure, Q-Park creates meaningful public spaces which enrich the visitor’s experience.
“With this project, we want to transform the pedestrian access into an inspiring and welcoming place," explains Philip De Brabanter, managing director at Q-Park Belgium. "We believe in the power of art to link infrastructure with its surroundings. Not only for our customers, but for everyone who comes to this neighbourhood."
As with every project, working together with the local community is very important to Q-Park. Through dialogue with residents, artists and municipalities, the company wants to create projects that strengthen the identity of a location. The Godefriduskaai mural resonates with the rhythm of the city and so contributes to an inspiring as well as functional urban environment.
Treepack specialises in upgrading public and private spaces with murals and street art. Since 2016, the collective has installed more than 1,000 high-quality artworks in the Netherlands and elsewhere.
Artist Sam Billen, artistic manager of this project, is known for his visual storytelling and multidisciplinary approach. As animation filmmaker, visual artist and teacher of Artistic Research at LUCA School of Arts, he knows how to create art that is both aesthetically pleasing and powerful. His work is characterised by multiple layers, accessibility and a strong sense of the location.
Q-Park and Treepack invite everyone to come and discover the Godefriduskaai for themselves. This location has become a place where infrastructure and art combine, where function and experience intertwine and where visitors not only pass through, but also pause to admire their surroundings.
Location: Urban Flow, Q-Park Godefriduskaai, Antwerp
