A new architectural landmark now graces the beach promenade of the popular Belgian seaside resort of Knokke-Heist: The Heldentoren with its two sister buildings offers its residents breathtaking panoramic sea views. Insulating glass featuring the Swisspacer Ultimate warm edge spacer bar ensures maximum living comfort behind the surrounding glass façades.
New landmark on the beach
Heldentoren, already a new highlight near Heldenplein, inaugurated in 2024 and, at 67 metres, towers far above the surrounding beachfront architecture. The urban ensemble directly on the newly designed Heldenplein consists of the residential tower with 43 apartments, a second 7-storey building with 10 apartments and a smaller pavilion that houses a restaurant and an additional apartment on the upper floor. The ground floors are reserved for dining and retail and are connected to Knokke's new promenade on the Elizabetlaan. All three buildings are connected by a shared underground car park and follow the same architectural language.
Stylish apartments with the best views
The ensemble was designed by Neutelings Riedijk Architects from Rotterdam, planned by the Belgian engineering firm Bureau Bouwtechniek using BIM models and realised by TM Eiffage Vlaanderen Heldentoren. The investor and client is SALT Projects, a Belgian Real Estate Developer based in Knokke-Heist that specialises in the development of modern residential residences for design lovers in Belgium's most expensive real estate region.
For the tower sculpture, the architects have staggered four multi-storey structures, each of which is set back above the storey below, thus exposing large roof terraces. The result is a horizontal structure that is orientated towards the heights of the surrounding buildings and at the same time forms an exciting contrast to the verticality of the tower. The tower tapers upwards and, despite its height, the horizontal rhythm of its structure creates an elegant contrast with the verticality of the surrounding buildings, offering a dynamic visual presence in Knokke’s otherwise homogeneous skyline.
Weatherproof ceramic façade
The façades of the ensemble play with organic forms: rounded corners and wrap-around balconies offer residents generous views of both the city and the sea. To meet the challenges of the coastal climate and its constantly changing weather conditions, only corrosion-tested components with carefully selected surface finishes were used. Neutelings Riedijk Architects developed a special ceramic façade for the project. Its glazed surface is UV- and frost-resistant, providing long-term durability against thermal stress, salty sea air and wind-blown sand – without the need for maintenance. The dark ceramic panels, finished in a rich midnight blue, are structured with vertical lines that refract sunlight, creating a striking interplay of light, colour and texture that adds to the building’s sculptural presence.
High-quality glass solutions with warm edge spacer bars
On the second façade level behind the narrow bands of ceramic panels and glass balustrades, the façades are almost completely glazed. Slim aluminium frames, also finished in deep midnight blue, hold the window and door openings, which feature a combination of sliding, hinged and fixed glazing elements. Double or triple-glazed insulating glass units protect the partly two-storey apartments from wind and solar heat, reflect warming UV rays, and at the same time offer high light transmission, allowing natural daylight to penetrate deep into the living spaces.
In terms of both performance and appearance, glass manufacturer Polypane chose the Swisspacer Ultimate warm edge spacer for the insulating glazing. “The requirements for the thermal conductivity of the insulating glazing were high”, said Franky Symoens, CEO of Polypane. Triple glazing with a Ug value of 0.6 W/(m²K) and double glazing with a Ug value of 1.0 W/(m²K) were used as well as Swisspacer Ultimate for the glass edge. This spacer bar enables particularly low Psi values and thus supports the energy efficiency of the overall system. Swisspacer Ultimate is one of the world’s leading warm edge spacer bars. It minimises heat loss at the edge of the glass and has been proven to improve the energy efficiency of windows and façades. This reduces CO₂ emissions and has a positive impact on the building’s overall carbon footprint. With its matte surface, it blends seamlessly into any design concept.
The Heldentoren ensemble is not only an architectural masterpiece, but also a symbol of Knokke-Heist’s commitment to modern, sustainable living in the heart of Belgium’s most prestigious seaside resort.
