In Antwerp (Belgium) it’s not all too common to see new modern buildings pop up in the city. The architecture that our city is known for is mostly of historic nature. But we are starting to see more and more modern development. The Post X project is a fine example of that.
I pass by the Post X site nearly every day. I live close to the train station Antwerpen Berchem, which is right next to the site. Like many people, I often take the train to go to Brussels, or any other city for that matter.
DEVElOPMENT
As a regular commuter I saw this project developing before my eyes. The national post service (bPost) had used the site as a distribution centre, but left the site when it didn’t fit their needs anymore. After leaving the site vacant for a number of years, in March 2015 the distribution centre was finally demolished.
After the years of abandonment, new development has started. Once the buildings were starting to take shape, I started to see its photographic potential. And if you’re a commuter you’re reminded often. I needed to check it out and see if I could make some photos.
FIRST IMAGES
I was not sure if I would be able to make it work. By no means is it as impressive as the highrises in New York for example. If you look at it in a broader context, the buildings are still quite modest.
The first time I went, I was there a little before sunset. I noticed that the light was casting a very nice soft reflection on the building. I didn’t bother taking out the tripod. The light was good and I saw so many opportunities. I wanted to experiment with different compositions. In the end it gave me a photoset which I really liked.
In post-processing I edited one image first, until I got the look I liked. Then I synchronized these setting to the other photos. After that I did some minor tweaks and I was ready.
RETURN
After this first successful quest, I returned to the site frequently. When I took these pictures, only a part of the site has been finished. I returned many times to build on the photoset I made the first time. In the long weeks of quarantine, because of the corona crisis, I included the site in my walking route more than once.
MORE STORIES
Want to read more stories about photography? Please consider signing up to my newsletter. I don't like spam so I won't send you any either. You will get a newsletter 3 times a year with:
- nice stories like this one
- updates about my photography projects
- info and discounts for photography related items in my store
