Cohousing De Wasserij is a cooperative housing project in Antwerp, Belgium, developed and owned by the Flemish housing cooperative wooncoop. It is wooncoop’s first new-build project in Antwerp and forms part of the broader redevelopment of the former Goossens industrial laundry site in Oud-Berchem. The project comprises 27 dwellings—a mix of studios, apartments and duplex units—combined with extensive shared spaces, including communal indoor and outdoor areas, a roof terrace and multifunctional rooms for meetings and activities.16
The housing initiative is organised as a cooperative cohousing project, where residents are cooperant-members of wooncoop, combining elements of renting and collective ownership under a long-term stewardship model.3107 The resident group, with roots dating back to around 2000, reflects a broad mix of ages and backgrounds and explicitly aims to form a supportive neighbourhood community built on mutual care and everyday cooperation.7
Beyond housing, De Wasserij also hosts office space for the Vlaamse Vereniging voor Ruimte en Planning (VRP), Expeditie De Stad vzw and the Vlaamse Vereniging voor Openbaar Groen (VVOG), adding a professional and civic dimension to the site.[excerpt] The project has been recognised by the City of Antwerp, winning the 2023 competition for “Vernieuwende, alternatieve woonvormen” (“innovative, alternative housing forms”), and has been cited by local policymakers, including alderman for urban development and housing Patrick Janssens, as an example that can inspire future urban housing policy and pilot projects.[excerpt]2
The official opening of Cohousing De Wasserij took place on 27 November 2025, marking the completion and occupation of the 27 units and confirming its role as a reference project for cooperative cohousing in Flanders.[excerpt]2