Special auction of former homes for Ukrainian refugees

Troostwijk Auctions helps find a new, meaningful destination for the emergency villages.

At the beginning of 2022, an emergency village was established in Antwerp to provide a temporary but safe solution for the thousands of Ukrainian refugees fleeing their homeland. Now, three years later, the temporary housing project is coming to an end. Troostwijk Auctions is assisting the initiators in finding new owners for the container homes in an online auction, with the hope that these residences will be given a new, meaningful purpose.

Comfortable homes for families
A total of 104 container homes, each consisting of two apartments, have housed more than 800 refugees over the past three years. The homes are self-contained units of 55 square meters, fully equipped with a kitchen, living room, two bedrooms, and a bathroom. Designed to accommodate families of four to six people, these comfortable homes allowed residents to live independently and with greater privacy, enabling them to rebuild their lives as much as possible. The homes provided a temporary yet safe environment where families could settle.

Proud of the impact
"We have welcomed representatives from the United Nations and the European Commission, as everyone was curious about how we managed to achieve this. The tranquility in the village and the sense of togetherness were wonderful to witness," said Yo Engelen of E-Demonstrations, one of the project's initiators. "We are extremely proud of the impact this project has had. You are helping people, especially countless children. That’s what it’s all about."

Looking for a new, meaningful destination
The project, along with the collaboration with the city of Antwerp, is now coming to an end. Currently, around a hundred refugees still reside in the emergency village, receiving extra assistance from the city in their search for permanent housing. The container homes themselves are now in need of a new purpose. Engelen explains: "We always knew this would be a temporary project. Now, we hope that an NGO will seize this opportunity to provide other vulnerable groups with safe and comfortable housing quickly."

Currently, 29 lots are being auctioned on the platform, with container homes available for purchase in sets of four, two, or individually. The remaining homes will follow later. Cedric Baetens, account manager at Troostwijk Auctions, is overseeing this unique auction: "While we hope that another charitable organization will take over these container homes, they could also find a second life in a different context. Consider their use in the events or construction industries, where temporary housing is often needed for workers, such as during large infrastructure projects or the setup of temporary workspaces."

Sustainable reuse and circular economy
"The most important thing is that these container homes find a new purpose," Baetens continues. "At Troostwijk Auctions, we focus on extending the lifespan of products. Our international network, with a broad range of potential buyers from over 175 countries, plays a key role in this. Through our accessible digital auction platform, we optimally connect supply and demand, both locally and globally, ensuring that goods get a second life and the circular economy is accelerated."