Cities Ghent

Attractive downtown

Sustainable urban projects have become crucial in progressive cities such as Ghent. They ensure that urban areas will become pleasant places to work and live.

Ghent’s alternative approach

'The city has been experimenting with assigning temporary uses to derelict sites and vacant buildings.

Green in the city

A city with only buildings isn’t good for anyone. Green spaces deserve and will receive that attention. “It is essential to combine greenery with buildings, especially in densely populated neighborhoods. This could result in, for example, neighborhood parks and open spaces. Other great alternatives are collective roof gardens or green facades. The Melopee city building in Oude Dokken was given an outdoor room that serves as a pergola. Over time, it will transform into a beautiful green facade,” says Barbara Dubaere of Sogent.

Getting to know your neighbors

Public spaces will tempt residents to go outside. They are the perfect locations for getting to know your neighbors, making social contacts, or just getting some fresh air.

'People starting cohousing adventures will be the masters of most of their own home development processes.

— The modern vision of a medieval city Ghent was founded in 630 and has a long history spanning centuries. Our lives and society have changed considerably over the years, but the urban areas of large cities often lag behind. Policy-makers, real estate developers, and residents have been calling for a more pleasant living environment with more breathing space for a long time. This mission has translated into sustainable urban development projects.

— Enjoying green spaces together Ghent is a frontrunner when it comes to urban development. Space is scarce, and people are living ever closer together. This calls for creative ways of organizing the available areas. Barbara Dubaere of the urban development company Sogent regards this as an opportunity: “A detached home with a garden is difficult in an urban context anyway and requires a lot of surface area. Cohousing may provide a solution. There are many different ways of making this possible, which is what makes it so much fun. People starting such cohousing adventures will be the masters of most of their own home development processes.”

— Same building, new function Dilapidated buildings, derelict sites, and vacant properties do not have to suffer quiet deaths. On the contrary, they offer an opportunity to give a new dimension to the city. Ghent has been experimenting with assigning temporary uses to derelict sites and vacant buildings at various locations. This should help to avoid dereliction and give a boost to less dynamic neighborhoods.

“Oude Dokken” is an excellent example of this initiative. This urban renewal project has been running for fifteen years and is still evolving. Ghent is building an entirely new urban district.

Updating urban life

Modernizing a city is more than just renovating buildings. It is also about new forms of living together, creating open spaces, quality of life for people, and a livable world.

“The architectural firm OMA created the ‘kebab stick model’ for the port area. The stick is the water, and the pieces of meat are the buildings. The pieces of meat each alternate with bits of vegetable. In this model, it’s neighborhood greenery, a park, or other smaller green areas,” explains Dubaere.

“Wintercircus” at “De Krook” is another recent project. The covered square dates back to 1885, when it was an events hall. Sogent, commissioned by the City of Ghent, is currently working on major renovations to provide office space. But you don't just have to work there. With an underground concert hall, a cafe, a restaurant, and a shop, it is set to become a pleasant and busy environment. — Ledeberg do-it-yourself Squares, city parks, playgrounds, cultural and sports centers help to help enrich the socio-cultural lives of its residents. That is why investments in such infrastructure are essential in cities with vibrant downtown areas. Therefore, the city gave its backing to “Ledeberg leeft (Ledeberg lives)” in 2018. Together with the local residents' initiative “Ledeberg doet het zelf (Ledeberg do-it-yourself)”, it started looking for new uses for the buildings that became vacant after DIY store Standaert’s bankruptcy. This has resulted in a brand-new neighborhood center called the “Broederij”. There is also room for the weekly farmers' markets and other events, as well as a terrace. The green zone has pleasant seating areas, an edible garden with berry bushes, and communal vegetable gardens.

'Collective roof gardens or green facades are great options for creating green environments within an urban context.

Nieuwland: rushing ahead

With the Nieuwland project, ION is building homes right in Ghent’s downtown area. Yet without all the usual hustle and bustle of downtown areas. The apartments have a spacious shared courtyard and also their own private terraces to retreat to. Moreover, the impact on the environment is limited. All homes comply with the BEN (Belgian nearly zero-energy) principles, which means that they use little energy for ventilation, heating, and hot water. The communal heating system ensures lower carbonemissions.

www.nieuwland-gent.be