The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
This proposal envisions a strategy for the territory along the edge of the Hoge-Kempen National Park in Limburg. The project involves both demolition and retrofitting of suburban settlements. The proposed plan begins by devising a set of small-scale interventions in the forms of community centers, platforms along the river, piers and bus stops. The goal of these interventions is to act as markers and give a legible structure to the conurbation that stretches from Lanklaar to Lanaken. Our social and spatial analysis of the area highlighted two specific settlement types that we believe are an ideal target for transformation due to their particular land use pattern.
The ‘villa park’ settlement type consists of large villas, many of which are today underused. The gradual commoning of their spacious gardens can allow the incremental building of sheds to be used as both working spaces and communal facilities. In this way the large villas can be subdivided into smaller units and thus increase the density of these settlements.
The ‘garden city’ settlement type consists of two-family detached houses with garden. We propose the possibility to build along the property line, inserting one-story structures that can be extended in time and that can host housing and working spaces. Unlike the existing houses, the new structures do not define a standardized household configuration; their fluid spatial organization allows multiple uses and forms of cohabitation.
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
Built and unbuilt space
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
Hoge Kempen within the North-Western Metropolitan Area; Position of Hoge Kempen National Park; University campuses network; Transport network: time-distance by car/public transport
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
Conurbation
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
Retrofitting, existing situation
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
Built space, phase 1
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
Retrofitting, phase 2
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
Retrofitting, phase 3 (with new public facilities)
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
Paths and confetti
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
Map of strategic interventions – the proposal extends the national park into the conurbation through a system of pedestrian and bicycle paths. The ‘stepping stones’ along the paths are civic centres and other public facilities that organise the different urban forms – such as the national park, the canal and the river – into a coherent urban composition. The civic centres are located at the edge of the park and help to define a new path that makes legible the border between the forest and the built landscape
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
Confetti: community center
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
Confetti: platform
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
Confetti: pier
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
Confetti: platform
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
Confetti: tram stop
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
Settlements types
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
Selection of settlements to be retrofitted
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
Retrofitting, existing situation and phase 1, 2, 3 (detail)
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
Retrofitting, phase 3 (detail)
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
Retrofitting, existing situation and phase 1, 2, 3 (detail)
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
Retrofitting, phase 3 (detail)
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
The Villa Park, phasing of the retrofitting
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
The Villa Park, retrofitting of the villas into multiple housing units and building of sheds for living and working. Existing situation
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
The Villa Park, retrofitting of the villas into multiple housing units and building of sheds for living and working. Phase 1
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
The Villa Park, retrofitting of the villas into multiple housing units and building of sheds for living and working. Phase 2
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
The Villa Park, retrofitting of the villas into multiple housing units and building of sheds for living and working. Phase 3
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
The Garden City, phasing of the retrofitting
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
The Garden City, new cooperative housing. Existing situation
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
The Garden City, new cooperative housing. Phase 1
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
The Garden City, new cooperative housing. Phase 2
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
The Garden City, new cooperative housing. Phase 3
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
Model for assisted home
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
Model for assisted home
The Opposite Shore – Hoge Kempen
Study for urban transformation and new housing typology in Limburg (Belgium)
previously published as Park City (2016)
Team
Pier Vittorio Aureli and Martino Tattara, with Andrea Migotto, Elena Calafati, Ezio Melchiorre, Tommaso Mola Meregalli, Matteo Novarino, Antonio Paolillo
Models
Made by Mistake (Rotterdam)
photo Frans Parthesius
Client