OMGEVING was commissioned by the city of Ghent and De Vlaamse Waterweg to draw up an integrated vision about the…
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OMGEVING was commissioned by the city of Ghent and De Vlaamse Waterweg to draw up an integrated vision about the power of water in the city of Ghent. Water has been part of the urban DNA of the city since the origin of Ghent. Until the end of the 19th century, Ghent had the most complex and progressive water system in Europe. Diseases, management costs and social trends in the 20th century greatly reduced the presence of water in the urban fabric. The design team, reinforced with a few experts, worked out a strategy together with the city council and De Vlaamse Waterweg to restore the presence and rediscover the power of water.
As a spatial and functional structure, water comprises a wide range of functions, ranging from economics and water management to ecology, to living and recreation. Because many of these aspects are closely related to the waterway, it is necessary to include them all in an integrated ambition. With this in mind, the team considered six important themes. These describe the ambitions for water transport and distribution, the area where people can abide by the water and the further development of green-blue networks. Furthermore, the team strives for a greater sponge effect of the urban fabric and wants to focus on a better water quality in function of balanced ecosystems where there is also room for water-bound nature. Based on these ambitions, the design team presents an integrated vision of the future for 10 different types of ‘Ghentian blue’. They each have their own character, use, history or form of cohesion. The study concluded with specific short and long term actions.
Strategic plan for the Ghent Canal Zone Project
In 1993 a strategic planning process was launched with the aim of producing a substantiated and integrated target situation and…
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In 1993 a strategic planning process was launched with the aim of producing a substantiated and integrated target situation and an action plan (a strategic plan) for the port of Ghent Canal Zone between Ghent and Terneuzen. Up until 2002 this project was known as the ROM (Spatial Planning and Environmental Policy) project, after which the structure was overhauled as a result of the Port Decree and the name was abbreviated to the Ghent Canal Zone Project.
The essential elements in the process are the creation of integrated consultation between the many bodies and committees, developing a cohesive and integrated vision with regard to the highly intertwined area, liaising between the various “roles” in the region, optimizing the cohesion between the various infrastructures (the water and road infrastructure, creating and optimizing business parks, and providing the tools required for the sparing and sustainable use of space), making the Canal Zone more liveable, and improving the general environmental quality.
Pursuant to the “Wel-varende kanaalzone” (“Prosperous Canal Zone”) strategic plan that was approved in 2007, OMGEVING supports the Ghent Canal Zone project office in working out subprojects whereby the activities are focused on the high-quality fulfilment of a range of actions.
‘Over de Rand’ guerilla campaign
To commemorate its 40th anniversary in 2013, OMGEVING launched the guerrilla campaign “Over de Rand” (“About the Urban Periphery”) through…
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To commemorate its 40th anniversary in 2013, OMGEVING launched the guerrilla campaign “Over de Rand” (“About the Urban Periphery”) through Labo Rand, a group of OMGEVING volunteers. The objective of the campaign was to focus on the potential of the Ghent urban periphery in an interactive and artistic manner. To that end, large red flags were erected at nine apparently random spots in the urban periphery. These striking markings caused visitors and passers-by to briefly consider the unique character of those spots. The flags also bore the address of the website www.overderand.be.
More information could be found on the website about the design study for those nine locations that was being conducted in parallel with the campaign. Occupants of the urban periphery could also add text and images for other potential locations. This created a dynamic online dialogue between the periphery designers and the inhabitants of the Ghent urban periphery that bolstered the debate on the region.
In 2014 an exhibition was held in the offices of the Ghent urban development company, SOGENT, that was devoted to the campaign and the themes.
