C.F. Møller Architects and BRUT have won a competition for the design of an ambitious urban development in Ostend, Belgium. The neighborhood of 500 houses demonstrates a method of using a human scale to improve the quality of life the residents and the urban realm.
The project centers on the De Nieuwe Stad quarter, where an existing social housing scheme from 1972 has become outdated. The competition for the site’s complete redevelopment attracted 54 firms, from which C.F. Møller Architects and BRUT.
This project offers a unique opportunity to restore the image of high-rise typologies within the context of social housing, especially since the current residents declare they like living in the neighborhood. After all, the high-rise is nowadays very topical in the discussion about densification and is gaining ground in other segments of the housing market
-Gunther Slagmeulder, architect and partner, BRUT
The proposal features a family of 10 “block houses” and 4 “tall houses” maximizing the site’s link between the green belt and city center. The compact forms gather around three forecourts, each with their own character. Taking inspiration from existing modernist buildings, the scheme incorporates large glazed areas and wide terraces.
The three forecourts act as a bridge between existing and new buildings, with building entrances are situated along with playgrounds, commercial units, and compact parking. A new bicycle and walking connection to the city center is established along the course of a former creek, incorporating the scheme into a larger urban context.
The site will also be home to the Creek Park, a landscaped park which becomes a new green centrality for the neighborhood. The park will incorporate sustainable water management, recreation, nature, and a pleasant path structure.
We combine these types into an innovative form of living that combines density with domesticity, a sense of community and human scale. A housing typology that leaves ample space for a green landscape and maximally profits from this quality.
-Lone Wiggers, partner and architect, C.F. Møller Architects
News via: C.F. Møller Architects
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