ANTWERP | Final design revealed for Scheldt Quays at Nieuw Zuid

Antwerp‘s real estate and urban development agency AG Vespa has revealed the final design for the Scheldt Quays at the Nieuw Zuid or New South area of Antwerp.

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The public domain next to the Scheldt will be laid out as a 5.5 hectare park for pedestrians and cyclists with space for relaxation, lots of trees and greenery, water features and three pavilions.

If everything goes smoothly, AG Vespa will start the redevelopment in the spring of 2023 and the park will be ready in 2024.

The part in question is located near the Nieuw Zuid district, between the already redeveloped southern part of the quays and the Generaal Armstrongweg (General Armstrong Road).

In the final design, Sweco-PROAP-WIT architects worked out the design in more detail with many types of greenery, various water elements for the collection of rainwater, various sports and play zones, a water forest, three pavilions, two amphitheaters with stairs, various landscape elements and urban furniture.

Park with maximum greenery

This renovated part of the city will first and foremost be a park.

The other functions (sports, games, picnics, small events…) are clustered as much as possible around three places, so that the largest part of the space can be greened as much as possible.

In order to limit heat stress and to meet the need for cooling in the city, the design provides for open water features and tall greenery.

The new park will be a place with many trees with a varying interpretation. Certain parts will be experienced as a forest, while other areas may have a more open character.

As a result, the relationship with the Scheldt will also be constantly changing. Sometimes the footpath runs through the trees, sometimes on the edge of the flood defense with an open view.

Dyke

The current dyke path near Sint-Andries and the South continues for another hundred meters into the new park, after which it changes into more informal and meandering paths.

The northernmost part of the park will be given a more natural and educational character with many trees, plants and shrubs with edible fruits. The central part provides space for the various park functions such as games, sports and picnics.

Then there is a zone that refers to an orchard with, among other things, fruit trees.

In the southernmost part there will be a water forest. Furthermore, the trees and plants on the wet side of the flood defense are selected to withstand regular flooding.

Various meeting and sitting areas

The final design provides a lot of meeting and sitting areas in the park. The benches have different volumes, colors and shapes, depending on their exact location. There will also be two amphitheaters with stairs, one along the city side and one along the Scheldt in the flood area.

Play and sports zones

There will be play areas in several places. They are designed with wooden beams in a circle. There will also be a playground with climbing equipment and a water feature. In addition to play areas, there is also space for sports, including a large lawn that provides ball catchers in the form of a steel structure with climbing plants to shield the quay road.

There will also be petanque courts and four fitness equipment with a view of the Scheldt.

Pavilions and water recuperation

The use of water is an important design element. The (rain)water originating from the Ring, among other places, will be purified and recovered in the park.

Visible water channels will be built in the southern part of the park. There will be pavilions in three places. The first will be built centrally in the park and will have a technical function for the heat network of the Nieuw Zuid district.

A little more to the south will be a pavilion with a raised vantage point over the Scheldt, a real place to stay.

Finally, in the southernmost part, a pavilion will be linked to an aesthetically designed pond that functions as a water basin with an underground rain supply. Here will also be a water forest with water-loving trees.

It is the most adventurous part of the park with rugged rock formations and routes to discover. For the interpretation of the two accessible pavilions, a suitable park design will be sought, such as a small-scale café, restaurant, exhibition or meeting space, etc.