A city in transition

Stramien architectuur & ruimte cv

Over the past ten years, the city of Sint-Niklaas has worked hard on its public spaces. With an emphasis on greening, accessibility and soft mobility, various public spaces – from the Grote Markt to the shadow of a flyover – have been transformed into green spaces where people can enjoy themselves.

Sint-Niklaas has launched a number of ambitious projects, the icing on the cake being the complete redevelopment of the Grote Markt. These impressive achievements are also being monitored as part of a broad study into how to deal with heat stress and other consequences of climate change in an urban context. With an urban measurement campaign in collaboration with Ghent University, the city is seeking scientific evidence for its interventions, thereby taking a pioneering role for the whole of Europe. We take a look at this city in transition.

Grote Markt – Artgineering + LAMA landscape architects + Sweco + Daniël Ost

Artgineering


Artgineering


Artgineering

Sint-Niklaas is taking up the fight against the urban heat island effect. With its 32,000 m², the Grote Markt in Sint-Niklaas is the largest market square in the country, but its hard surface also makes it a heat island par excellence.

The design for the green-blue Grote Markt incorporates all the measures needed to make the square heat-resistant and combat the heat island effect: from greening, softening and more shade to blue-green veins and evaporation.

The central lawn of 1,700 m² will provide cooling and infiltration of rainwater. To the south of the lawn, the sunken garden with various planted terraces will provide softening and greening. At the edge of the project zone, 4,300 m² of green areas will be provided under the tree line. The planting of almost 200 trees will create a pleasant, shaded recreational area. In time, this will also have a cooling effect on the adjacent buildings, greatly reducing the use of air conditioning in the summer. There will also be a comprehensive system for collecting, buffering and reusing rainwater. Every drop of water counts. The buffered rainwater will be used, among other things, for (above-ground) experiential elements that provide cooling and refreshment, such as fountains and a water mirror in front of the town hall and an attractive blue-green (rain)water edge.

Straat van de toekomst – MAARCH

With the softening of Kardinaal Cardijnlaan, Sint-Niklaas is implementing its first pilot project as part of the transformation of the Baensland district into a green lobe. Residents, municipal services and experts worked together on a design for the ‘Street of the Future’, tailored to vulnerable road users and with space for greenery, water and social interaction.

Project 33 – Stramien

Stramien architectuur & ruimte cv


Stramien architectuur & ruimte cv


Stramien architectuur & ruimte cv

In Flanders, much of the transport infrastructure penetrates deep into the urban fabric. The bare space around and under motorways, viaducts and bridges creates bleak urban spaces. Commissioned by the city of Sint-Niklaas and supervised by curator Kris Drieghe, Stramien cv worked in collaboration with GR&OM bv to green the gloomy urban space under the railway viaduct of the Ghent-Antwerp railway line. With Project 33, the city aspired to create a highly participatory, green and artistic project around the 33 viaduct pillars. It was to become a place for art, imagination and wonder in the city, between the busy lanes of the R42 and under the roar of railway line 59. The site is a remarkable greening of approximately 2,500 m² of barren and dry space in the city. The entire project was carried out with the constructive permission of Infrabel, which also allowed rainwater to be collected from the viaduct.

Vakschool – Omgeving

With the redevelopment of the Vakschool, the city of Sint-Niklaas is contributing to a high-quality and sustainable renewal of the former school site. The area has acquired a new identity within the neighbourhood and the city centre, organised around three squares connected by a public thoroughfare for slow traffic.

Winkelwandellus – BUUR part of SWECO

With the Winkelwandellus between the Grote Markt and Stationsplein, Sint-Niklaas is giving the core shopping area and the heart of the school town a major upgrade. The idea was part of the Economic Core Strengthening Policy Plan. Its realisation marks a turning point in the perception and use of a hidden public space and is an important step towards a high-quality redevelopment of the station district.