The Rampart, The Traffic Artery, and the Park; Designing for the city regions of Antwerp

Figure 3.8
The masterplan from the study
Herover de fortengordel (Recapture
the fortification belt) with an overview
of the programme for each fort, with
the exception of fort 1 and 3 (Nagels,
2012, p. 38).
Again, the complicated jurisdictional borders might be what throws a spanner
into the works. As mentioned in the previous chapter, the municipalities in
which the forts are located are the owners of those particular forts, and they
have been since 1977 (Nagels, 2012, p. 35). A lack of an overarching vision
for the forts, means that each individual municipality is now making decisions
for their forts without considering the effect it has on the larger scale.
Another more subtle reference to, not necessarily the Redoubt, but to the 19th
century, is the relationship between the chaussee road system and the current
tram network. As de map shows, the tram network almost perfectly overlays
with the historic road system. A system that, as mentioned in previous chapters,
is now being upgraded with P+R hubs and increased public transport. There
are currently two new P+R structures planned; one near the edge of Linkeroever,
the other at the edge of Luchtbal (Municipality of Antwerp, 2020).
The map also shows the larger ecological ‘fingers’ entering the city at various
angles; the Peerdsbos radial, The Schijn river valley, and Middelheim; and
the green radials Antwerp is planning on extending inward (The Intendant for
the liveability measures in Antwerp’s ring zone, 2016a). We see here that the
green structures on Linkeroever are also part of the ecological structure that
is the Scheldt river valley, and as such will have to cater to two overarching
themes in the future; becoming part of the ring park, and maintaining (and
improving) the ecological connection and function to the river valley. Since
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