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

The morphology of the ring zone
The new morphology; the new built-up area, along the ring zone on the right
side of the Scheldt was drawn by using the conclusions of the morphological
analysis as input. The main two motives were the contextual expansion of the
already existing urban fabric, and creating a defined urban edge along the
two ring boulevards. The morphology drawings a few pages back show the
more detailed considerations that went into the design of the ring area.
In general, three types of interventions have taken shape in the area around
the ring zone. The first (1) is the breaking of the buffer zone that is currently
abundantly present along either side of the ring. The second (2) is the finishing
of building blocks that currently have their back façade towards the ring, which
will cater to the defined urban edge that Antwerp want to create along the ring
park. This intervention mainly takes place along the north-eastern section of
the ring, near the marshalling yard, and parts of the suburban area. The third
(3) intervention is the relocation of several industrial buildings in and around
the ring area (possibly to the one of the industrial radials of the polycentric
strategy). This takes place starting from the marshalling yard to the north-east,
going to the west through Eilandje and the southern section of the harbour.
This continues the green ring on the northern side, and plays to one of Antwerp
current development plans for Eilandje (Municipality of Antwerp, 2000).
Figure 4.30
Concept of the morphological interventions
along the ring.
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