Spring 2021 Studio Module 01: Post-Covid19 Forest & Water Urbanisms. PART II STRATEGIC PROJECTS

© vzw ‘de Rand’

SPRING STUDIO 2021

POST-COVID19 FOREST & WATER URBANISMS

Dijle Watershed & Senne Watershed, Belgium

Master (of Science) Human Settlements & Master (of Science) of Urbanism, Landscape and Planning Faculty of Engineering and Department of Architecture Teaching Team: Viviana d’Auria, Bruno De Meulder, Kelly Shannon, Pieter Van den Broeck Guest Teachers from Practice: Annelies De Nijs (Atelier Horizon), Nina Reyntjens (BUUR)

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© Bing Du

05 STRATEGIC PROJECTS 359

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SENNE WATERSHED 361

S1a & S1b

Sculpting Water- and Forest-Fronts in the Senne’s Mosaics

IMRAAN BEGG RAQUEL JEROBON SEBASTIÁN OVIEDO CECILIA QUIROGA

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WATER- AND FOREST-FRONTS IN THE SENNE’S MOSAICS PROJECT NARRATIVE We are in an area of strong contrasts and natural transitions: from the eroding

Our vision builds upon this strategy to create a mosaic of wetness based on the

plateaus on the east to the ondulating plains in the West, and from the narrow

historic printplate of the land and its microtopographic adjustments tied to water

crease of the Senne River to the widened valley as it flows towards the north.

management.

Our sites are located along the Senne River and the Brussels-Charleroi Canal. As

Strategy 1: Within this mosaic, wetness is concentrated to keep lakenberg

references, we refer to the towns of Lot in the north—where the river splits from the

safe. Systems of graywater treatment could coexist here with aquaculture and

canal—and Maasdal in the South, by the meanders and oxbows of the Senne river.

recreational uses. This new waterfront triggers a corresponding urbanization.

Our project takes place at the Intersection of two converging forces: the efforts to create a national forest, and the growing threat of flooding in the area. Our vision

Strategy 2: The molenbeek is turned into a water/forestfront, sculpting a floodable

is to mobilize these two forces to shape and structure the way that these places are

public space through earthworks. The associated riparian mosaic acts as an entry

inhabited and the way they accommodate growth of the next 80 years.

corridor to the Brabantse Woods.

To do this, our vision capitalizes on water and forests as places with a strong

Strategy 3: Existing social infrastructure and associated interstitial spaces are

gravitational force, as highly attractive conditions that can guide and structure

connected and surrounded by denser forest – transforming the fabric from the

urbanism in this area. Thinking of these places as water and forest fronts then

inside out and the relationship between slopes and waterfront.

becomes the driving principle. This is implemented through two main strategies: rechoreographing the flood and foresting the slopes. Each of these manifests

Strategy 4: The industrial waterfront is incrementally transformed towards a more

differently according to the specific conditions of each site.

permeable and vegetated environment that nevertheless remains productive.

LOT

URBAN FABRICS ZOOM-IN AREA: LAKENBERG’S WATERFRONT MOSAIC

Lot is located in the north of our two sites, and sits at the mouth of the valley

The fabric on the edge of the Lakenberg neighborhood has a sharp contrast between

lowlands. It is located at the confluence of one of the Senne’s main tributaries,

smooth lots created by agriculture and industry and the rough textures of working

where the valley opens towards Brussels. Here, the fine-grain patterns of slope

class single family housing. Acknowledging these contrasting fabric textures made

inhabitation meet the coarse-grain fabric of the floodplain, historically associated

up of microtopographies on site allows us to strategically sculpt the earth.

with the creation of microtopographies. The lowlands of the floodplains are created as a series of platforms associated with production, historically agriculture, then

We carve and sculpt the terrain to make productive and contemplative waterfronts

industry, energy and logistics.

through the existing and proposed urbanization. By choreographing the

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watercourse we can smoothen and texturize the existing urban fabrics. Water acts

the forest front, the typology changes in the front to maximize views and turn what

as the adhesive within the mosaic, bringing continuity between disparate pieces.

is currently a back space into a front.

Experimentation with combinations of wet, rough and smooth textures at the fabric

The forestfront as an interface is something that relates to our research on community

level can promote diverse interactions between water, earth, vegetation and people

supported agriculture in the area: the CSA operates as an intermediary between

to create a mosaic of experiences that are tied to new water centered productive

families and professional farmers. We think that this notion of the interface creates

and recreational activities.

opportunities for a new kind of stewardship of the land and place keeping. This and other practices by the CSA informed our design by showing a path forward

MASDAAL

to overcome the pressure of intensification of land. It simultaneously operates as

The Masdaal site has two main conditions: the more urbanized convex plateau and

farming area but also as social infrastructure, which is what we envision for this

the saddle or bowl slope. The relationship between the two is one of fragmentation,

place

but also an interesting condition of two different places coexisting: suddenly, you are in a different world. In our vision, the bowl is recognized as an ecological

FORESTS AND WATERFRONTS

and geomorphological entity, but also as a productive and spatial figure of open

Our proposal aims to build upon the strengths of the area, while also leveraging

plateaus. We see forests as an armature for connection between the two areas, but

the converging forces of the national forest creation and the projected flooding

also as a way to accentuate and clarify their differences

scenarios to structure urban development. In this vision, water and forest are strengthened as fronts, highlighting their role as systems that do not compete with

Strategy 1: The first instrument here are the enclosing forests, which surround

settlements. Instead, they go hand in hand with the requalification of the Senne

existing clusters and locate them as reverse clearings. The forest figures also

Valley’s mosaics.

extend into sint rochus to requalify it, and compress space before it opens onto the expansive landscape of the plateaus. They act as stitches, and frame south facing forest-fronts of different types.

Strategy 2: New soft mobility routes connect the different fronts and allow to traverse the bowl while staying on a flat path.

Strategy 3: In Sint Rochus, car-centric roads are depaved and interstitial platforms of social infrastructure and communal use are identified and surrounded by dense vegetation to increase canopy cover and make vegetated areas available within 300m for everyone.

Also emerging as reverse clearings, they restructure the existing fabric from the inside out – the interior of blocks also become fronts. Next we will zoom in to one of the fronts that emerge from these strategies, a south-facing agro-forest on the plateau URBAN FABRICS ZOOM-IN AREA: AGROFOREST-FRONT The cluster is enclosed with forests, and opens up to the expansive agricultural lands below. It is then reconceptualized as a clearing in the forest. Through mechanisms of pooling of property rights individual housing could become a more communal kind of living. Consistent with the framed views and the favorable topography of

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Landscape Transitions

Converging Forces

Strong contrasts and transitions mark the area of Lot and Masdaal.

Our project takes place at the Intersection of two converging forces: the efforts to create a national forest, and the growing threat of flooding in the area. Our vision is to mobilize these two forces to shape and structure the way that these places are inhabited and the way they accommodate growth of the next 80 years.

At the same time that the Senne River’s Floodplain expands as it travels north, the area marks the transition between the sandy-soil plateaus on the east and the ondulating clay-soil plains on the west.

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Source: waterbouwkundiglaboratorium.be

368 Kluisbos

Huizingen

Lakenberg/Lot

valley 0-2% plateau 0-2% slope 2-5% slope 5-10% slope 10-15% slope 15-100%

Moments Along the Valley The character and inhabitation systems along the Senne River have been shaped by geological and human forces throughout history. n

500m

2000 m

5000 m

Hallerbos

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Lembeekbos

Maasdal

Sint-Rochus

The project aims to build upon the specificities of each site and structure a future inhabitation that thrives on them.

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500m

2000 m

5000 m

Contrasting Sections The characteristics of a dominating floodplain (Lot) and an ondulating bowl of productive micro-plateaus around the meanders and oxbows of the river (Masdaal) are built upon to anchor urban development in the socio-natural conditions of each site

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Lot Lot sits at the mouth of the valley lowlands. It is located at the confluence of one of the Senne’s main tributaries, where the valley opens towards brussels.

Here, the fine-grain patterns of slope inhabitation meet the coarse-grain fabric of the floodplain, historically associated with the creation of microtopographies. The lowlands of the floodplains are created as a series of platforms associated with production, historically agriculture, then industry, energy and logistics.

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1777 - Productive water management in the floodplain

2020 - Flooding Printplate

Rechoreographing the flood and foresting the slopes Our vision builds upon this strategy to create a mosaic of wetness based on the historic printplate of the land and its microtopographic adjustments tied to water management.

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mixed housing on waterfront productive waterfront

concentrated wetness: graywater treatment aquaculture

densified fabrics in south-facing slope

floodable public space / riparian mosaic

forested social infrastructure and interstitial spaces

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Existing Grains in the Printplate

Sculpt

Carve

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Mosaics of Water and Earth

Proposed Waterfronts in Lakenberg

Section of carved and sculpted earthworks

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Masdaal The Masdaal site has two main conditions: the more urbanized convex plateau (north) and the saddle or bowl slope (south).

The relationship between the two is one of fragmentation, but also an interesting condition of two different places coexisting.

In our vision, the Masdaal bowl is recognized as an ecological and geomorphological entity, but also as a productive and spatial figure of open plateaus. Forests act as ab armature for connection between the two areas, but also as a way to accentuate and clarify their differences

bowl / saddle slope

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urbanized convex plateau

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1930 - Settlements anchored in water and roadbased urbanization

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2020 - Suburbanizing productive bowl

agroforest brackets

framed social infrastructure

social infrastructure an d densified fabrics as clearings

enclosing forests: existing clusters as reverse clearings waterfront social infrastructure

agro-forest front

riparian forest mosaics re-sculpted wetland re-clustered settlements on south-facing plateau

soft mobility following topography

floodable public space / riparian mosaic

forested social infrastructure and interstitial spaces

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A Reverse Clearing in the Forest The cluster is enclosed with forests, and opens up to the expansive agricultural lands below. It is then reconceptualized as a clearing in the forest. Through mechanisms of pooling of property rights individual housing could become a more communal kind of living Consistent with the framed views and the favourable topography of the forest front, the typology changes in the front to maximize views and turn what is currently a back space into a front.

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Existing riparian mosaics and expansive plateaus as characteristics to be enhanced

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CHALLENGING AGRICULTURAL LAND INTENSIFICATION IN LEMBEEK How does t’GroenteHart Community Supported Agriculture make it work?

paid professional labor is limited to one owner/worker

LAND LENT BY AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPANY

€

3 ha = 0€/year

30’000€/year subsidies for intensive farm

50% of costs are covered by non-monetary exchanges self-picking by members replaces half of farm-running costs and makes membership more affordable

“in 1995, land here costed [the equivalent of] 10’000€/ha ... nowadays 60’000€/ha is a good price” 3’000€/year subsidies

$350

120 members pay upfront for the whole year

greenhouses for year-round production

€

r=

5k

m

water harvesting and former quarry secure free water rain or shine

intensive monocrop use

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2015

2045

30 years of rent-free land for CSA

affordable housing

shared risk and independence from market fluctuations

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Existing Flooding as Threat

Suburbanizing productive slopes

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Vision Rechoreographing the Flood: A mosaic of wetness to inhabit the floodplain

new trees and forest: new forest riparian private gardens street & square & park agroforestry orchards

agriculture and gardens: existing agriculture existing agriculture new agriculture existing gardens

urban fabric: existing social infrastructure existing buildings

Masdaal Agropark as Forestfront: Inhabited productive slopes

new social infrastructure new buildings

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S2a & S2b

Intertwining water & urbanisms of the Molenbeek

CARLIJNE LELIÈVRE TLHABI SHUBANE DONGLIN LIU

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INTERTWINING WATER & URBANISMS OF MOLENBEEK PROJECT NARRATIVE Our project is titled Intertwining water and urbanisms of the Molenbeek, which is

To make a new urbanism rather than urban sprawl, we apply the strategy that

a stream that runs off the river Senne, and we’ve chosen to construct our narrative

densifying around the river spine for the potential population growth. Social

around this very quiet tributary.

infrastructure will be created along the waterways and houses will be transformed from independent housing to collective housing and social housing, which will

The site is located south east of the river Senne, with a few tributaries of the river

orient to the rivers. The ground floor will be empty for the 2,100 flooding. Also,

draining towards views over Brussels to the North. One of the place is a large

in the post Covid time, we plan to replace some closed shopping space by new

number of fruit trees, particularly apple trees. On the south of our site is the

collective housing. Soft mobility like ecological slow lanes (linear forest) will

Hallerbos, the greater urban forest. On the northern site is the Gasthuibos, with not

both connect the water to its community, as well as a connection of smaller forest

much connection between the two. The site is categorized by huge topographical

pockets to greater Hallerbos and Gasthuisbos. Depaving back alleys is also part of

difference. There are steer slopes, and these create series of pockets in the valley

this scheme, which also allow water go directly into the underground.

spaces leftover. There is also an urban sprawl in between these pockets, and vast expanses of scenic land, that is difficult to get to. The year 2100 is to see major

Besides, we plan space for orchards and also encourage people to grow more

flooding in the area, much like in other surrounding areas. Beersel is sensitive to

orchards in there backyard, which has already exist sporadically in the terrain. For

flooding currently, and will be even more serious in 2100. Despite this flooding

small gardens, the strategy is “one tree, one orchards and several small plantings”;

already being a threat, currently, development around the flooded areas has not

for the big yard, weaving orchards will give them an additional income as well as

been deterred, and regulation has allowed for this. We chose to focus on the

make environment better.

housing in these flooding areas for planning assignment and urban fabric.

For us, our standing point is between nature and human. Because we couldn’t Along the water system, we chose 4 specific areas to make a further design. Our

totally support one side due to the reality reason. So we stand a little bit close to the

site narrative, at a larger scale, is the connection of the forest from the Hallerbos

nature than human side by using tools including reforestation, water management

to the upper Gasthuisbos by reforestation, then creating a necklace of water ponds

and collective housing by renewal. At the same time, in our vision, another part

and urban forests around the Molenbeek. In this way we are aiming to use the

is to build a connection between human and nature, through soft mobility, new

waterway as the belt to connect. At a smaller scale, a series of dams combining

orchards, planting in private gardens. It is trying to bring people back to the nature.

reforesting are to be created along the Molenbeek, preventing water run off, and

Through directly intervention to the environment and building connection, people

producing urban spaces especially in summer when the river space relatively small

finally will live with the nature in harmony.

where the community interacts with river on a daily basis.

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Full area map

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Map with the new social infrastructure, new waterlandscape, reforestation and connection by the new path.

WATERPOND A zoom on the watrbuffer to keep water upstream.

WATERDAM A zoom on the new forest area with the possibility to overflow.

CENTRAL DWORP A zoom on the central area of Dworp with the connection to the schools and village program.

URBAN FABRIC A zoom on the urban fabric area.

With a visual on the the ‘slow’ path and the main road.

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RETURNING URBANISATION TO THE WATER SPINE

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NEW FOREST, GREEN WAY TO CONNECT THE POCKETS OF FOREST

NEW WATERNETWORK TO SOLVE THE FLOODING ISSUES

CREATING COMMUNAL AND EDUCATIONAL LINKS.

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396 MAP ON THE MOLENBEEK EXISTING WITH ON TOP THE NEW WATERLANDSCAPE

“there is still building on so-called “water-sick” soils, there is still a lot of paved ... In new construction, I still see large paved driveways being constructed, which clearly drain into the street (gutter).”

“There is still great potential for the use of the bicycle for functional travel (to the bakery, taking children to school…), but the street layout is not inviting in most places at the moment. Heavy traffic at peak times, a lot of space is taken up by parked cars,The municipality is currently having a new mobility plan drawn up.”

“For several years now, Beersel has been participating in the provincial joint purchase campaign “Please your garden”. The mobile fruit press, where residents can have their fruit pressed into juice, visits Beersel every year.”

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IMAGEN ON THE VIEW OF THE SITE TO THE CITY OF BRUSSELS 402

TOPOGRAPHY SLOPE ANALYSIS

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NEW FOREST

NEW ORCHARDS

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VISION

PRIVATE GARDEN PLANTING

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PLANTING FRUIT TREES IN PRIVATE GARDEN

REFORESTATION

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APPROACH TO NEW URBANISM TYPES

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DESIGN STRATEGIES: URBAN TISSUE

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DESIGN STRATEGIES: URBAN TISSUE

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410 COLLAGE ON THE NEW PATH

Collage on the new path 411

reconnecting the urban tissue to the Molenbeek

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S3

WORLDING THE SLOPES SINT-GENESIUS-RODE Worlding the slopes of Sint-Genesius-Rode is about creating an alternative vision for the suburban environment of the site, based on the intrinsic characteristics of its three distinct topographical entities, namely the south-facing, the north facing and the west facing slope, brought together by the unifying body of the Molenbeek valley.

Worlding in this sense, means to develop a sense of legibility, to form the background against which particular things show up and take on significance, revealing new narratives and latent opportunities in every single location.

LEANDER BAEKE GIULIA DEVIS RAYA RIZK XENIA STOUMPOU

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Sint-Genesius-Rode Localisation The train line is a unique characteristic of the site, effectively altering the course of its development over the years but also holding a key position for a much-needed mobility shift. The existing plan for the expansion of the train lines (4 tracks), further highlights the significance of the regional connection between Brussels and Charleroi and suggests potential benefits from an increased train frequency and capacity.

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Urban sprawl of Sint-Genesius-Rode Sint-Genesius-Rode is a rather wealthy suburb on the southern outskirts of Brussels, where the suburban development has been unfolding for decades. In the context of climate change and adaptation, the questions that arise for the transformation of the area are complex and multi-faceted. On the one hand, the area being located on the west border of the Sonian Forest, the protection of the forest renders as an urgent and quite evident necessity. On the other hand, being already a densely urbanised site, one cannot ignore the urbanisation pressures that emerge and are expected to increase in the future.

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Zoniënwoud

Projected floodplain Waterbodies Non-irrigated arable land Complex cultivation patterns Pasture Present forest

Hallerbos

Forest 1777 0

1250

2500m

Square in relation to bigger patches of forest and agriculture The area is located amidst some bigger forest patches and agriculture fields, both significantly consumed by urbanisation over the years. The territorial vision suggests the establishment of a robust ecological connection between the Sonian Forest and the Hallerbos, further to the west.

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Waterbodies Projected floodplain Valley 0-2% Plateau 0-2% Slope 2-5% Slope 5-10% Slope 10-15% Slope 15-100% 0

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500m

Topography - Slope analysis: valley - slope - plateau The site is located upstream in the Senne watershed while the Molenbeek runs from east to west. Zooming in on the square it is clear that there are three main slopes coming down to the valley. Our site mainly consists of slopes that are between 2-5%, but there are also some rather steep slopes, a couple of significant hollow streets and large-scale embankments, mainly train-related earthworks.

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Waterbodies Projected floodplain Urban tissue in valley 0-2% Urban tissue on plateau 0-2% Urban tissue on slope 2-5% Urban tissue on slope 5-10% Urban tissue on slope 10-15% Urban tissue on slope 15-100% 0

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500m

Topography - Localisation of infrastructure on slopes Over the years urbanisation has been developed disproportionally on the slopes, leaving vast empty spaces along the valley.

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RÉALISÉ À L'AIDE D'UN PRODUIT AUTODESK VERSION

Common forrest Agriculture Waterbodies

1777

Projected floodplain

Urban tissue in valley 0-2% Urban tissue on plateau 0-2% Urban tissue on slope 2-5% Urban tissue on slope 5-10% Urban tissue on slope 10-15% Urban tissue on slope 15-100%

0

Historical center

RÉALISÉ À L'AIDE D'UN PRODUIT AUTODESK VERSION ÉTUDIANT

Royal forrest

250

500m

Urbanisation - Urban tissue 1777 Through a genealogy of urbanisation, we seek to decipher how the process of urbanisation has produced Sint-Genesius Rode’s suburban landscape. As early as in 1777 most of the land was still arable fields while there was still a big patch of the Sonian Forest left on the west-facing slope. We also see the first urban development is mainly taking place within the valley, where lies the historic core.

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Ribbon development

Agriculture Orchards Waterbodies Projected floodplain

1939

Before 1939

RÉALISÉ À L'AIDE D'UN PRODUIT AUTODESK VERSION ÉTUDIANT

Common forrest

Urban tissue in valley 0-2% Urban tissue on plateau 0-2% Urban tissue on slope 2-5% Urban tissue on slope 5-10% Urban tissue on slope 10-15% Urban tissue on slope 15-100% 0

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500m

Urbanisation - Urban tissue 1939 By 1939 most of the remaining forest was removed to make place for agriculture, while the first ribbon development is growing on the north-facing slope.

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ALISÉ À L'AIDE D'UN PRODUIT AUTODESK VERSION ÉTUDIANT

RÉALISÉ À L'AIDE D'UN PRODUIT AUTODESK VERSION ÉTUDIANT

Newly added forrest Agriculture Waterbodies

1971

Before 1971

Projected floodplain

Urban tissue in valley 0-2% Urban tissue on plateau 0-2% Urban tissue on slope 2-5% Urban tissue on slope 5-10% Urban tissue on slope 10-15% Urban tissue on slope 15-100%

Mansion Houses

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500m

Urbanisation - Urban tissue 1971 By 1971 most parts of the South- and west-facing slopes have been build up as well. Most of agricultural land and forest has been removed for suburban development.

RÉALISÉ À L'AIDE D'UN PRODUIT AUTOD

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Common forrest

RÉALISÉ À L'AIDE D

Second suburban development First suburban development

VERSION ÉTUDIANT

Newly added forrest Agriculture Orchards Waterbodies Projected floodplain

2021

Before 2021

RÉALISÉ À L'AIDE D'UN PRODUIT AUTODESK VERSION ÉTU Third surburban development Social housing

RÉALISÉ À L'AIDE D'UN PRODUIT AUTODESK VERSION ÉTUDIANT

RÉALISÉ À L'AIDE D'UN PRODUIT AUTODESK

For all captions and text use - Avenir Next 12 pt

Common forrest

Urban tissue in valley 0-2% Urban tissue on plateau 0-2% Urban tissue on slope 2-5% Urban tissue on slope 5-10% Urban tissue on slope 10-15% Urban tissue on slope 15-100% 0

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Urbanisation - Urban tissue 2021 In the current condition most of the plots that were still left open are builtup. The once available land is mostly gone.

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1777 Sint - Genesius Rode Farming grounds

1939

Proximity to Brussels

Land Owners

1966-1967

Land surveyors 1977

1977

Massive land divisions Governmental / Regional Level Gewest Plan 2021

2021 Nature reserve municipality

BPA / APA

Municipal Level

RUP / RSP All levels involved

Planning assignment - Infograph Through the planning assignment, we started to look closer at the urban fabric and tried to make sense of the unregulated real estate development and what role the municipality played in all this.

As of 1960s 1970s, private landowners had already hired a surveying company to divide the large plots, but it was still not as dramatic as today’s situation. And up until that period, the municipality had little to no say in the matter. So SGR started as farming grounds and started gaining recognition due to its proximity to Brussels as of 1939. It is at that precise moment that plot divisions took off. Later on, the Gewest plan, developed at a governmental and regional level, tried making sense of the unregulated real estate development by creating the ‘residential park’ which clearly reminds us of the initial attraction of living in the woods, yet still moments away from Brussels.

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Private housing Private companies Church Municipality School ( public or private ) Private agriculture Nature reserve municipality Social housing OCMW University NMBS Undifined 0

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500m

Planning assignment - Stakeholders The result today leaves us with an overload of stakeholders and with two distinguished questions: Who are we designing for exactly?

What are the opportunities that we can utilize?

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Opportunities - In the valley Latent opportunities can be further studied as a potential means to address the challenges mentioned above. The valley already gathers instances of social infrastructure with the old historic centre, the Novarode public park, and the main train station.

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500m

Opportunities - On the slopes The slopes, though heavily urbanised, can still be read as independent entities with unique characteristics. Historic farm complexes spread around the slopes, highlight the former productive nature of the landscape and suggest potential new centralities. The slopes themselves comprise rather big open spaces such as cemeteries, hollow roads, sport infrastructure, and yet another train station.

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0

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500m

Opportunities - Along the railway Furthermore, the railway itself is a unique characteristic for the site, being a rather permeable and subtle boundary between the two sides. Its topographic embeddedness unveils potential opportunities, essentially suggesting a site-specific strategy for a better incorporation of the hard infrastructure into the landscape of SGR, especially at the point of intersection with the Valley of Molenbeek, where the historic train station is also situated.

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Vision plan 2100 related to surrounding forest and agriculture Inventing innovative ways to accommodate urbanisation without further compromising the preservation of the forest, inevitably leads to the re-qualification of the existing model of urbanisation towards more dense typologies. It also implies a novel way of defining what forest is, and potential ways to inhabit it.

Our vision focuses on these challenges, by suggesting the requalification of the valley as the backbone for the area’s transformation being both a landscape structure and a collector of social infrastructure. Further on, by proposing three afforestation strategies for the three distinct topographic entities (slopes) paired with interventions for the requalification of the existing tissue. Novel forest urbanism typologies, densification and requalification of existing tissues, flood resiliency together with an urgent mobility shift, we believe, describe the major challenges that the area will face in the next decades and can highlight a framework of site-specific design strategies.

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New housing New social infrastructure Existing housing Existing social infrastructure New waterbodies Existing waterbodies Projected floodplain New wetlands New agriculture Existing agriculture New agroforestry New orchards Existing orchards 0

Vision plan valley 2030

Section valley 2021

Section valley 2030 432

250

500m

The valley is seen as a unifying landscape structure, bringing together the heterogeneous conditions occuring on the slopes. Being relatively unbuilt, it can easily be transformed into a green and blue infrastructure comprising both accessible and inaccessible open spaces along its course. The already established system of ponds is being preserved and further enhanced to create a sequence of water retention ponds, permanently wet habitats and periodically alternating wet or dry landscapes, stitching together existing and newly proposed social infrastructure. This can be better illustrated through two major interventions.

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New housing New social infrastructure Existing housing Existing social infrastructure New waterbodies Existing waterbodies Projected floodplain New wetlands New agriculture Existing agriculture New agroforestry New orchards Existing orchards 0

Valley - Zoom train station 2100

Section zoom train station 2021

Section zoom train station 2100 434

50

100m

Valley - Collage train station The first one concerns the area of the train station, being the epicentre of the envisioned and necessary mobility shift. Capitalizing on the opportunity provided by the expected earthworks for the expansion of the railway, we suggest the redirection of the interventions into a vision for the rehabilitation of the valley itself, which nowadays is cut by the infrastructure. This also gives the opportunity for the creation of an open air public square and station area, inextricably linked to the valley of Molenbeek.

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New housing New social infrastructure Existing housing Existing social infrastructure New waterbodies Existing waterbodies Projected floodplain New wetlands New agriculture Existing agriculture New agroforestry New orchards Existing orchards 0

Valley - Zoom square 2030

Section zoom square 2021

Section zoom square 2030 436

50

100m

Valley - Collage water urbanism The second one tackles the major challenge of protecting the historic core from the expected inundation. This can be seen as an opportunity for the requalification of public space. In here we seek both for a public intervention, by highlighting the public square around the church and reveiling the water course in the historic tissue and the repurposing of the back gardens area, through the creation of smaller scale interventions.

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New housing New social infrastructure Existing housing Existing social infrastructure New waterbodies Existing waterbodies Projected floodplain New wetlands New agriculture Existing agriculture New agroforestry New orchards Existing orchards 0

Vision plan north slope 2070

Section north slope 2021

Section north slope 2070 438

250

500m

The northern part of the site is characterized by single family house developments all along the slopes. In here the main priority is to reorganize the movements, highlighting the importance of the historical hollow-streets in facilitating the gradual ascendance from the valley to the plateau. A complementary network of similar green corridors serves as the underlying structure for the re-organization of movements perpendicular to the slope, while injection of density is proposed to frame both the valley and the plateau. Existing streets are being depaved, significantly altering the proportion of sealed surfaces, while the back-gardens are reorganized in topographical continuities through the introduction of common gardens and small-scale, private orchards.

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New housing New social infrastructure Existing housing Existing social infrastructure New waterbodies Existing waterbodies Projected floodplain New wetlands New agriculture Existing agriculture New agroforestry New orchards Existing orchards 0

North slope - Zoom 2070

Section zoom north slope 2021

Section zoom north slope 2070 440

50

100m

North slope - Collage hollow road The slope gradually reaches the valley, ending up in a newly-created space of communal activities, organized around the historic farm location, where a series of public space and common productive orchards are being introduced.

441

New housing New social infrastructure Existing housing Existing social infrastructure New waterbodies Existing waterbodies Projected floodplain New wetlands New agriculture Existing agriculture New agroforestry New orchards Existing orchards 0

Vision plan east slope 2100

Section east slope 2021

Section east slope 2100 442

250

500m

The eastern part of the railroads is where people took refuge in the middle of the forest. Today, all we can see are an overwhelming quantity of large villas sprinkled all over the area. For the new building typology, we are working with existing clearings and densifying the forest all around.

443

New housing New social infrastructure Existing housing Existing social infrastructure New waterbodies Existing waterbodies Projected floodplain New wetlands New agriculture Existing agriculture New agroforestry New orchards Existing orchards 0

East slope - Zoom 2100

Section zoom east slope 2021

Section zoom east slope 2100 444

50

100m

East slope - Collage requalifying farms By bringing back some traditional notions of living in forest clearings, we aim to rekindle the sense of community, a series of buildings are angled to form a balance between private corners and shared open common spaces, allotments, kitchen gardens, while enjoying their own piece of the forest. Agroforestry is seen as a potential opportunity for the introduction of a new productive base and promoter of the communal living.

445

New housing New social infrastructure Existing housing Existing social infrastructure New waterbodies Existing waterbodies Projected floodplain New wetlands New agriculture Existing agriculture New agroforestry New orchards Existing orchards 0

Vision plan south slope 2100

Section south slope 2021

Section south slope 2100 446

250

500m

Regarding north-facing slope, the strategy is a two-fold one. On the one hand a massive afforestation, mostly on the steepest part of the slopes and densification by the modification and reinterpretation of the ribbon development. This reshaping of the ribbon development is done by splitting the urban tissues and further emphasizing the already existing gaps. In this way, every portion of the ribbon development, whether it is existing or newly created, can enjoy more qualities.

447

New housing New social infrastructure Existing housing Existing social infrastructure New waterbodies Existing waterbodies Projected floodplain New wetlands New agriculture Existing agriculture New agroforestry New orchards Existing orchards 0

South slope - Zoom 2100

Section zoom south slope 2021

Section zoom south slope 2100 448

50

100m

South slope - Collage opening ribbon development Indeed, this new way of thinking allows to substitute long narrow streets (which was before the core of the ribbon development) by a lively succession of public spaces. Moreover, these news enhanced gaps also allow the forest, and the agriculture fields to reach and penetrate these public spaces, bringing these landscape layers to the foreground. A new typology of housing is also introduced near the edge of the plateau in order to better interact with the agricultural surrounding area.

Another purpose (of the interventions in this slope) is to reconnect the already existing social infrastructure located on this slope to the rest of the site. For this, we have set up soft mobility paths that connect the plateau to the valley through these existing infrastructures.

449

New housing New social infrastructure Existing housing Existing social infrastructure New waterbodies Existing waterbodies Projected floodplain New wetlands New agriculture Existing agriculture New agroforestry New orchards Existing orchards 0

250

500m

Vision plan 2030 Away from the current condition of the dormitory suburb of Brussels, we envision SGR as a vibrant place for collective living, fostering new productive opportunities related to agriculture and agroforestry and opportunities for unique working and living conditions in the forest. A place where new permanent residents can settle, attracted by the various qualities of living that these slopes can abundantly offer, for all aspects of their livelihoods.

The first phase (2030) focuses on the implementation of the Valley strategy. Being the backbone of the project, it also holds the potential to structure the area’s transformation, stitching together existing social infrastructure while also introducing new kinds of open spaces, both accessible and inaccessible.

450

New housing New social infrastructure Existing housing Existing social infrastructure New waterbodies Existing waterbodies Projected floodplain New wetlands New agriculture Existing agriculture New agroforestry New orchards Existing orchards 0

250

500m

Vision plan 2070 Through a series of planning tools, such as the creation of common land-banks among adjacent plots and tax incentives to land-owners we envision that the gradual transformation of the slopes can begin (2070), further mobilised by the qualitative upgrade brought by the interventions along the valley.

451

New housing New social infrastructure Existing housing Existing social infrastructure New waterbodies Existing waterbodies Projected floodplain New wetlands New agriculture Existing agriculture New agroforestry New orchards Existing orchards 0

250

500m

Vision plan 2100 Eventually this will lead to the introduction of new productive opportunities. The ultimate goal would be to sustain a permanent population living and working in the area, enjoying the advantages of a ‘holistic’ habitation of the forest (2100), without compromising its ecological function.

452

453

454

DIJLE WATERSHED 455

456

D1a & D1b

Down to the River: Necklacing the Ijse Valley

AGNESE MARCIGLIANO CARLOS MORALES HAIFA SALEH TIEN HUU TRAN

457

E S IJ

R E OV

RT A LA

I

E O H

Ijse Valley: Hoeilaart & Overijse - Future vision

458

A new vision for the Ijse Valley The present collage presents a future vision for Hoeilaart and Overijse, two settlements located at the head of the Ijse river basin, a tributary water body of the Dijle river.

Both sites are located in a constellation of forest patches, remnants of the rich Regional forest figure that was present in this area, today under great pressure from the real estate market and the overflow of external visitors.

The preservation of the natural environment is a crucial aspect of our strategy to prevent the future effects of climate change in the area, as well as introducing new services and new housing typologies to face the needs of the growing population.

459

ER IV ER NN SE

HOEILAART SONIAN FOREST

OVERIJSE ER

E

V RI

IJS

HALLERBOS FOREST

Source: Edited from the thesis research of Second Year MaULP Students 2019-2021 (Andreeva, D., Bachir, R., Billion, A., Liu, Z. and Luo, P.).

460

HEVERLEE FOREST

DIJ

LE R

IVE R

A common vision at the Regional scale

MEERDAAL FOREST

Envisioning alternative ways of inhabiting the forest, the valley and the river to reach a more balanced humannature future relationship has being our focus since the beginning.

In view of their location we tried to contextualise our project within the larger territorial vision that has been studied by our colleagues of the Master of Urbanism, Landscape and Planning as the subject of their thesis.

Following their reflections we try to understand the challenges of living in a National Park and the opportunities that this common Regional vision could bring to the local communities.

461

HOEILAART

Ijse Valley: Hoeilaart & Overijse - Existing situation Both sites are defined by figures such as the Sonian forest on the west of Hoeilaart and the vast agricultural land to the southeast of Overijse, as well as by the narrowness or openness of the Ijse valley, crossing from west to east, and the variation of the topographic relief between plateaus and slopes.

462

Legend TOPOGRAPHY

Valley 0-2%

WATER:

Existing waterbodies

Existing wetlands

NEW waterbodies

NEW wetlands

Flooding

Plateau 0-2% Slope 2-5% Slope 5-10% Slope 10-15% Slope 15-100% Contours URBANISM

OVERIJSE

Existing social infrastructures Existing housing New social infrastructures New housing

VEGETATION:

existing trees Deciduous forest

Orchards

Deciduous forest without underlayer

Agricutural trees/tree line Boulevard trees/tree line

Coniferous forest

Trees in proximity to the highway

Mixed urban trees Mixed Forest Poplars

NEW AGRICULTURE

existing AGRICULTURE existing GARDENS existing PLOTS

+

NEW ORCHARDS

NEW GREEN AREAS

+ Urban Trees

Agroforestry

New forest Riparian Trees and vegetation

Stree, Square & Park Trees

0

0.25

0.5

1 km

463

The Forest

The Water

The Man-made environment

464

Assets and Opportunities for the Future Our sites have a strong presence of major ecological assets. During fieldwork we were able to explore the main natural elements and observe the actual state of the green and blue system of the territory.

We discovered traces of the historical paths unveiling for us the identity of the territory, and experienced those topographical variations, which are in these areas mainly due to the prominent history of glasshouse agriculture.

The imprints of this tradition are still apparent today with an unmatched long parcellation morphology, posing challenges and opportunities for new forms of urbanization.

Hoeilaart and Overijse from the fieldwork perspective

465

Common Challenges At the larger scale big infrastructures create strong ruptures in the landscape, affecting the continuity of the ecological systems, while on the local scale both sites are distinctively facing a form of expansion and rapid urbanization creating antagonistic dualities and transforming the relation to the territory from productive to consumptive.

466

This process combined with the predicted ecological and climatic crisis will endanger not only the ecological environment and its biodiversity, but also the quality of life for their inhabitants.

467

Towards new living practices

468

Planning assignment: To understand the challenges of today we first went and explored the challenges of the past.

In the infographic on the left we reviewed the patterns of the human settlements of the area in relation to different historical and cultural shifts, and the influence of these shifts on the fragmentation of the territory of the Ijse valley.

Observing the drastic changes that the landscape has undergone throughout history, one cannot oversee the encroachment of capital over the land with different actants at play, as to increase its

return value, converting it into a commodified asset.

This logic became the business-as-usual sacrificing the ecological, cultural and economic wellbeing , calling for an alternative model to introduce a holistic balance.

In the second diagram we present a catalogue of all the actors present on the territory highlighting specifically the ones that would be most concerned or involved in the realisation of our vision.

469

HOEILAART

Topography and water flows as the starting point To go towards new patterns of inhabitation of the territory, we based our reflection on an ecological-driven approach instead of a market-driven logic. With this in mind the understanding of the topographical condition and the watercourses offers a starting point for a structural logic of where and how to intervene in the territory.

470

Legend TOPOGRAPHY

Valley 0-2% Plateau 0-2% Slope 2-5% Slope 5-10%

OVERIJSE

Slope 10-15% Slope 15-100% Contours WATER: Existing Waterbodies

Flooding

NEW Waterbodies

+ +

Existing Wetlands

NEW Wetlands

Valley

+ + +

0

0.25

0.5

1 km

471

01. FRAMING OPEN SPACES

02. FLOODING VALLEYS

Our project is the output of four main interrelated intentions that, together, build a vision for the future of the local communities, within a regional framework. These intentions are then concretized on the territory through specific interventions based on the characteristics and potentialities identified in the sites.

472

03. SEQUENCING FOREST URBANISM

04. NECKLACING THE IJSE VALLEY

473

HOEILAART

01. Framing Open Spaces The plateaus, the unplanned fabrics and the open spaces offer an opportunity to propose new kind of relations between urbanism and agriculture or forestry, defining new patterns of settlement and urban experiences. The agricultural landscape is developed to become part of the communal spaces, giving the possibility to the inhabitants to engage actively with it.

474

OVERIJSE

Legend

TOPOGRAPHY

URBANISM

Valley 0-2%

Existing Social infrastructures

Plateau 0-2%

Existing Housing

Slope 2-5%

New Social infrastructures

Slope 5-10%

New Housing

Slope 10-15%

Existing Plots

Slope 15-100% Contours

WATER: Existing Waterbodies

Flooding

NEW Waterbodies

+ +

Existing Wetlands

NEW Wetlands

Valley

VEGETATION:

Existing trees: Deciduous forest

Existing Agriculture

Deciduous forest without underlayer

NEW Agriculture

Coniferous forest

+

0

0.25

0.5

1 km

Poplars

Urban Trees Agroforestry

Mixed urban trees Mixed Forest

NEW Green areas

+

+

NEW Orchards Orchards Trees Existing Gardens

New forest Riparian Trees and vegetation Stree, Square & Park Trees

Orchards Agricutural trees/tree line Boulevard trees/tree line Trees in proximity to the highway

475

HOEILAART

02. Flooding Valleys To face the future challenges related to flooding, we aim to prepare the valley to accommodate the water excess as a water sponge.

A system of ponds following the topographical conformation of the plateaus and the gentle slopes is progressively integrated in the territory. This network of water infrastructures, placed in specific locations compatible with the natural water courses, retain or spread the water as needed. Water can be used by the inhabitants for different processes from afforestation to urban agriculture or gardening.

476

OVERIJSE

Legend

TOPOGRAPHY

URBANISM

Valley 0-2%

Existing Social infrastructures

Plateau 0-2%

Existing Housing

Slope 2-5%

New Social infrastructures

Slope 5-10%

New Housing

Slope 10-15%

Existing Plots

Slope 15-100% Contours

WATER: Existing Waterbodies

Flooding

NEW Waterbodies

+ +

Existing Wetlands

NEW Wetlands

Valley

VEGETATION:

Existing trees: Deciduous forest

Existing Agriculture

Deciduous forest without underlayer

NEW Agriculture

Coniferous forest

+

0

0.25

0.5

1 km

Poplars

Urban Trees Agroforestry

Mixed urban trees Mixed Forest

NEW Green areas

+

+

NEW Orchards Orchards Trees Existing Gardens

New forest Riparian Trees and vegetation Stree, Square & Park Trees

Orchards Agricutural trees/tree line Boulevard trees/tree line Trees in proximity to the highway

477

HOEILAART

03. Sequencing Forest Urbanisms This intention articulates in several proposals for afforestation on the steep slopes, complemented by the development of agroforestry, urban agriculture and silvo-pastoral systems. This processes enhance the presence of the green network into the urban tissue and aim to favour a stronger relation between the new neighbourhoods and social infrastructures, and the surrounding landscape.

478

OVERIJSE

Legend

TOPOGRAPHY

URBANISM

Valley 0-2%

Existing Social infrastructures

Plateau 0-2%

Existing Housing

Slope 2-5%

New Social infrastructures

Slope 5-10%

New Housing

Slope 10-15%

Existing Plots

Slope 15-100% Contours

WATER: Existing Waterbodies

Flooding

NEW Waterbodies

+ +

Existing Wetlands

NEW Wetlands

Valley

VEGETATION:

Existing trees: Deciduous forest

Existing Agriculture

Deciduous forest without underlayer

NEW Agriculture

Coniferous forest

+

0

0.25

0.5

1 km

Poplars

Urban Trees Agroforestry

Mixed urban trees Mixed Forest

NEW Green areas

+

+

NEW Orchards Orchards Trees Existing Gardens

New forest Riparian Trees and vegetation Stree, Square & Park Trees

Orchards Agricutural trees/tree line Boulevard trees/tree line Trees in proximity to the highway

479

HOEILAART

04. Necklacing the Territory This fourth intention reassembles all of the previous strategies and gives the name to our proposal.

From the plateaus through the slopes and finally to the valley the different systems converge to the Ijse river, that becomes the structuring element of the territory, and the place for encounters and new social infrastructure. The inhabitants can enjoy the different atmosphere created by the juxtaposition of new urban tissues and the green-blue systems, through a network of informal and formal paths. This way the transversal connections to the river are assured but give also an occasion to discover the territory at a slower pace.

480

OVERIJSE

Legend

TOPOGRAPHY

URBANISM

Valley 0-2%

Existing Social infrastructures

Plateau 0-2%

Existing Housing

Slope 2-5%

New Social infrastructures

Slope 5-10%

New Housing

Slope 10-15%

Existing Plots

Slope 15-100% Contours

WATER: Existing Waterbodies

Flooding

NEW Waterbodies

+ +

Existing Wetlands

NEW Wetlands

Valley

VEGETATION:

Existing trees: Deciduous forest

Existing Agriculture

Deciduous forest without underlayer

NEW Agriculture

Coniferous forest

+

0

0.25

0.5

1 km

Poplars

Urban Trees Agroforestry

Mixed urban trees Mixed Forest

NEW Green areas

+

+

NEW Orchards Orchards Trees Existing Gardens

New forest Riparian Trees and vegetation Stree, Square & Park Trees

Orchards Agricutural trees/tree line Boulevard trees/tree line Trees in proximity to the highway

481

HOEILAART

Down to the River: Necklacing Ijse Valley - Vision for the Future The proposal aims to reconnect the community to their natural roots, by rebalancing and rewelding urban and ecological systems and fostering resilience through the urban commons. The natural elements support the creation of future new common living practices, strengthening the identity of place through an adaptive movements system.

482

Legend

TOPOGRAPHY

URBANISM

Valley 0-2%

Existing Social infrastructures

Plateau 0-2%

Existing Housing

Slope 2-5%

New Social infrastructures

Slope 5-10%

New Housing

Slope 10-15%

Existing Plots

Slope 15-100%

OVERIJSE

Contours

WATER: Existing Waterbodies

Flooding

NEW Waterbodies

+ +

Existing Wetlands

NEW Wetlands

Valley

VEGETATION:

Existing trees: Deciduous forest

Existing Agriculture

Deciduous forest without underlayer

NEW Agriculture

Coniferous forest

+

Poplars

Urban Trees Agroforestry

Mixed urban trees Mixed Forest

NEW Green areas

+

+

NEW Orchards Orchards Trees Existing Gardens

New forest Riparian Trees and vegetation Stree, Square & Park Trees

Orchards Agricutural trees/tree line Boulevard trees/tree line Trees in proximity to the highway

0

0.25

0.5

1 km

483

HOEILAART

A closer look at the territory Onwards, we developed our zoom-ins, two in Hoeilaart and two in Overijse, which shows the application of the different strategies according to the specificities of each site.

484

Legend

TOPOGRAPHY

URBANISM

Valley 0-2%

Existing Social infrastructures

Plateau 0-2%

Existing Housing

Slope 2-5%

New Social infrastructures

Slope 5-10%

New Housing

Slope 10-15%

Existing Plots

Slope 15-100%

OVERIJSE

Contours

WATER: Existing Waterbodies

Flooding

NEW Waterbodies

+ +

Existing Wetlands

NEW Wetlands

Valley

VEGETATION:

Existing trees: Deciduous forest

Existing Agriculture

Deciduous forest without underlayer

NEW Agriculture

Coniferous forest

+

Poplars

Urban Trees Agroforestry

Mixed urban trees Mixed Forest

NEW Green areas

+

+

NEW Orchards Orchards Trees Existing Gardens

New forest Riparian Trees and vegetation Stree, Square & Park Trees

Orchards Agricutural trees/tree line Boulevard trees/tree line Trees in proximity to the highway

0

0.25

0.5

1 km

485

486

Framing open spaces: Zoom in Overijse

Legend TOPOGRAPHY

URBANISM

Valley 0-2%

Existing Social infrastructures

Plateau 0-2%

Existing Housing

Slope 2-5%

New Social infrastructures

Slope 5-10%

New Housing

Slope 10-15%

Existing Plots

Slope 15-100% Contours

WATER: Existing Waterbodies

Flooding

NEW Waterbodies

+ +

Existing Wetlands

NEW Wetlands

Valley

VEGETATION:

Existing trees: Deciduous forest

Existing Agriculture

Deciduous forest without underlayer

NEW Agriculture

NEW Green areas

+ Urban Trees

Coniferous forest Mixed urban trees

+

Riparian Trees and vegetation Agroforestry

Mixed Forest Poplars

+

Stree, Square & Park Trees

NEW Orchards New forest areas Orchards Trees

Orchards

If we look at the morphology of the development of Overijse, it is evident that the majority part of the houses follow the streets and have long backyards, which are the traces of the greenhouses agriculture’ history.

Our concept includes the densification of these long plots. In the studied area, we add new settlements with communal spaces going along the pedestrian network and every 3-4 blocks we place productive yards, for the benefit of the inhabitants.

For the long plots adjacent to the forest, the productive yard will be complementing the processes of reforestation.

Following the idea of the necklace, we want to enhance the connection towards the main valley by adding new communitarian spaces for the public and spaces of production to complement the new development.

Existing Gardens

+ Forest Trees

Agricutural trees/tree line Boulevard trees/tree line Trees in proximity to the highway

OVERIJSE

HOEILAART

487

488

489

490

Framing open spaces: Productive landscape The social infrastructure, communal spaces and pedestrian paths create new connections between the fragmented patches of forest and green fields, reclaiming the voids in the landscape.

491

492

Flooding the valleys: Zoom in Overijse

Legend TOPOGRAPHY

URBANISM

Valley 0-2%

Existing Social infrastructures

Plateau 0-2%

Existing Housing

Slope 2-5%

New Social infrastructures

Slope 5-10%

New Housing

Slope 10-15%

Existing Plots

Slope 15-100% Contours

WATER: Existing Waterbodies

Flooding

NEW Waterbodies

+ +

Existing Wetlands

NEW Wetlands

Valley

VEGETATION:

Existing trees: Deciduous forest

Existing Agriculture

Deciduous forest without underlayer

NEW Agriculture

NEW Green areas

+ Urban Trees

Coniferous forest Mixed urban trees

+

Riparian Trees and vegetation Agroforestry

Mixed Forest Poplars

+

NEW Orchards New forest areas Orchards Trees

Orchards

Stree, Square & Park Trees

Existing Gardens

The second zoom focus more on the area in the centre which is badly affected by the flooding, but at the same time, has the system of ponds as the hidden jewels.

We aim to make the area resilient to the flooding rather than avoiding the problem or running away from it.

For the existing condition, we have the long plots in the north of the valley, more dense housing in the south and fragmented gigantic plots.

Generally we apply the same logic of re-establishing the continuity of the ecological system towards the valley.

For the existing dense housing, the living space will be elevated to make room for public spaces on the ground floor and to prevent the effects of flooding.

New social infrastructures will be connected to the wetland by pedestrian bridges.

The new development in the long plots will be complemented by land for pasture and communal spaces connected to the ponds.

+ Forest Trees

Agricutural trees/tree line Boulevard trees/tree line Trees in proximity to the highway

OVERIJSE

HOEILAART

493

494

495

496

Flooding the valleys: Through the Blue spaces The new soft mobility network creates new connections between the new plaza and the wetlands will pull the centre of the small city closer to the recovered natural environment and bring people closer to nature.

497

Urban agriculture e neighbourhood

Forest Gate

Keyline water collection pond

Urban agriculture neighbourhood

Communal yard complexes Agro-forestry neighbourhood

498

Legend TOPOGRAPHY

URBANISM

WATER:

Valley 0-2%

Existing Social infrastructures

Existing Waterbodies

Plateau 0-2%

Existing Housing

NEW Waterbodies

Slope 2-5%

New Social infrastructures

Slope 5-10%

New Housing

Slope 10-15%

Existing Plots

+ +

Slope 15-100%

Flooding

Existing Wetlands

NEW Wetlands

Valley

Contours

VEGETATION: Existing Agriculture NEW Agriculture

+

NEW Green areas

NEW Orchards Orchards Trees

+ Urban Trees

Existing Gardens

+

Riparian Trees and vegetation Agroforestry

New forest areas

+

Sequencing Forest Urbanism: Zoom in Hoeilaart

Stree, Square & Park Trees

Forest Trees

OVERIJSE

Consulting the genius of the place… the terrain and the water course inspire the design of the fabrics, by proactively engaging and meandering through it.

A sequential system of communal polycentric selfsufficient neighbourhoods is proposed following the logics of the terrain, and the openness of land, maintaining the continuity of the natural flows and biodiversity.

The northern steep slopes juxtaposed to the forest designed for permeability are settled by urban agroforestry, the plateaus by communal ecological farms irrigated by the water collection system of keyline ponds and the southern steep slopes by orchard neighbourhoods creating a mesh of openness and density, connected through a meandering soft mobility path following the terrain.

HOEILAART

Existing condition

2100 Vision

499

500

Sequencing Forest Urbanism: Learning from the past Our sequential communal forest urbanism logic is not only aimed at strengthening the presence of nature, but also at restoring the collective, contrasting the limits of capitalism and consumption, with communal productive living. Spiralling through time… maybe in order to go forward we have to go back…

501

Green roof, pedestrian platform

Amphibious public park

Connecting bridge

Elevated farmers market

Forest-orchards Neighbourhoods

502

Legend TOPOGRAPHY

URBANISM

WATER:

Valley 0-2%

Existing Social infrastructures

Existing Waterbodies

Plateau 0-2%

Existing Housing

NEW Waterbodies

Slope 2-5%

New Social infrastructures

Slope 5-10%

New Housing

Slope 10-15%

Existing Plots

+ +

Slope 15-100%

Flooding

Existing Wetlands

NEW Wetlands

Valley

Contours

VEGETATION: Existing Agriculture NEW Agriculture

+

NEW Green areas

NEW Orchards Orchards Trees

+ Urban Trees

Existing Gardens

+

Riparian Trees and vegetation Agroforestry

New forest areas

+

Necklacing the Ijse Valley: Zoom in Hoeilaart

Stree, Square & Park Trees

Forest Trees

OVERIJSE

As the maestro of the design vision, the Ijse river is necklaced with a constellation of amphibious social infrastructure to draw the flows towards it, capturing both people and water, and orchestrating the movement of the natural and cultural elements upon its rhythms. Soft mobility paths connect the river both horizontally and transversally linking our green corridors to the valley.

Correlating with our vision, we propose a diverse program alongside both edges that ignites the spirit of ecological collective living and productivity introducing public parks, community farmers market and elevated pedestrian plateaus, reclaiming land from large parking spaces and industrial buildings back to nature and the community.

HOEILAART

Existing condition

2100 Vision

503

504

Necklacing the Ijse Valley: Reclaming space for the community We introduce different solutions to deal with the flooding responding to the particularities of each situation, including foresting the slopes, expanding the canals in compact neighbourhoods and the expansion of the flood plain by designing floodable amphibious public Parks to accommodate the changes throughout time.

505

506

Community and Nature Finally, based on the working sessions with Cecil Konijnendijk and Amy Chesterand, we propose a synthesized version of our vision for the Ijse valley, in the form of a logo. As previously mentioned our proposal aims to bring the local communities towards a balanced relationship with the environment, favouring the creation of future new common living practices.

The natural elements, such as the forest and the agricultural land, are preserved and reactivated to support the economic development of the urban centres, while at the same time being integrated within them and becoming the drivers for social and cultural change.

507

508

509

RESETTING EDGE ECOLOGIES IN DUISBURG & EIZER PROJECT NARRATIVE During this first module we have been exploring the relationship between urbanity

and scattered across the site we identified five plateaus. As it has been therefore

and the forest to develop our project under the title ‘Resetting Edge Ecologies in

mentioned, alternatives movements guided the work on this site, proposing soft

Duisburg & Eizer’. The frame we are working on corresponds to the villages Eizer

mobility paths along the contour lines of our topography systems, represented in

and Duisburg with the Sonian forest that penetrates the site from the west side,

this plan by the dashed and dotted white line. This new structure links the existing

drawing a sharp edge that marks the end of it. We looked at the territory from

hollow roads in order to diversify the experiences in the future Belgian national

two complementary approaches, namely: Structure being the natural elements like

park.

topography, forest and water, and identity being the human and culture dimension such as urbanisation or the incredible presence of greenhouses. Structure and

The selection of soft mobility paths as said offer a different way to discover the

identity are two different parts that in reality always appear together.

particularities of the site, creating a new link between all the natural elements and taking advantages of the very specific landscape typologies and uses.

Over the years, the natural structure of the site has been neglected by urban

The second landscape system presented is the Nellebeek valley interpretated here

expansions. The settlements have been spreading towards the forest that has been

as a strategic element for the connection by a green and blue corridor between the

gradually eaten to make room for agriculture (thanks to a fertile soil) and urban

stream and the Sonian forest. Threads as rainfall water from agricultural fields and

settlements. The water system of the area and the Nellebeek has been covered over

the busy streets of the area led this proposal’s construction.

the years and slightly forgotten. Our research question during the design process is how can we use natural structures of the territory to reinforce local identity? In

The first step for the implementation of this ecological corridor is to give back the

answer to this, our vision is to use natural systems as entry point to new urban

Nellebeek its original course by uncovering it. A riparian forest is placed in the

figure by 1. Exploring the territory through soft mobility. 2. Restoring natural

hollow of the stream along with strategically placed wetlands in order to protect

ecologies (Sonian expansion, Nellebeek corridor). 3. Active neighbourhood.

the system’s core from aforementioned threats. The whole entity is surrounded by erosion forests on the steep slopes of the valley. In addition, all the settlements

The whole strategy started from a topography analysis which informs the structures

located in the corridor will have to adapt in order to share the place with animals

of the landscape and influenced the way of living for the different beings inhabiting

and natural phenomena such as flooding and droughts. Desealed roads, afforested

the area. These topographical categories inform all kinds of movements and stops

gardens and in-betweens would help go towards this adaptation. Finally, this

on the site, humans, animals and natural ones.” Building up on our topographical

new corridor appears in the territory as an interesting continuous and somehow

analysis, we identified three landscape typologies which form the backbone of our

sequenced structure, blending the urbanities in the forested area and building a

design proposals. The western edge of our site is characterised by the strong edge

solid link to the Sonian forest.

of the Sonian forest. In the south of our site are the Nellebeek stream and its valley

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As previously shown, the forest edge has been eaten by agricultural fields over

through different elements creating an array of experiences.

the years, which has resulted in a very articulated and strong edge line. In our future vision, we bring in new tree types around the edge and by doing so we

The last plateau sits in between the high Sonian Forest and the low Nellebeek valley.

strengthen and reset the already existing strong edge. We translate our vision by

Here, instead of creating new tissues, the focus is on acupuncture interventions

strategically transforming several agricultural fields directly next to the forest into

with a public place system allowing windows to open on both ends of the plateau:

food producing semi dense forests. For the urban located in the direct proximity

the agricultural panorama and the growing ecological corridor leading to the

of the Sonian forest, we bring in orchard trees scattered between the buildings,

Nellebeek.

by doing so we keep the forest edge as a distinct quality while bringing in new ecotones.

Finally, we also wondered about the community living in our area and the consequences of our interventions on it. We understand the role of the designer as

Zooming in on the previous section, we can clearly see the way in which the edge

constantly navigating between the here and the now and the long-term strategic

will be altered. The existing edge remains present but becomes more pronounced by

vision as an answer to current challenges and future threats. But we have to keep

planting the contrasting agricultural food forests and by bringing in the scattered

in mind for whom are we designing in the end and what for. So we asked the next

orchard and fruit trees where the urban meets the forest edge. On this figure of

generation to help us and you can see some of their answers.

a new green and blue, the activation of the neighbourhood will happen on the plateaus. According to our topography analysis, we have identified four plateaus with similar elements and landscape atmospheres, windows towards the landscape.

In each plateau we have tried to integrate soft mobility strategies, to enhance the landscape by bringing more green spaces to the site, to activates communities projecting new social infrastructures and finally to reinvent the urban with new typologies of collective housing. The idea in this relatively dense area was to create islands of openness in the two sides of the ridge projecting new collective housing articulated around private gardens and new orchards. We also work on the street that will be desealed as an active public space with some commercial ground floors and green pockets gardens for community activities. The main square of Duisburg would become an open, completely pedestrian space around the church and an opportunity to enhance the economic activity in the village.

The second identified plateau currently characterised by a ribbon development surrounded by a vast productive landscape. Following the same topographical analysis logic, the proposal is to develop strategies for densification that would open new windows on the panorama and bring a diversification of the housing supply. A new front of housing densification is proposed on the gentle slopes, opening on the fields and with gardens that would be private or communal spaces accessible to all on certain locations. The main idea of this terracing effect is to keep the view to the open space accessible to existing and new housing typologies, adding also new social infrastructures for instance in the abandoned greenhouses.

On the third plateau, the housing densification concentrates on the edge while the slopes would be activated with social infrastructures in green spaces: a new park, a new community orchard and the Riparian forest projected to grow on the South slope close to the Nellebeek. The soft mobility path would follow the slope and pass

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D4

Quilting Earthworks: Requalifying the Voer River Valley

DANIELA COBO JENNIFER SAAD PHILIPPA LANKERS YENTL WULTEPUTTE

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Bertem and Egenhoven in the Voer River Valley Our site revolves around the notion of disruptive earthworks and a choreography of open and close spaces. We re-imagined the site along these two themes with a constellation of balconies, that accentuate the landscape, enhance the open and closed system, and requalify the Voer River floodplain.

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Earthworks: Carvings & Fillings

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Our site sits on the intersection between the Voer and Dijle Valley, the tip of a series of plateaux linking Brussels to the Flemish region. The topography, a sequence of valleys, slopes and plateaus, is reconfigured 500 by earthworks, imposed settlements, super-imposed infrastructures and agricultural practices.

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Patchwork of Open & Closed The notion of a fragmented landscape is visible through a system of open and closed spaces. The closed spaces are defined by “volume” and consist of forests and urbanisation. The open spaces are defined by openness and consist mostly of agriculture fields.

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Topographic Logics

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The existing topography is the main ordering element from which the multiple components of the site retrieve its meaning. The valley-, slope- and plateau-system all relate to different kinds of earthworks. The Egenhovenbos and the Voer River describe the valley, while agricultural fields are found on the wide plateaus and gentle slopes.

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Quilting Earthworks for a Better Quality of Life Looking at the specificities of our site, we imagine a place where earthworks are no longer defined by cars, where the floodplain is an asset rather than a threat, where the forest is quilted into the urban landscape, Where agriculture is practiced in a more sustainable way and quality of life is revitalised.

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Sculpting The Slopes

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The reforestation of the site will follow the topographical logics, meaning that to be able to tackle the present problems due to erosion, dense forest will be grown on the steep slopes on the one hand.

On the other hand will different kinds of agroforestry be used on the gentle slopes.

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Sitting at The Edge The newly created forest on the slopes will be lead into the urban fabric with linear forest patches. From the topography and the open-closed system, a new urbanism of balconies and stepping stones emerges. Where the balconies accentuate and strengthen the landscape logics while injecting new urban life into the peri-urban.

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Flood Mitigation 2100

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The estimated flooding of the Voer river will affect the city of Bertem, its buildings and its inhabitants.

Proposing multiple ponds upstream and deurbanising the floodplain while saving only exceptional buildings, will protect the valley from flooding and create interesting open public spaces.

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Transforming the highway Reducing the impact of the highway on Bertem and Egenhoven demands a radical transformation. Interventions on different levels have been introduced through de-sealing, reforestation, and clearance of disruptive earthworks to give more space for nature and create new recreational spaces. Other strategies were implemented aiming to reduce car usage by emphasizing the use ofsoft mobility.

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Quilting Solutions Refining the topography with flooding ponds and and bioswales help in tackling flooding and erosion that are threatening the villages. Through deurbanization, desealing, reforestation and creation of the wetland, the landscape is quilted using earthworks that go hand in hand with the topography, contrary to traditional earthworks that manipulates the ground enormously.

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The Voer River Look-out In Bertem, the Voer River’s flooding is predicted to inundate much of the lower and older village. Like the historic settlement, the proposed design respects the flood plane and introduces new earthworks that work with the natural logics of the valley while desealing and rewilding the valley into a recreation and biodiversity asset.

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New typologies for multi-family living, co-working and local retail; slow mobility promenade 10

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A balcony on the Voer

Bioswales and trees for erosion control and water filtration; co-living in the green branches

Dry season - moulded playscapes 10

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Wet season - floodable parks 10

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Branches and playscapes

The Voer River Look-out The balcony is located above this floodplain. The urban fabric of the balcony overlooking the River introduces its own system of open and closed in relation to the context of village and fields. The balcony becomes a multiplicity of things on the micro-scale: Where the gossiping grannies, football kids, quiet newspaper readers and serious cyclists all find their place.

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Egenhovenbos Look-out

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The interplay of open and closed offers opportunities for requalifying the existing urban fabric. The topography defines particular edges on the steepest slopes to be transformed into a system of balconies that interact with the Voer River and the Egenhoven Forest. The balconies allow to discover a landscape that interacts with open fields of agriculture, orchards, and gardens, making way for the forest.

The natural earthworks order the spaces and choreograph the different experiences through the balconies.

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Before intervention

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Egenhovenbos Look-out New housing is proposed with a flexible typology that adapts to diverse family types and uses. The residences are complemented with new social infrastructure and facilities like cafes, working spaces, and public spaces for recreation that inject urban life into the monofunctional neighborhood. Afforestation for erosion on the steepest slopes is intensified, as well as on the valley for flooding events.

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The Quilted landscape In conclusion, We imagine a quilted patchwork that complexifies over time with multitudes of functions and new earthworks that accentuate and strengthen the landscape. From a hodge podge quilt to the collective action of quilting earthworks and settlements into the ecological system and vice versa.

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existing trees and forest:

topography Valley 0-2%

Deciduous forest Deciduous forest without underlayer

Plateau 0-2%

Coniferous forest

Slope 2-5%

Mixed urban trees Mixed Forest

Slope 5-10% Slope 10-15%

Poplars Orchards

Slope 15-100%

Agricutural trees/tree line Boulevard trees/tree line

Valley 0-2% Plateau 0-2%

Trees in proximity to the highway

Slope 2-5%

new trees and forest:

Slope 5-10%

new forest

Slope 10-15%

Riparian

Slope 15-100%

Private Gardens Street & Square & Park

water:

Agroforestry

Existing waterbodies

Orchards

New waterbodies

urban fabric: existing social infrastructure

Existing wetlands New wetlands

existing buildings new social infrastructure new buildings

agriculture and gardens: existing agriculture existing agriculture new agriculture existing gardens

Legend

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D5a & D5b

SETTLING THE HILLSIDES OF (OUD) HEVERLEE

YIFAN HU ARIANE MILARAY CANTILLANA MATURANA YIDNEKACHEW YILMA SELESHI CAROLINE THALER

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SETTLING THE HILLSIDES OF (OUD) HEVERLEE PROJECT NARRATIVE We worked on the areas south of the city of Leuven, linked to the Dijle valley,

projection for the year 2100 reflect in our 3 strategies by showing the valleys that can

the Vaalbeek and the Molenbeek. The sites are each other’s’ opposites, with on the

accommodate flooding, plateaus that are more continuous and new urbanization

one hand the dense, solidified urban area of the city of Leuven and on the second

schemes on the slopes. Now we will go into depth on 4 of the urbanization logics.

site, the Heverleeforest that takes up half of the site. Like the rest of Belgium, this

The first urban fabric intervention is located nearby the military forest. We see

area will be facing multiple challenges. The urban sprawl has impacted open

the opportunity to infiltrate the forest to the neighbourhood while at the same

space heavily. The Dijle and its related streams will have more and more flooding

time transforming the tissue from a double articulated backyard logic to an

problems and temperatures will rise drastically in the dense urban fabrics. In order

open collective urban forest area. By reducing the surface of vehicular street and

for us to react on this and create a resilient environment, we went into analysing the

incorporating more dense housing units, the proposal gives space to the forest to

sites and its topography, both in history and in present appearance. And defined

expand for the upper plateau to the Molenbeek valley. The fabric in this southwest

three elements each with their own character and consequences. The valley, the

slope follows the contour lines to create a visual connection with the valley system.

plateau, and the slope.

The second urban fabric intervention is in the Naamsesteenweg, here the intrusion of the valley area into the plateau confront water features with a west gentle slope.

The Valley is place of the water and the flooded landscapes, occasionally intruded by

This area will be heavily affected by flooding in the next 80 years, in that sense

the hidden jewel such as the abbey that is hiding in the valley but reveals itself slowly

the proposal considered a de-urbanization process of the valley. This reflect in the

when descending or standing on the plateau. The plateau as the big continuous

slopes by coexisting of new collective buildings with the existing urban structure of

element. A place of productivity through agriculture and forest use. Over time

single houses with through the addition of more dense units allows to release but

this continuous element has been intruded by what we call ‘big boxes’ such as the

also uncover the surface for the purpose of integrating nature to the urban areas.

military domain or research and educational facilities. Lastly the slopes, the place where we mostly find urbanisation, but also the place most prone to erosion. The

This western slope connects the plain to the higher plateau, and our strategy was

slopes are in between the plateau and valley, linking what it is happening in both

to break the original model of developing along the road and develop the building

topographical elements. Reacting to history and future this leads us to our three

according to the contour lines. This development mode brings better lighting,

strategies that will define the landscape of Heverlee and Oud-Heverlee. Flooding

views and public space to the building, and also improves the flood control and

the valleys, Densifying the slopes and bringing the plateaus back into productivity.

water storage capacity of the slope. The Vaalbeek is a story of the North Slope, the South Slope and the Valley. On the north slope, we used the shape to maximize

The challenges of the sprawled urbanisation, undefined characteristics and

the sunlight, while on the south slope, we give the opportunity to have new social

disconnected areas that we can perceive in the site justify the need for a new

infrastructure that replaces the old flooded ones in the valley. The integration of

vision, that project new urban development for the next 80 years. In the future, the

forests, wetlands, and rivers, on the one hand, provides a site for flood prevention,

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and on the other hand, provides a beautiful view for the social infrastructure and

water and accumulation. This will help for erosion mitigation on the slope and

community space.

structure the urbanization. By pushing the urbanization to the slopes, the plateau is not only opened but simultaneously framed becoming part of a view for the

Around these 4 urban logics the landscape will frame itself. Highlighting the

inhabitants on the slope.

characteristics of each element while simultaneously unifying the strategies on top of the topography. The openness and characteristic feature of the plateau will be

The Heverlee forest is very present on the site but its location close to the city

enhanced with exceptional figures to remain, modified and rearranged from the

conflicts with its own needs. Through interviews we can argue that the demand for

existing that were altering the character of the plateau. They will be a destination on

forest activities is increasing. To do this, it should be in balance with nature and

the plateau expressing themselves for the experience of the openness. The flooded

thus justify the logic of urban forest.

area of the Molenbeek is to be left for its evolution and become a wet land with a riparian corridor and creating a continues Valley and green system serving as an

Coming back to the starting logic of topography we can visualise how the tree

entrance to the urbanization beyond the ring road and the contrasting nature . it

different elements will evolve. In the valley water and green will go hand in hand

will open itself up to the city.

and chase away the car and sealed surface while creating space for soft mobility.

On the plateau the image will drastically change, where big elements used to have

The policy tool of pooling (of both plots and asset) is considered to catalyse

an overshadowing presence to an image where agroforestry creates connection

the evolution where communal spaces are created, and the development rights

between the city and productivity. Lastly the slopes will be reinforced with their

transferred. This will facilitate the introduction of openness and green in the city.

current atmosphere. The slope becomes the element to densify on, not only with

The phasing out of buildings in the existing consolidated urban areas is used as an

more soft mobility, desealed surfaces, green corridors, and open spaces

advantage for the introduction of urban forest and communal gardens. a system connection will be established with the valley system creating splendid culture nature environment.

For the southern plateau, The continuity In its openness and the elements of the plateau are to be enhanced with agroforestry and forest patches where urban sprawls are to phase out in time and new forest urbanism is to develop on the slopes bridging high ground forest and the plateau. The introduction of forest element on the slopes will follow susceptible areas of the topography for a run of

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Topography Analysis Defining the city of Leuven, Heverlee and Old-Heverlee into different topographic elements. The plateaus, the slopes and the valleys each have their own characteristics and challenges.

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Existing situation of the city of Leuven, Heverlee and Old-Heverlee

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3 strategies for resilience The projects wants to bring back the plateaus into productivity, densify the urbanisation on the slopes and allow the valleys to flood.

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Vision for the city of Leuven, Heverlee and Old-Heverlee in 2100

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Section 1- Opening up the plateau

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Scale1:3000

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Section 2 - Connected elements

Scale1:3000

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Section 3 - The waterlandscape

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Logics of Urbanisation - 4 examples 1- Naamsesteenweg 2- Military Forest 3 - Vaalbeek 4 - The Old Hills

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Zoom 2 - Naamsesteenweg

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Zoom 2 - Military forest The neighbourhood slowly develops into a more densified area where the forest is allowed acces in the urban tissue and thus creates connection and open and enclosed spaces.

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Zoom 3 - Vaalbeek The vaalbeek will flood in the future. This means that many houses and services will displaced. The relation between the two slopes is made through form, view and physical connections.

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Zoom 3 - The Old Hills

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D6a & D6b

FIGURING THE THRESHOLDS

GEMMA ANNER ERMIONI CHATZIMICHAIL SIMON DE BOECK ELENA GIRAL

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FIGURING THE THRESHOLDS PROJECT NARRATIVE The project area consists of two areas in the Dijle valley, which are strongly

spaces and Flexible urbanism.

related, still not in an obvious way. The downstream site, Neerijse, contains the confluence of the Ijse River and the Dijle River and is situated between different

ELASTIC ECOLOGIES

fragments of the Meerdael Forest. The second site, Florival, is situated uphill the

The objective is to figure the thresholds and to elaborate a vision of elastic and

Dijle River, partially in the Walloon Region. Both areas host few services or work

resilient urbanism, defined and guided by the landscape, which maintains high

opportunities. The communities rely on the cities of Brussels and Leuven for work,

quality living and incorporating ecological tools that ensure adaptability to climate

education, shopping, or leisure. The south area is partially related to the Walloon

change and respond to future challenges. To rebuild forest connections, we

town of Wavre, and close to its industrial site. Car use is the dominant mode, public

analysed the evolution of the degree of afforestation throughout different historical

transport is limited. A former train station in Florival becomes an opportunity.

maps in the 18th, the 20th century and today, revealing different factors that lead to fragmentation. By our design proposals, we aim to contribute to the governmental

We started our analysis of Neerijse through the reading of the territory, its striking

aspiration of re-connecting the fragmentated forest. Strategies related to water

topography, water systems and forests, slopes and ridges, plateaus, and plains.

management are applied to each site as well as used to tie together the territorial

These reveal the critical areas of the landscape, and the tensions or frictions

scale. These strategies of wet forest and re-naturalising the valley, together with

between the human made and nature. The pictures demonstrate height differences,

meandering, reduce the risk of flood while contributing to biodiversity objectives,

hollow roads, agricultural plateaus and wet ponds and flood zones. The impact of

and serving as a forest connection.

topography gets even more dramatic in the Florival zone. The afforested slopes are steeper towards the Dijle valley, a large plateau emerges in the south. Pockets

The concept of urban forestry comes in where we reappropriate inner courtyards

of urbanity unfold in the landscape, either in the forest and in the flood zone. An

to create ecological connections at a larger scale. Such could help to bring more

abandoned abbey and an industrial site in decay are the opportunities of the site.

collectively in housing typologies and rethinking boundaries towards allowing migration of fauna and flora. A systematic use of green infrastructure supports the

Each of the sites is very different in the configuration of urbanity. While Neerijse

use of the core as a water filter. The incorporation of our strategies to the productive

presents a concentrated core that will be heavily impacted by future floods,

landscape impacts the territorial scale, bringing agro-forestry and orchards that

Florival shows three pockets of urbanity with a characteristic expression of Belgian

follow topography. Following the notion of the 3-30-300 rule, we developed the

longitudinal sprawl up in the plateau, and an industrial site down in the valley. To

concept of ‘Mixitree’ and the ‘Embroidered forested villages’.

figure, and more important to figure out, the thresholds in Neerijse and Florival, we intend to seed 4 strategies throughout our sites, defined as Elastic ecologies,

In the uphill urbanisation, called Tomme, we aim for afforestation and thinning

Cross-pollinating the productive and the consumptive landscape, Blending public

density, blurring the boundaries towards the agricultural landscape on the plateau,

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creating forest edges between forest and urbanisation, and as a micro-scale

FLEXIBLE URBANISM

intervention we introduce bioswales in key points strengthening the idea of the

The character of the area is strongly defined by a high degree of individualistic

urban filter.

fragmentation. The infographic explains how the local dynamics have led to this characteristic use of space that our proposal challenges through new

CROSS-POLLINATING PRODUCTIVE AND CONSUMPTIVE LANDSCAPE

reinterpretation of boundaries and typology. Analysing the demographics,

Making people participate in the productive landscape means to provide a better

understand the particularities of the site and discover layers of collectivises as well

understanding and interaction with seasonal cycles in planting and harvesting,

as opportunities to introduce shared spaces and diversity.

moderate growth projection and through interviews with locals, we tried to

growth and rest and water levels.

In Neerijse, the proposed public spaces lead to a new focal point at the Ijse River.

The Appelfabriek (‘Apple factory’) in Neerijse inspired us to spread the existence

A multifunctional plateau is elevated above the flood zone and covered by a light

of orchards according to opportunities provided by soil types, orientation, and

structure. Here, ecology, water systems, slow mobility connections and urbanity

proximity to structuring elements in the landscape. In Florival it is the small

come together. The intention of this structure is to accommodate the need for a

fruits production by De Ferme Framboos that provides a centre of short chain

wide range of uses while adapting to climate events such as a rise in the water

food production, which can be linked to a market opportunity or secondary

levels. Flexible urbanism allows for collective temporal events as well as the passing

business opportunities in the renewed industrial site. An appropriate type of wet

of times. It fosters shared and mixed uses that can evolve with the needs of the

forest can help linking the vast forest to the fragments in the southern Tomme

space.

neighbourhood. Although consumers live surrounded by the productive landscape, there are psychological and physical boundaries avoiding interaction. Our aim is

In Florival, the urban focus is pointed towards the site containing the abbey,

to cross-pollinate, to bring the productive landscape in the urban fabric, and to

where we discovered during the stakeholder analysis that a Community Land

make people participate in food productive mechanisms.

Trust is willing to take over the industrial site, where housing can be a part of a multifunctional approach, including a short chain market, innovative business

BLENDING PUBLIC SPACES

start-ups, and an entrance hub to the future Brabantse Wouden National Park.

At first sight the urban fabrics in the area miss a clear and central obvious meeting

We propose to reappropriate the main industrial building to provide a new

space. Anyhow further exploration reveals a subtle network of collectively

multifunctional space that can evolve through time adapting to the needs of the

embedded in functional buildings, such as the school, the library, the church or

growing community.

the brewery. The project aims at connecting them and create links to the natural valley. In a next phase our strategy consists in acupuncturally adding and blending

The different strategies converge to a vision for Neerijse where we show what we

collectivises. By valuing, re-naturalising and eventually linking slow mobility paths,

tried to figure out, how we tried to create public figures through the markets and

a sequential and ductile network of public spatialities emerges. Nature is used as a

apples walk, how we choose to create conversation with the public figures through

tool to create gestures that enable connections between sites and to the river. These

thresholds defined by ecological thinking, productive insertions and seasonal

corridors contract and expand while blending with other uses, new typologies, and

experiences. The confluence of the four strategies in Florival leads to the creation

green ecological systems.

of not only the entrance for the national park but also to the future living by introducing new groups of alternative rural life, seeded into an innovative new

In Florival, collectivity is condensed around the repurposing of the old abbey and

core.

the conversion of the industrial site, allowing opportunities to create public meeting spots on de-paved former parking lots and in converted industrial heritage. Public space connects the productivity site of De Ferme Framboos to the river and the village site.

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Leuven

///Flexible layout for drawings/// [add pages as needed] Neerijse Brussels

Florival Wavre Location of Neerijse and Florival in reference tp Brussels, Leuven and Wavre

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Topography Map with the unbanisation

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Neerjise

Florival

Existing Teritorial Landscape and Urbanity

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Neerjise

Florival

Proposal Map: Figuring the thresholds

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Proposal Strategies 1. Elastic Ecologies: Water Management and Renaturalising the valley

3. Blending Public Space

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2. Cross-Polinating Productive and Consumptive Landscapes

4. Flexible Urbanism

Strategy 1.

1. Elastic Ecologies: Water Management and Renaturalising the valley

Neerjise

Florival

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Strategy 1.

1. Elastic Ecologies: Water Management and Renaturalising the valley Neerjise

Renaturalised core of Neerjise’s urban center Blending urbanity with nature

Renaturalising the industrial site of Exide Creating a wet forest along the river to mitigate floods and draughts and water management mechanisms

Florival

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Strategy 2.

2. Cross-Polinating Productive and Consumptive Landscapes

Bringing productivity and consumption into the urban fabric Neerjise

Florival

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Strategy 2.

2. Cross-Polinating Productive and Consumptive Landscapes

Seasonal Analysis

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Strategy 3.

3. Blending Public Space

Neerjise

Florival

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Strategy 3.

3. Blending Public Space

Creating Public Space that connects embedded uses and nature in Neerjise

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Strategy 4.

4. Flexible Urbanism

Accomodate the natural growth of households while controling /regulating/minimising sprawl.

Neerjise

Introducing new types of housing, living together and working.

Florival

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Strategy 4.

4. Flexible Urbanism

Reclaiming backyards

Allowing multi-dimensional ussage

Promoting and inverting green boundaries bewtween the houses to allow ecological conextions and movement

Reinterpreting boundaries

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Strategy 4.

4. Flexible Urbanism

Proposed Market in Neerjise

Proposed Multifuctional spcase in the industrial site of Florival

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Zoom Neerjise

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Zoom Florival

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LEGENT:

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The upstream site is characteristic of large road infrastructures, the Chaussee de Bruxelles and the E411 highway that create a clear division of the land.

PLANNING ASSIGNMENT Moving on, it is noticeable that they are characterised by the embeddedness of sparse green areas with threaded urbanism. Here, patchwork of natural elements

FIGURING THE THRESHOLDS

such as forests and the waterbodies, are punctuated with ribbon and clusters allotments. They therefore represent an opportunity for creation of social and sustainable commons in our sites. However, one of the major issues in our sites is the high presence of privatized commons, such as ponds, woods and riverbeds.

This is considered as an issue in the proposal’s design because it restricts access to the population and influences the local’s quality of life. Similarly, it encourages

PROJECT NARRATIVE OBSERVATION The first site is located at the confluence between these two rivers, and welcomes the neighbourhood of Sint Agatha Rode, next to the train station of Sint Joris Weert, whereas the second is more upstream along the Laan, and is at the junction between three municipalities. So, we are first going to present our observations and

fragmentation of the land which has proven bureaucratic during the implementation process. Our main question is thus to understand the motives and drawbacks of privatizing such commons as well as reflect on its impacts in creation of more social and sustainable ones. Our interview with the owner of the Bois des Templiers in Waver showed that privatisation is positive because it allows a better preservation of the site, but it reduces accessibility to the public and increases social boundaries in the community.

reflections for the two sites, before focusing on the more downstream one. While visiting the sites, one could notice the presence of scattered natural elements, as well as small infrastructures such as farms, which are sparsely distributed all over the sites. Furthermore, the second site is settling the Wavre Nord Business Park, a huge industrial area. The housings thread the roads to form ribbon developments.

They create vertical and horizontal sequences of dispatched elements.

To avoid the tragedy of the commons and ensure more social and sustainable ones in the post covid 19 times, an appropriate and sustainable solution would be to opt for a public-private partnership. This would increase sustainable management and access to outdoor spaces for all, which proved to be important thanks to the pandemic. In the proceeding analysis, we took all this into consideration to propose better management strategies for the privatised pond. This will be seen in

The sites consist of plateaus, slopes and valleys that have been modified overtime

the design later on.

to suit human habitation. In the valleys, trees, agricultural facilities and industry have formed a patchy structure of green and grey areas, whereas the steep slopes are populated with forest cover. On another note, the plateaus and gentle slopes are mainly dedicated to housings, therefore welcoming typical suburban singlefamily Belgian allotments. Moving on, forest coverage was mainly on the plateaus and valleys followed by Urbanisation at its edges, taking the form of clusters and ribbons, developing along roads and rivers. However, we notice a dramatic decrease in the forest coverage in the years of military raids that have been compensated in the current plans of re- and afforestation. Up until now, the urbanization is seen to follow the initial settlement patterns.

ANALYSIS The downstream site is characterized by the presence of natural and artificial sequences that follow the two riverbeds and that converge towards them, composed of dispatched green infrastructures, accentuated by sparsely dispersed facility buildings, known as intensities. Whereas, the more upstream area consists of three major sequences; the business park, the forest, and the allotments, separated by two major roads. Looking further, for the sake of the design, we are going to focus on the more downstream site because it suits best our vision and narrative, which takes into account urbanizing the forests and watershed. The section embodies the diverse patchwork of landscape/ topographical features, including plateaus,

In the larger context, the two sites are serviced by railway as well as road networks for vehicular transport. Enough bus stops are present in the sites, supported by some degree of soft mobility pathways highly embedded within the topography.

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valleys, forests, river bed etc., as well as urban infrastructure such as ribbon developments, on the site for sequential analysis. The soil analysis demonstrates a high relationship between the ordering of existing elements with the topography. It

illustrates a sequence of, the higher one goes, the drier the soil becomes. Altogether,

taken into consideration as well.

this explains human habitation on the plateaus and gentle slopes, leaving the wetter areas green and/or productive. 5 secs less

Stemming from an observation regarding the building typologies following ribbon development along the roads, the purpose of this intervention is to break the

Regarding plot sizes, we notice a sequence of plot sizes following the topography.

monotony in the existing layout of housing infrastructure. This will be achieved by

Plateaus and steep slopes are characterized by smaller parcels; whereas in the valley

injecting the settlement with an array of mixed systems in transition for example,

one could observe the high presence of larger and longer plots. The surrounding

forests varying in tree species and density, orchards and kitchen gardens, parks,

context is characteristic of very large plot sizes for the occupation of forests and

shared living and working spaces etc.

agrarian land. 5 secs

STRATEGY The plateau and valley are characteristic of human inhabitation due to drier and

Building on the previous, the strategy plan illustrates the forested slopes, new

flatter land respectively. There is also a presence of agricultural developments

building typologies on the plateaus and sequences of various green and blue in

in the valleys and surrounding areas, where patches of forests create a scattered

the valley. On every balcony of forested slopes in the west, orchards are proposed

network. Forests are aligned along the valley, coinciding with the mobility pattern.

to transition to a new urbanity near the valley ordered by flat lands. Intensities

Overall, the series of distribution of the forested and agricultural land, as well as

follow concentration of settlements as a way of serving them and enhancing social

the housing units, is parallel to the river, following the topography. From a matrix

cohesion in the area.

of axonometric drawings, we illustrate typical relationships of different elements, topography, green and blue system, fabrics, and plots. Suburbanisation, agriculture,

The urbanistic elements constitute new building typologies on the plateaus, and new

and tree coverage are noticed in the floodplain following roads along the river. The

ways of living and working, in the form of shared spaces. Furthermore, proximity

houses constitute mainly single-family houses with long backyards in the lowlands,

facilities and new intensities are embedded within the existing fabric to enhance

while on the plateaus, the typologies thread the ridge with less backyard space.

quality of life and improve the sense of community. Here, people work, live, and meet. This would be boosted by the amelioration of soft mobility structure. 5 secs

VISION

Concerning water management, this constitutes utilizing the watersheds for storage and production of water as well as to stem flood risks. This has been

This being said, our vision can be resumed to three main concepts: foresting

realized through weaving ponds, wetlands, meadows and open spaces to revitalize

the slopes, by densifying or adding green elements where settlements can be

the valley into a natural blue and green sequence. Soft mobility structures across

implemented in a subtle way while keeping nature’s integrity, animating the valley,

the rivers have been proposed to improve connections across different settlements

by patching up the riverbeds and dedicating them mainly to leisure and recreation,

currently separated by the existing water structures.

and living on the plateaus, by alternating different intensities and natural feature. .

The ecological niche focuses on diversification of tree species to animate and reduce Afforesting the slopes make the forests more robust. The idea here is to create

the monotony. Similarly, apart from requalifying the green areas into several uses

opportunities for natural ecosystems to thrive, as well as integrating some grey

suitably, the ambition here is to weave, accentuate and create new green patch

infrastructures. The forested slopes would act as an edge, as well as an envelope in

dynamics to ensure smooth and complementary transitions from one to another.

some cases, for living settlements, forming a connection between them. Here the

Finally, a key element is to preserve fauna and flora, therefore, the land will not

notion of living within the forest takes all its meaning.

undergo a series of built interventions.

The purpose of “animating the valleys” is to create a more cohesive and accessible

At Urban fabric scale we decided to focus on the area in-between the two riverbeds.

sequence along the riverbeds, proposing a system of more dynamic and various

The idea behind the design is central re-commoning at the top of the plateau which

patches. These spaces will be dedicated towards leisure activities supplemented by

flows to intertwine with different elements creating a new system of sequences that

readily accessible soft mobility pathways, increasing connectivity in order to create

support each other simultaneously. An improvement of sparse intensities along

opportunities for similar developments and activities. There, water management is

these spaces is anticipated to forge social cohesion.

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© Leander Baeke

06 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 661

POST COVID-19 FOREST & WATER URBANISMS DIJLE WATERSHED & SENNE WATERSHED The studio brief was co-developed by KU Leuven and Omgeving. A special thanks to Omgeving for all the support given to the studio throughout the process of its development.

Guests

Base Material/Site Documentation

Loes Abrahams, Department of Omgeving

Darina Andreeva

Nils Broothaerts, KU Leuven

Rana Bachir

Geert Bruynseels, Natuurinvest

Anja Billion

Amy Chester, Rebuild By Design

Rachid Garcia Elmosri

Raquel Colacios, UIC

Hagar Khaled Selim Mohamed Faggal

Jo Decoster, horizon+

Nathan Fredrick

Federico Gobbato, KADERSTUDIO

Shubhra Kansal

Cecil Konijndijk, NBSI

Yun Li

Julie Marin, KU Leuven

Zhihan Liu

Jitse Massant, plusoffice

Pengyang Luo

Bart Meuleman, Agency of Nature and Forests

Eli Maldonado Marchan

Joris Moonen, KU Leuven

Natalia Recalde Miranda

Elyn Remy, Vlaams Brabant

Minh Quang Nguyen

Rafael Tuts, UN Habitat

Silvia Parra Pabon

Liesl Vanautgaerden, Department of Omgeving

Rodrigo Miguel Carpio Rey

Gert Van de Genachte, INTOE Carmen Van Maercke, Architecture Workroom Ward Verbakel, plusoffice

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Student Groups

Teaching Team

Imraan Begg

Pebri Try Astuti

Viviana d’ Auria, KU Leuven

Raquel Jerobon

Ying Li

Bruno De Meulder, KU Leuven

Sebastian Oviedo

Valerian Portokalis

Kelly Shannon, KU Leuven

Cecilia Alejandra Quiroga

Arthur Stache

Pieter Van den Broeck, KU Leuven Annelies De Nijs, Atelier Horizon

Carlijne Lelièvre

Daniela Cobo

Donglin Liu

Philippa Lankers

Tlhabi Shubane

Jennifer Saad

Nina Reyntjens, BUUR

Yentl Wulteputte Leander Baeke

Ariane Cantillana

Giulia Devis

Yifan Hu

Raya Rizk

Caroline Thaler

Xenia Stoumpou

Yidnekachew Yilma

Agnese Marcigliano

Gemma Annear

Carlos Morales

Ermioni Chatzimichail

Haifa Saleh

Simon De Boeck

Tien Tran

Elena Giral

Camille Hendlisz

Bing Du

Cécile Houpert

Laetitia-Nour Hanna

Sara Semlali

Izzah Minhas

Lucie Van Meerbeeck

Bridget Nakangu

Booklet Layout & Editing Khalda Imad Mubarak El Jack Vu Thi Phuong Linh

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DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE

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MASTER OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS MASTER OF URBANISM, LANDSCAPE AND PLANNING