On the site of the former AZ Sint-Maarten in Mechelen, Belgium, there will be a new residential area: ‘Maarten’. On the site of approximately 10,000 m², a new neighbourhood park and a traffic-free and pedestrian-friendly residential street will be built to a design by OKRA landscape architects.
The transformation into a residential area will bring this location back to life. An excellent opportunity to transform it into an active and green urban space where everyone can walk, relax, work and live. Central to the development is a new neighbourhood park. Between the neighbourhood park and the Vaartdijk on the Leuven Canal, a green car-free residential street will be realised where sustainable urban development goes hand in hand with playing and meeting.
Climate adaptive design
The residential area is becoming climate-adaptive with green open spaces with lots of variation in planting and wadis, which contributes to urban biodiversity. The green spaces are in connection with other green spaces and lines such as the Leuvense Vaart. Softening and extra buffers for rainwater are important design principles. The new green residential area ‘Maarten’ is located in the centre of Mechelen, 500 metres from the historic city centre.
Centre impulse Mechelen
OKRA and Atelier Ruimtelijk advies have been appointed as designers for the redevelopment of another important part of Mechelen’s historic city centre. The City Master Plan Mechelen consists of a series of redevelopment projects, including the old Vliet Melaan, the Rik Wouterstuin, the Lange Schipstraat, the Sint Katelijnestraat and the Korenmarkt.
Image: Democo Group