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News · September 25, 2025
Ragheno park preliminary design reaches completion!
We are proud to announce the completion of our preliminary design for Ragheno park in Mechelen, Belgium, a transformative landmark that establishes a green spine through the station district and anchors its role within a larger mixed-use development in the making. Spanning 11 hectares, Ragheno park reclaims a former industrial site as the largest city park in Mechelen, surpassing the combined size of all parks within the historical Vesten! The preliminary design is prepared in close collaboration with Atelier Ruimtelijk Advies and PLOT Ruimtelijk Management, and commissioned by the City of Mechelen and Pidpa. While the wider site is guided by a master plan, focusing on the park’s design at this stage of the development ensures a clear and unified vision within the broader framework.
A gradual gradient for Mechelen’s green future
The park unfolds as a green lung through five distinctive park “rooms”: the station park, water park, harbour park, residential park and forest park. Designed as a gradual gradient, the park transitions from the vibrant urban setting near the station into ever more natural landscapes around the forest. While each room provides variation and has its own recognisable ensemble to aid navigation, the design ensures that Ragheno park functions as a cohesive whole for everyone rather than a collection of sanitised urban fragments. The park is conceived as an evolving, long-term, resilient landscape, growing gradually with the city and its community.
Ragheno park as a gradient from city to landscape
“With this project we transform the backside of the station into a front door to the landscape.”
– Tom Wierts, Associate
Relationship between Ragheno Park and surrounding ecological networks
Mobility, biodiversity, and water management
At the heart of Ragheno Park runs a central north–south path that links the city and station directly to the forest, prioritizing future-proof, active mobility for pedestrians and cyclists. Beyond creating distinctive spaces for play, nature, and relaxation, our design places biodiversity and water buffering at its core. Thoughtfully integrated habitats and wadi structures support diverse flora and fauna throughout dry and wet periods, enhancing both the park’s ecological functions and its visual richness.
Completing the preliminary design is an exciting milestone, and we can’t wait to see Ragheno park take shape in the years to come!
