Critical mass
Lynne Jansen
Master Architectuur
2021 — 2022
studio
Ringcultuur / spaces of transition
promotoren
Koen Van Bockstal
Mario Rinke
Masterplan
De statuten per bouwblok als centrale studie
Onderzoek naar de grenzen tussen de bouwblokken en de woningen ten opzichte van de omgeving
Integratie van een Groenstraat als contrast met aangrenzende ‘car-based’ wijken
Maquette met volume inpassingen op schaal 1/500
Critical mass
Our research focused on the Tentoonstellingswijk and Kiel, they function as isolated islands while being situated next to each other. Both of them lack vital functions and a social mix. The new open space in between creates opportunities to restore the urban fabric and answer the needs. It can offer the possibility to compensate for the monotonous city landscape of both neighborhoods with differing living typologies and facilities.
The capping of the ring road and A12 in Antwerp generates several opportunities for the surrounding neighborhoods, which are now scarred by these dividing roads. Our research focused on both the Tentoonstellingswijk and Kiel, south of the ring road.
The two neighborhoods function as isolated islands while being situated next to each other. The membrane of both enclaves is as a transit zone to the city center. They have a very different identity, both in living typologies and urban fabric. The part of the Kiel only consists of social housing in a modernist shape, while the Tentoonstellingswijk mostly attracts an older and wealthier public because of their houses with private gardens.
How can we bring their inhabitants together and make both parts more livable? The new open space in between creates a lot of opportunities to restore the urban fabric and answer some of the needs. It can also offer the possibility to compensate for the monotonous city landscape of both neighborhoods with differing living typologies and facilities.
Our design starts from the open, unbuilt space, to give it the same importance as the build area. The four central building blocks all have an inner court with a different statute on the public-collective spectrum. The buildings surrounding these courts, together with their structures and living typologies are linked to these statutes and try to adapt to it. This offers the possibility to reach different social layers and bring them together in a healthy social mix.