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The “Schelde-Landschapspark” (Scheldt-Landscape Park) basic objective is nature conservation and restoration in the estuary, in combination with functions such as living, working, agriculture and industry. This is about the gradual compilation of several projects: town and country planning (living, working), planning of nature, water purification, flood protection, infrastructure,… This landscape and urban development project should give the Scheldt in all of its aspects back a spot on the international map. So in fact, projects reach beyond nature. Nature and landscape are an important part in the overall functioning of a society. In addition, other initiatives need to be given a prominent place too. Urban development projects (living and industry) are just as well part of the project. The “Schelde-Landschapspark” gathers all projects related to the Scheldt that, by doing so, make up a unity and one whole, and on top aim at administrative collaboration between municipalities. |
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foto: Bart Lasuy |
The spatial vision on the project area is threefold:
1. Broaden the discovery of the Maritime Scheldt valley
Broadening the discovery of the Maritime Scheldt valley aims, not only at allowing the Scheldt to be discovered and observed at the borders of its winter and summer bed, but in a far bigger and wider area. Indeed, at the Scheldt’s borders, we find Ancient Scheldt arms; this is where nature and landscape have developed in a specific and fairly familiar way. The result is that the Scheldt’s presence has left traces in a much wider area. It is precisely this process of making people notice and discover it that creates potentials for a wider and more differentiated discovery of the Maritime Scheldt valley. In this respect, stream valleys and Ancient Scheldt arms constitute an important starting point to make the Scheldt’s character felt inland.
2. Reinforce the mosaic
As a result of the region’s development without town and country planning, this area’s landscape is looks like a mosaic. Several spatial purposes have been positioned next to each other and jumbled up. The landscape adds up several entities with their own particular patterns. Designing the mosaic and the various entities is the key point. The unsteady balance and the relation between urban and green landscapes provide potentials to refine and to transform these identities, and to add new ones, taking into account the size and the scale of this structure’s texture. Designing the mosaic implies giving the landscape’s quality a familiar character. Giving the residential and industrial areas the chance to develop within this mosaic scale reduces the open space surface. And so the development of a familiar contemporary landscape needs to go hand in hand with the development of differentiated living and working landscapes increasing the open space’s quality and familiar character.
3. Ensure the opening up
The third objective is to ensure this growing region’s opening up. Development opportunities for living and working in a quality and familiar landscape are the key point. The area’s, and by extension the Flemish Check’s infrastructural network is particularly intricate, and generally speaking it shows a screen pattern. The main axes, such as E17, E40, A12 and several roads connect the Flemish Check’s main centres with each other and with the rest of Europe. This area’s alternative accessibility is becoming a future necessity.