Makers’ district Arsenaal
Arsenaalsite, Gentbrugge 2023
The Arsenaal site is a large-scale, vacant repair facility located on the 20th-century outskirts of Ghent. Commissioned by the City of Ghent and in collaboration with NMBS (National Railway Company of Belgium) and Team Stedenbeleid (‘Team Urban Policy’), the inquiry explored how to transform a mono-functional workshop into an innovative, integrated, and connected urban hub.
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The master plan pays particular attention to blending the exceptional industrial heritage with new societal needs and the corresponding spatial demands.
In addition to a spatial vision for densification and redevelopment of the district, flexible and innovative management models for the site are investigated.
The economic feasibility of the proposed concepts was assessed using a valorization model.
The master plan lays the groundwork for an ambitious urban renewal project, providing a strategic direction and vision that allows the site to evolve into a "Makers District," an ecosystem for businesses and the community.
City Made
Recent and less recent redevelopment projects of abandoned railway sites have demonstrated far too often that generic typologies for living and working fail to do the qualities of these industrial sites justice.
The master plan for the Arsenal site, therefore, is based on new formats and configurations that derive simple yet significant qualities from the characteristics of the existing heritage. Oversized dimensions, striking roof shapes, and substantial-looking buildings with a coherent material culture define the character of the site.
By reinterpreting, recombining, and transforming these features, hybrid buildings emerge that offer exceptional qualities for both living and working.
