The Moscou neighborhood is situated in the 20th century belt of Ghent. Surrounded with infrastructural borders, Moscou is an island. Train tracks, highways and roads shape it but also connect it with the city center.
The neighborhood Moscou within the context of Ghent. In yellow: the projectsite.
A thorough research was organized within the design studio to get to know the Moscou neighborhood.
Mapping of functions
Mapping of morphology
Mapping the historical evolution of the built space (LtR: 1935-1960-1979)
The chosen site within Moscou is a fairly uniform territory with a characteristic structure that has remained abandoned after the train company moved to another place. Given that it is a large and unified territory, it can be assumed that it will soon become a subject of interest for development projects.
We wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to comment on the territory before any significant intervention enters into it. We present an alternative vision, a manual of how this territory could look, to serve the city, the inhabitants, and at the same time not lose its atmosphere and uniqueness. This project gives an answer on how to fill and densify an urban void in a qualitative way.
We wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to comment on the territory before any significant intervention enters into it. We present an alternative vision, a manual of how this territory could look, to serve the city, the inhabitants, and at the same time not lose its atmosphere and uniqueness. This project gives an answer on how to fill and densify an urban void in a qualitative way.
Underneath are fragments from the research about the site, from history and data to the mapping of the typologies.
History
Numbers
Typology mapping
Typologies present
General approach.
The habitable area is provided in a strip on the right side, protecting and handling the border of the existing neighborhood. The three zones have different confrontations and therefore different aims. The following collages show the intentions of every area.
Garden quarter
Urban terraces
Forest towers
Along the way we picked up some principles that we wanted to integrate to improve the existing. As the site was surrounded with borders, we came up with the concept of ‘gates’, a concept that breaks borders and creates permeability, human scale and interesting views and experiences.
Working with these interesting approaches and permeability, another concept was born. ‘Back is the new front’ is used to break the normal. It makes sure that dead back spaces are activated and creates another approach in experiencing the built space.
As the original buildings and infrastructure are valuable elements in telling the story of the site, our goal is to reuse the existing to reintegrate it in a new context.
Working with these interesting approaches and permeability, another concept was born. ‘Back is the new front’ is used to break the normal. It makes sure that dead back spaces are activated and creates another approach in experiencing the built space.
As the original buildings and infrastructure are valuable elements in telling the story of the site, our goal is to reuse the existing to reintegrate it in a new context.
gates
back is the new front
reusing the existing
Comparison of the existing situation vs the planned, regarding the functions on the site.
Adding the time element to our transformation plan. We work from outside to inside, activating and inviting the neighborhood to use the site from day one.
The focus is on keeping the site activated while it is developing, adding to the experience of the neighborhood inhabitants and positioning them closer to the process. Activities should be organized so inhabitants can contribute to the site.
The focus is on keeping the site activated while it is developing, adding to the experience of the neighborhood inhabitants and positioning them closer to the process. Activities should be organized so inhabitants can contribute to the site.
Because of the previous function of the plot, there is a lot of soil pollution, that’s why we need to clean the land before we can built and work in/on it.
Most of the train tracks are reused to refer to the original history of the place. The train tracks are scars into the ground, they are part of the character. Using them as path, play element, decor or to actually move stuff around.
Most of the train tracks are reused to refer to the original history of the place. The train tracks are scars into the ground, they are part of the character. Using them as path, play element, decor or to actually move stuff around.
Masterplan 1:2000
Garden quarter
Urban terraces
Forest towers
Garden quarter
Urban terraces
Forest towers
Collage of the proposed.
This work was made possible in collaboration with Robert Hirsch and Michaela Dominakova.
