Just east of Antwerp lie the areas Ruggeveld and Botelaar-Silsburg, where Karres and Brands, in cooperation with Maxwan and 1010, have created an innovative landscape. Herewith the realization of an optimal interweaving of landscape, sports park, activity and ecology was sought.

The principle starting point for the spatial structure is the creation of a network of ‘green links’. This therefore ensures that the park succeeds in structure, consistency and accessibility. The spatial intention is to allow a gentle, park-like monumentality to emerge. The green links originate from the valley, flow through the terrain as recreational programmes and branch out into the surrounding streets.

The area of the park with the greatest extra-local importance lies around the sports complex. We view the sports complex as an important landmark for the Ruggeveld Park. The east side of the Ruggeveld Park will be a forking of the valley in the direction of the Ertbrugge urban forest. From a spatial perspective this zone is a more densely vegetated section of the park wherein the various sports clubs can find a place.

In Silsburg the changes will be determined via the structure of community plots and a project for the natural restoration of the valley, through which it will become more interesting both ecologically and educationally. In the process, the park gains appreciation for the value of its flora and fauna. Some areas will be utilized as recreational forests, while others will be laid out as natural buffer zones.