AC Ninove

The project for Ninove does not begin with the design of a single administrative building, but with a wider urban question: where should civic infrastructure sit if it is to improve the city as a whole? The current administrative site on the left bank occupies a strategic but fragmented position between schools, large roads and extensive parking. At the same time, the right bank has gradually become a strong social and cultural corridor along the Dender, anchored by the city park, sports facilities, academies and youth programmes.

The proposal therefore treats the new administrative centre as part of a larger urban restructuring, aimed at reconnecting both riverbanks and transforming the Dender valley into a more liveable, water-aware and publicly shared environment.

The central idea is clear: move the administrative centre from the left bank to the right bank, where it can act as a civic anchor within an existing sequence of socially supported public functions. This shift reduces pressure on the current site and opens new opportunities on the left bank for housing, public squares and reuse of valuable existing buildings.

On the right bank, the new administrative centre takes on a gateway role at the head of the civic strip along Parklaan. Positioned near the Dr. Hemerijckxplein, it strengthens the connection between the city park, the Dender and the future development of the Burchtdamse Meersen.

The masterplan organises the city through a series of connected public spaces rather than isolated objects. On the left bank, former administrative plots are reprogrammed with housing, childcare, cultural uses and commercial functions, supported by selective reuse of robust existing structures. On the right bank, the new administrative centre is paired with a strong public plinth, underground parking and a new square linked to park, bridge and waterfront.

This restructuring also improves daily movement. Safer cycling routes, a clearer pedestrian sequence and a more legible relationship between school, housing and civic functions support a gradual shift away from car dominance.

The project combines adaptive reuse with carefully placed new construction. On the left bank, existing brick civic buildings are valued for their structural clarity, spatial generosity and local architectural character. Their reuse strengthens continuity with the history of the site while reducing demolition and material loss.

On the right bank, the new administrative centre is conceived as an all-sided civic building set within a public landscape. It is present without being monumental: a compact volume with a clear public base, upper working floors and a green internal patio that shapes the atmosphere of the building.

The masterplan redefines public space along the Dender as a green-blue network. Open land on the waterfront is preserved as a multifunctional public terrain for events, recreation and spontaneous use. River edges are adapted to support water buffering, ecological continuity and better everyday contact with the water.

Squares are treated as nodes within this wider landscape, linking park, bridge, schools and new housing. The result is a softer urban structure in which landscape and city reinforce one another.