STW0030 – TURNHOUT – City park – Clearings in the canopy
design: playground sports school, parking and integration of a new sport hall sports school
type: urbanism and landscape
client: city of Turnhout
designteam urbanism and open space:
architecture: Archiles + ZJA
experts: Studie 10, Daidalos Peutz, ASBT
time: competition 2021 - …
The continuous canopy of majestic avenues characterises the city park of Turnhout. Between the generous avenues you discover the clearings between the trees. Each clearing - or opening between the trees - has its own function and atmosphere: a large pond, an animal pasture, a stadium, an archery field, a miniature steam train, etc. The repositioning of the sports hall forms an opportunity to address the frayed edges of the park and to give shape to two new clearings and one avenue with their own identity.
The plan reveals the potential of three new places in the city park: the clearing with islands of sports and games, the parking avenue, and the sports hall's clearing
(1) islands of sports and games - The reconstruction and decealing of the existing playground brings the park right into the school. Small paved islands are equipped for sports and games within the green.
(2) parking avenue - The extension and continuation of the existing parking creates a new alley. The intervention of the parking completes the majestic avenues that already exist today (and creates a structure for a potential car-free park).
(3) clearing of the sports hall - The new sports hall closes a new clearing in the park canopy. The sports hall is not in the middle of the clearing: one side has a clear access, the other side is nestled in the existing trees.
The three different interventions focus the vision of clearings and avenues in the canopy of the city park.