Last updated: October 2021
The project aims to completely redevelop ‘Rozemaai’, a neighborhood in Antwerp, focusing on climate change adaptation, green spaces, and recreation. This includes a sustainable drainage system in which storm water flows via swales into a water stream with nature-friendly river banks, trees and bushes in the neighborhood, green parking lots, allotments and recreational facilities such as picnic tables (Ref. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Since 2019, the district has had a new, accessible park in which the Donkse brook plays a leading role (Ref. 7).
https://www.antwerpenmorgen.be/nl/projecten/rozemaai/over
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Alley or street trees and other street vegetation
- Green parking lots
- Blue infrastructure
- Riverbank/Lakeside greens
- Parks and urban forests
- Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces
- Community gardens and allotments
- Allotments
- Lakes/ponds
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
- Green areas for water management
- Swales and filter strips
- Sustainable urban drainage systems
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social justice and equity
- Social cohesion
- Social interaction
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Enabling opportunities for physical activity
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas
Project objectives
The overarching vision for the neighborhood by the municipality was to improve the quality of life of citizens in the neighborhood (the neighbourhood is characterized by high level of unemployment, a lack of green space and large social-cultural differences) (Ref. 4). Therefore, a pleasant environment in the neighborhood should be created where people of all ages can enjoy recreation, sports and play (Ref. 1). Additional goals are storm water retention by creating a drainage system and improvement of social cohesion by means of creating enough space and facilities where citizens can meet each other and connect (Ref. 2).
Implementation activities
The historical stream that disappeared in the 1960s is recreated with eco-friendly river banks (Ref. 1, 5).Sustainable drainage system: storm water flows from buildings and grey areas through swales in which part of the storm water infiltrates and parts flow to a recreated historical water stream. In the water stream dams and stepping stones will be created that slow down the water flow which improves infiltration and which can also be used by children to play and cross the river (Ref. 5).
Diverse native vegetation (trees and bushes) and fruit trees throughout the neighborhood and eco-friendly mowing of existing grass areas (Ref. 2).
Green parking lots with bushes and willow borders (Ref. 2).
Ponds with shallow water that can store stormwater in case of heavy rainfall and provide habitat (Ref. 2).
Recreational facilities: walking and cycling paths, playgrounds, benches and picnic tables (Ref. 1, 2). 52 Allotments, a road verge for the A12 highway and 'sorteerstraatjes' (waste separation system) (Ref. 1). "The city turns the Rozemaai district, on the outskirts of Ekeren and Antwerp, into a pleasant area for young and old. Since 2019, the district has a new, accessible park in which the Donkse beek plays the leading role" (Ref. 7).
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Renaturalization of rivers and other water bodies
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
- Marginalized groups: Socio-economically disadvantaged populations (e.g. low-income households, unemployed)
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Dissemination of information and education
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The project is initiated by the Municipality of Antwerp and designed and implemented by a partnership between Buro Lubbers (landscape architecture company) and Infrabo (infrastructure company) (Ref. 3). The land is mostly owned by the municipality (15 ha) and for a small part by the housing corporation (2ha) (Ref. 4). The designers discussed the development plan of the neighborhood with many stakeholders: the Municipality of Antwerp, social housing corporation Woonhaven en Vlaamse Maatschappij voor Sociaal Wonen (Flemish Social Housing Organization). The vegetation of the road verge is discussed with Natuurpunt (NGO), planting and types of trees with Agentschap Natuur en Bos (NGO for nature and forest), water issues with Roilink (water management organization) and mobility issues with Agentschap Wegen en Verkeer (municipal agency) (Ref. 2). Citizens were for their opinions for the plan (Ref. 1) The allotments were created by De Antwerpse Tuniers (allotment organization) (Ref. 1).
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(The redevelopment of the neighborhood Rozemaai is the result of the city planning guidance 'Strategisch Ruimtelijk Structuurplan Antwerpen (Strategic Spatial Structure Plan Antwerp) of 2006 in which the general urban development plan of the city of Antwerp (Ref. 4, 6). This document gave rise to the Masterplan Rozemaai (Masterplan for the neighborhood) in 2009, in which it is specified elements that the neighborhood should contain: green spaces, water elements and recreational facilities that improves social cohesion (Ref. 4, 6).)
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Strengthened capacity to address climate hazards/natural disasters
- Water management and blue areas
- Increased protection against flooding
- Improved stormwater management
- Enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
Economic impacts
- Stimulate development in deprived areas
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved social cohesion
- Improved liveability
- Improved access to urban green space
- Increased visibility and opportunity for marginalised groups or indigenous peoples
- Increased opportunities for social interaction
- Health and wellbeing
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts, Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
1. Gemeente Antwerpen (2016). Rozemaai bloeit open. [online] Available at: Source link (Website not available in 2020).
2. Buro Lubbers (2016) Definitief ontwerp Masterplan Rozemaai. Vught: Buro Lubbers. [pdf] Available at: Source link (Accessed: October 8, 2020).
3. Buro Lubbers (n.d.). Rozemaai. [online] Available at: Source link (Accessed: October 15, 2020).
4. Gemeente Antwerpen (2009). Masterplan Rozemaai Projectdefinitie. Antwerp: Municipality of Antwerp. [pdf] Available at: Source link (Accessed: October 8, 2020).
5. Van de Perre, P. (2016). Rozemaai krijgt water en groen in de wijk. Antwerp: Gazet van Antwerpen. [pdf] Available at: Source link (Accessed: October 8, 2020).
6. Gemeente Antwerpen (2012). Stadsontwikkeling in Antwerpen. Antwerpen Ontwerpen. Antwerp: Municipality of Antwerp. [pdf] Available at: Source link (Website not available in 2020).
7. Gemeente Antwerpen (2020). Rozemaai: Een aangename wijk met toegankelijk park. [Online] Available at: Source link (Accessed: October 8, 2020).
2. Buro Lubbers (2016) Definitief ontwerp Masterplan Rozemaai. Vught: Buro Lubbers. [pdf] Available at: Source link (Accessed: October 8, 2020).
3. Buro Lubbers (n.d.). Rozemaai. [online] Available at: Source link (Accessed: October 15, 2020).
4. Gemeente Antwerpen (2009). Masterplan Rozemaai Projectdefinitie. Antwerp: Municipality of Antwerp. [pdf] Available at: Source link (Accessed: October 8, 2020).
5. Van de Perre, P. (2016). Rozemaai krijgt water en groen in de wijk. Antwerp: Gazet van Antwerpen. [pdf] Available at: Source link (Accessed: October 8, 2020).
6. Gemeente Antwerpen (2012). Stadsontwikkeling in Antwerpen. Antwerpen Ontwerpen. Antwerp: Municipality of Antwerp. [pdf] Available at: Source link (Website not available in 2020).
7. Gemeente Antwerpen (2020). Rozemaai: Een aangename wijk met toegankelijk park. [Online] Available at: Source link (Accessed: October 8, 2020).