A short video showing the slow urbanism of Belgium cities. Antwerp used to be a city with a lot of Belle Epoque buildings. With the invention of the lift and the firebrigade demands not to build higher than x layers because they could spray water higher a transformation started. Which is still ongoing. The video shows in some scenes clearly the transformation from a beatyfull but a bit provincial city atmosphere to a quite urban metropolitan setting. Mostly only the public space stayed the same showing again how important the urban design of these lanes and profiles are.
Recently the innercity Ring called the Leien are already or are being reconstructed. In some pictures I show the different looks troughout the years. With the uses off car transport the monumental boulevards first were redesign into a kind off innercity highways. Then more adapted to this use. And now there is a progress back into the looks of the first monumental lanes. They will still accomodate cartraffic but it's not the main goal anymore. That is liveability and green for the people living or visiting the Center. The design aims at comfort for slow and public transport with integrated railtracks and bike lanes. Together with wide stoops for pedestrians and places for lines of trees automatically there is less spaces for car lanes.
The new situations:
Small recent developments along the Leien
Oostende
Also in Oostende the belle epoque architecture boulevard blocks transformed into high density urban quarters during the last 100 years. Oostende started as populair bathing resort, even a bit chic, being used by the rich of nearby Brussels and Antwerp. Nowaydays it's still a beach resort but also used as sleeping quarters for people working in the big cities. The two video's show clearly the transformation of the boulevard buildings. I am not sure it's a qualitative enhancement regarding architecture, but surely more people now enjoy a livingroom with a seepanorama.
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