Ringpark Zuid Antwerp: New connection for greenery and sustainability

At the end of 2020, AWV (Agency for Roads and Traffic), in close collaboration with the City of Antwerp, indicated that, as part of De Grote Verbinding project, Ringpark Zuid in Antwerp will be given further shape. With as objective, to offers an answer to the greenery shortage in the surrounding districts, to create new opportunities for urban development, to ensure better water buffering and to open up the freed up space and verges for use.

This park will run from the Kennedy Tunnel, across the current Antwerp South slip road complex and the junction with the A112, to Colonel Silvertopstraat. Ringpark Zuid creates new connections for greenery and ecology, and for pedestrians and cyclists between the districts of Het Kiel, Antwerpen-Zuid and Brederode. And with the new configuration, there will be 70,000 m² less asphalt and 43 ha of defragmented green area.

The project scope regroups the park and the 'Zuidknoop' complex, the covering of the Jan De Vos Lei and the extension of the tunnel Jan De Vos.

The design team that will take on the further elaboration of the Ringpark Zuid consists of 51N4E, H+N+S, Tractebel, Endeavour, Bollinger+Grohmann, Plant&Houtgoed and IMDC. The team will consult with organizations, associations and citizens in and around the Ringpark Zuid zone until fall 2021 to arrive at the preliminary design.

The next steps are:

1. Preliminary design: determining the broad outlines of the future design of Ringpark Zuid.
2. Subprojects: which subprojects can be realized with the available budget?
3. Definitive design: elaboration of the preliminary design into a feasible plan.
4. Execution of infrastructure works at Knoop Zuid, construction of the A12 covering at Kiel and the layout of the park.

“Ringpark Zuid is a perfect illustration of how our integrated collaboration with internal and external parties creates clear added value, not only for our end customer but for all stakeholders involved in the project.” Bram Vandenboom, Head of Urban Tractebel.