campus noord

The public education organization GO! wanted to revitalize its strategically located Campus Noord in Sint-Niklaas (Belgium). A previous attempt did not yield the correct result and also encountered resistance from local residents. Together with the educational directors, we first investigated the pedagogical project: a community campus focused on sports, well-being, nutrition and health. We then supported the GO! organization during a complex integration exercise of six different educational institutions and a multifunctional culture and event hall. In co-creation with the city council, we also looked for additional social added value. The redevelopment of this large-scale (4.2 ha) educational site provides unique opportunities for the upgrading of the desolate backside of the station where there is a feeling of insecurity. For example, we formulated proposals to break the infrastructural barrier of the railway and turn the backside into a second front with a new bus station. Through a program of student entrepreneurs (including pop-up companies), the school institutions themselves will also form a driving force behind this urban renewal.