Anyone who’s been to Charles de Kerchovelaan in Ghent recently can’t have failed to notice the transformation of the historic Leopold Barracks, which is in full swing and making good progress. A completely new neighbourhood is being developed as part of a unique concept in the city where living, working, and relaxing all intertwine seamlessly. And residential units in this development go on sale to the general public starting today. All the works – on the residential buildings, provincial hall, underground car park, and courtyard above it – will be fully finished by the end of 2023.
 
From disused site to vibrant multifunctional urban neighbourhood
 
Developers Matexi and Ciril are transforming Ghent’s historic Leopold Barracks from an old and disused former military complex into a vibrant and multifunctional urban neighbourhood. The Barracks are being repurposed, but major efforts are being made to retain as much of the character of this piece of Ghent’s heritage as possible. The new neighbourhood will accommodate 82 apartments, 10 houses, and numerous commercial and sociocultural areas such as the new provincial hall, teaching rooms, a hotel, a restaurant, and a day nursery. The inner garden, the Paradeplein, will become a vibrant green courtyard in the heart of Ghent’s museum district.
 
Matexi always aims to develop inclusive and vibrant neighbourhoods. “Lots of interested parties have already come to enquire about the project, which we’ve noticed is attracting both young and old alike, partly because of its unique location and variety of housing. An intergenerational mix of residents will enhance the social contact and can only benefit the new area,” says Trui Tydgat, Business Manager for Matexi Oost-Vlaanderen.
 
“Lots of people are struggling to find high-quality, sustainable homes in Ghent these days. But this unique project offers them a solution – in a special location with a strong historical character, right on the so-called arts mile. And by providing space for the provincial hall, a hotel, and a green public area on the site, we’re also creating a new and dynamic district to enhance the city’s existing urban fabric,” says Werner Wouters, Development Director at Ciril.
 
The importance of a good neighbourhood
 
The pandemic has highlighted the importance of having a good home in a pleasant neighbourhood with close access to green spaces and local facilities.  The Barracks will also become a major attraction at the heart of Ghent’s city life, right next to the SMAK (Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art), MSK (Museum of Fine Arts), KASK (Royal Academy of Fine Arts), and STAM (Ghent City Museum).  The provincial hall will serve as a meeting place and the courtyard, with its urban greenery, will be somewhere that residents, visitors, workers, and hotel guests can go to relax.
 
“This unique transformation in the city of Ghent perfectly matches the current spirit of the times to use available urban space carefully, and is fully in line with our strategic focus. At Matexi, we’ve been focussing on projects that can transform cities such as this and redeveloping abandoned sites for over 20 years already. We clean them up, integrate them into the existing urban fabric, and redevelop them into new, vibrant areas that add value to the wider environment,” explains Gaëtan Hannecart, CEO of Matexi.
 
Both the private buildings and the neighbourhood as a whole will be awarded BREEAM Very Good Certification, the world’s leading sustainability assessment method for the realisation of buildings with minimal impact on the environment.
 
“For us, the Leopold Barracks is a textbook example of how you can give a forgotten and neglected site a diverse and modern interpretation. That’s been our main objective for the last three decades: to develop underutilised potential better, and to help cities to grow in a pleasant and sustainable way. We always do this by talking to people first, and asking them what’s missing. And that’s exactly what we did in Ghent, too. We strongly believe that all our residents, and indeed all visitors to the site, will experience an enjoyable time here,” says Pieter Vanhout, Managing Director of Ciril.
 
The houses and apartments in this project go on sale Tuesday, 12 January. All information, plans, and prices are available at www.dekazerne.be .