The 'Old Docks' project covers the area alongside the three old docks in Ghent: Houtdok, Handelsdok and Achterdok. The urban design by the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) of Rotterdam makes a proposal for an urban-planning and project-based approach to the development of this area.

Since this new area of the city, mainly residential, relies on the city centre for its amenities, proper links have to be provided across the docks, for cars but even more so for pedestrians and cyclists. The connection via the Dampoort Bridge and the Handelsdok Bridge will be supplemented by a maximum of three new cycle and pedestrian bridges.

Crossing the Achterdok, as an elongation of Metselaarsstraat, a cycle and pedestrian bridge will connect Ham and the surroundings of the Koopvaardijlaan/Dampoort.

Crossing Handelsdok, as an elongation of Kraankindersstraat, an area will be created with a special landscape character: the cycle and pedestrian bridge will here be part of the 'green structures' on the waterside, whereby not only the bridge but also the parks will extend from one side to the other (max. span about 110 m., bridge type B).

Crossing the Handelsdok, as an elongation of Doornzelestraat, the longest cycle and pedestrian bridge creates a link between the ACEC site, the future park and the surroundings of the Afrikalaan (span of about 110 m., bridge type C).

These bridges must have the allure of their metropolitan surroundings. The urban planning potential of the site demands from the designer particular attention and creativity regarding the design of the bridges, the landscape attractions of the plan and also its relationship with the surroundings, especially the parks where the bridge-ends will be. The similarity in the construction and design of the bridges should enable them to give an identity to the Old Docks project.