Gent - Ghent South – Provincial Government Building

The Woodrow Wilsonplein occupies a central location to the south of Ghent’s historic city centre. The square has a complex structure and functions primarily as a junction for public transport. It is located at the end of the motorway exit road, has an underground car park and is close to the city centre.

The Open Call assignment on the one hand comprises the full design brief for the integration and realisation of the East Flanders Provincial Government Building into an existing complex and on the other, the development of an architectural outline and master plan for the immediate surroundings.

Provincial Government Building

The Woodrow Wilsonplein, Kuiperskaai and Oude Scheldestraat street block dates from 1994. The building consists of two underground parking levels (14,000 sq. m.), a shopping centre on three levels (15,000 sq. m.), 20 apartments and office space of 31,000 sq. m. The provincial government already owns 17,500 sq. m. for the accommodation of part of its administrative services and has decided to purchase the remaining office space in order to centralise all its services in the building. After all, the provincial government services are currently spread over 7 buildings throughout the city centre. The underground car park on level -3 is also owned by the provincial government and some parts (including the facades) are jointly owned.

In addition to the administrative services, the political section (provincial council, executive, etc.) and the public section (public services, auditorium, meeting rooms, etc.) must also be integrated into the building. Any remaining space is to be used as a possible fourth section with a separate entrance which can then be let out to third parties.

The following aims are of central importance;

within the proposed budget, centralisation of all provincial services with a view to cost-saving effects, a well-considered functional whole with a ‘provincial’ character, within a global architectural and urban-planning approach to the site, paying attention to the implementation of sustainability aspects and the principles of the ‘new forms of work’ that are feasible within the organisation.

Vision for “Gent Zuid”

The following objectives are to form the basis of an urban-planning vision and concept:

1.Enabling the Woodrow Wilsonplein to function as a public, administrative and political centre.

2.To develop the building as the face and personality of the East Flanders Provincial Government Building and to enable it also to function as a ‘gateway’ to the city.

3.Links with surrounding functions and planned projects are preferably to be included in the outline plan. Located in the immediate vicinity are administrative functions (East Flanders Provincial Government Building, Municipal Administrative Centre), cultural functions (Vooruit arts centre, the Capitol concert hall and the Waalse Krook project with a centre for knowledge and culture including a library for the future and a centre for new media), recreational functions (Zuidpark, Studio Skoop cinema complex), educational functions (University of Ghent) and commercial functions (Urbis shopping centre, shopping streets, cafes and restaurants)

4.The square remains an important junction for public transport.

5.Strengthening public activities and the functional spatial qualities of the central square.

Architecture, stability, technical installations, safety coordination,EPC; min 7 % max 12 %
Vision; subject to negotiation