Square Albert in Belgian’s coastal town Knokke will become the new place to be
The municipality of Knokke-Heist has appointed the private developers GOETHALS PROMOTOR and PSR (member of Jan De Nul Group) for the underground and above-ground redevelopment of Square Albert, located between the Kustlaan and the Zeedijk.
The municipality of Knokke-Heist wants to breathe new life into the Square Albert located on the seawall. For this reason, the town council issued in 2017 a brief for the redevelopment of the square with the ambition of turning this beating heart back to its historically held status as ‘the place to be’.
Developers GOETHALS PROMOTOR-PSR won the tender in mid-2018 and worked on a high-quality redevelopment programme for Square Albert in close consultation with public partners. The new design was optimised with input from various neighbourhood consultations, and was translated this year into an approved building permit where the works will start after the summer.
At the beginning of 2019, a number of preparatory utility works were completed. From September 2020, the developers will first execute any remaining utility works in order to allow the start of construction works at the end of this year. The sale of the 150 closed underground private parking spaces will start in mid-August. Completion and commissioning of the new square is scheduled for the first half of 2023.
Johan Geeroms, Managing Director of PSR (member of Jan De Nul Group): "Our mission is to breathe new life into complex and challenging sites. In Knokke, we will not only realise an architecturally valuable redevelopment of the above-ground square, but we will also optimise this underused underground space by constructing a private car park for the local residents and people living in adjacent streets who today suffer from a shortage of parking spaces. As such, we will add value on several levels.”
Luc Goethals, Managing Director of GOETHALS PROMOTOR: "This high-quality new construction and urban renovation project is close to our hearts. It offers us the opportunity to contribute to the revival of a uniquely prized location in this coastal town where we have been working for more than 30 years. Our local experience allows us to understand the wishes and needs of buyers on the coast. The future offer of approximately 150 private closed parking spaces in the Zoute region will appeal to existing and new owners, and generate interest in the project, the sale of which will start in mid-August.”
New place to be for coastal town
The new ‘Place MATUVU’ (‘Matuvu’ is derived from the French sentence ‘M’as-tu-vu?’ or ‘Have you seen me?’) brings an underground car park with approximately 150 private parking spaces. The existing utility networks and sewage system are renewed.
Above-ground, the square gets a completely new look, designed by Architect Philippe Samyn and Partners. In the centre of the square, a new glass semi-circular pavilion, surrounded by a water feature, will be built. The public space offers space for catering and relaxation, on a playful surface of black and white paving stones.
High-quality new construction projects at top locations – that is the mission of GOETHALS PROMOTOR. We have been an established player in promoting buildings and in project development in Knokke for over 30 years. In addition to the construction of apartment buildings, we have already created over 500 underground parking spaces. Quality and clearly thought-out architecture play an important role in the realisation of our construction projects. That is why we select our architects and construction partners very critically and meticulously. In this way, we are a reliable partner to realise your real estate dream. – www.goethalspromotor.be
About PSR (Member of Jan De Nul Group)
Jan De Nul Group has been focusing on project development through its subsidiary PSR (Partner in Site Reconversion) since 1999, with a particular focus on complex urban renovation projects and the reuse and (re)development of existing or underutilised sites. This fits within a forward-looking vision on urban planning and project development. Our commitment when handling large-scale and smaller real estate projects: an optimum spatial integration of the project area in the immediate vicinity, architectural quality, focus on sustainable project development and stakeholder management. Thanks to the synergies within Jan De Nul Group civil division, we can offer overall solutions through an integrated approach. – www.jandenul.com
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