Mediaplein in the Kievit neighbourhood (Antwerp) has been redesigned and repurposed into a green oasis. The City of Antwerp wanted more space and more trees. To make the planting of the trees possible, contractor Hertsens elevated part of the square with a set of stairs incorporating a tree bunker system by Treebuilders.
At Mediaplein, pedestrians and cyclists come from all directions. The raised square and a number of design elements guide cyclists via a comfortable cycling connection along Lange Kievitstraat. As a result, there will be less bicycle traffic on the rest of Mediaplein. “In the past, there was also an asphalt turnaround loop across the square for taxis. That turnaround loop has now also been shortened and now only runs under the railway bridge, meaning traffic is no longer possible on the square itself,” says contractor Geert Breynaert of Hertsens Infra. “The area where the turnaround loop used to run has now been filled with a sleek set of stairs, a focus on greenery, and a water feature with fountains.".
Raising for the trees
The city administration required that 10 trees be planted. No easy feat, as this had to be done on top of the underground parking garage, resulting in limited height and therefore little room for trees to grow. “That is why we raised the square with a set of stairs all around it. In the middle of those stairs, we installed a tree bunker system,” Geert says.
Prestige project
Under the tree bunker system, an extra buffer with water-storage crates also had to be provided. Two systems are therefore now stacked on top of each other beneath the square. That is not very common, says Sven de Geyter of Deschacht, supplier of the tree bunkers. “This was the largest tree bunker we have installed so far. The various sophisticated techniques, such as the supply for the fountains, the measuring systems, the irrigation for the trees... make the Mediaplein a prestigious project.”
Smooth installation
During the installation of the tree bunkers, Deschacht and Hertsens were assisted by Treebuilders. They specialize in installing urban greenery. Useful guidance for an installation that went smoothly for Deschacht. “The tree bunkers are sober and highly functional. The installation involves few difficulties.”
Exclusive distributor
Deschacht has been the exclusive distributor of Treebuilders in Belgium since last summer. In the past, the company only worked on water engineering projects. Now, a whole new world is opening up for them. “The materials are plastic, so very similar to our sector. However, the application is different. In addition, the engineering work is especially new to us, but Treebuilders has guided us well. Not everyone with us is familiar with the product yet, but the employees welcome it positively and demand continues to rise,” Sven concludes.
Hertsens NV
approximately 80 employees
roadworks, sewerage works, general infrastructure works, public space design, machine rental and transport
