Design for Valley Park and the Blue-Green Network, Alken

A new valley landscape for Alken

The valley park forms part of Alken Valley 2030, a municipal initiative bringing together several developments, including the redevelopment of the former gendarmerie barracks, the mill and the Taeymans site. The park has gradually acquired a wide range of recreational facilities, including a playground, mini-golf course, traffic garden, and facilities for tennis, volleyball and athletics.

Over time, these functions developed into a fragmented whole. At the same time, the valley’s qualities – in terms of experience, water and nature – receded into the background. Our design brings these elements together once again: a diverse park programme within a coherent and resilient valley landscape.

The development of the valley park has taken place in several consecutive stages. The masterplan was prepared first, followed by the spatial implementation plan (RUP), after which the project was developed into a detailed design for delivery.

Where village and valley meet

The project area forms the link between the village centre and the landscape of the Herk Valley. Here, the village square and the valley flow into one another, connecting different landscapes, functions and users. The blue-green network provides the backbone of the site.

The valley park offers space for sport and play, walking, experiencing nature and relaxation. Cyclists and pedestrians can move through the area easily and enjoyably, while children, young people and nature lovers will all find their place here. The result is a varied landscape park that accommodates a wide range of uses.

A climate-resilient park landscape

The Herk Valley is being restored to its historic role as a framework for water, nature and low-impact recreation. What is currently fragmented and heavily paved will evolve into a robust blue-green system that stores, infiltrates and slowly releases water. The valley park is conceived as a water-absorbing sponge landscape, where wet grasslands, swales, riparian zones and low-lying areas capture rainwater, provide cooling during hot periods and reduce pressure on the Herk during intense rainfall. In this way, the valley contributes to climate adaptation, water safety and an attractive environment for people to spend time in. The Herk once again becomes the area’s structuring lifeline.

A continuous ecological corridor will be created along the Herk, reconnecting Alken Valley Park with surrounding nature areas, including Bengelbeemd, Grote Beemd and the Mombeek Valley. Through the development of wet rough grassland, species-rich meadows, ponds, riparian vegetation and groups of trees, the park will become an essential link in the ecological network of the Herk Valley.

The corridor will provide habitat, shelter and migration routes for a wide range of species, while specifically strengthening connections between the habitats of the great crested newt, a key indicator species for the project. At the same time, flower-rich meadows, rough grassland and rows of trees will create favourable conditions for insects, birds, amphibians and bats, while contributing to carbon storage, cooling and enhanced landscape quality.

This ecological enhancement goes hand in hand with healthy and active use of the valley. Sports and play facilities are carefully embedded within the landscape, allowing nature experience, physical activity and biodiversity to reinforce one another. By integrating recreational functions with water and nature development, the project creates a future-proof valley park: one that provides space not only for plants and wildlife, but also for meeting, relaxation and a healthier living environment for the people of Alken.