Park Belle Vue

Park with bicycle highway in Leuven, Belgium

Park Belle-Vue, situated directly next to the central train station. A regional arterial road is part of the park. After submitting different proposals to an invited competition buy the Flemish Government Architect, former opponents Artgineering and H+N+S were commissioned to develop and execute a design for this park together.

After studying the site, we augmented the assignment by linking the park to two other important parks in the area. Our advice: provide cyclists on the way to school, to work, or home, with an attractive, safe traffic route along the railway embankment and create a crossing under the busy and dangerous Tiensesteenweg.

The proposed, extended park plan closes a missing link in the existing bicycle network around the city of Leuven. It achieves a better connection to two previously under-utilised cycle and pedestrian bridges over the railway. The plan enables safe cycle routes from Leuven station to destinations inside and outside of the city.

The bike route stretches to the Park Abbey, the Heverlee forest, and the Haasrode research park. The city gets a beautiful park and valuable addition to its mobility structure. The route will strengthen the position of the bicycle as a practical and recreational transport alternative.

Place: Leuven, Belgium
Client: City of Leuven
Partners: H+N+S landscape architects / ARA
Years: 2009 – 2019
Costs: 12,5 million euro (excl. tax)
Surface area: 12 ha