LANDSCAPE MASTER PLAN FOR THE MEUSE RIVERFRONT IN THE LIÈGE PROVINCE

This master plan launches the transformation of the Meuse riverfront. The 83km² area covers 13 municipalities, including the city of Liège. Our project aims to turn this vast, heavily developed floodplain into a “valley park.” To build the park’s green foundation, we propose creating a network of densely planted spaces varying in size from small to large.

Our first objective is to rejuvenate the river and riverfront by restoring the riparian zone. Given that much of the riverfront is used for vehicle traffic, we draw design inspiration from parkways. The result is a unified, coherent, and flexible landscape, able to adapt to the various layouts and uses of the public spaces it encompasses. 

Our second objective aims to expand and enhance the existing green spaces scattered throughout the river valley. Preserving these spaces will create an archipelago of public, wild parks along the Meuse River, incorporating renewed RAVeL bike paths, as well.

Our third objective seeks to create green environments tailored to the densely-populated areas that make up 47% of the project site. Most public spaces are currently hardscape, lacking in planted softscape and tree cover. We envisage thick, naturalistic plantings: a “rewilded band” that ebbs and flows in harmony with the requirements of the riverfront roadways, and the needs and particularities of each municipality.

Our final objective is to repurpose paved surfaces in commercial zones, which currently account for 54% of the riverfront. These spaces can develop in the medium- and long-term, as their water management systems adapt to handle stormwater infiltration and river flood risk. Creating infiltration basins and trenches increases permeable surface area and lays the foundation for planted, tree-lined landscapes. These regreened spaces are folded into the surrounding riverscape, the defining element of the valley.