Frederik De Smedt – Graduation 2025

Frederik De Smedt
Groen - Blauw - Bron - Dorp

landscape and garden architecture

Mentoren:
Pieter Foré
Luc Deschepper
Sally Lierman
Ann Meirlaen
Griet Vanhaverbeke

On the side of the IJse Valley, two church towers rise up from the landscape. Here, the Sint-Pieter-en-Pauwelkerk marks the center of Neerijse, the subject of this bachelor project.

The proposed master plan provides direction on how Neerijse can evolve into a climate-proof, connected, and livable village, with respect for its heritage and landscape identity. The following two ambitions are central:

A pleasant and accessible village with diverse village centers

The classic village center around the church will make way for multiple centers within a larger village fabric. The village identity will be strengthened by paying special attention to slow roads where the scent of blossoms, the singing of birds, and the views of the landscape are part of a network that invites walking, meeting, and discovering.

A functional and ecological green-blue network

Future-oriented water management focuses on local infiltration, buffering, and delayed drainage. Places where functional, ecological, and social functions overlap become important anchor points for the village. New green structures create cohesion and strengthen the resilience of public spaces.

Frederik De Smedt Groen - Blauw - Bron - Dorp

Frederik De Smedt
Groen - Blauw - Bron - Dorp