Green Enfilade

studio Hyper-transformation
Faculty of Architecture, KU Leuven
2022

advisors
Cecilia Chiappini
Caroline Newton

Belgium recently experienced abrupt heatwaves with temperatures soaring up to 40°C, followed by abnormal rain and floods. As a response to these extreme weather conditions, this project aims to address the issue on a large scale. The focus is on mitigating the seveity of weather and enhancing nature‘s resilience and stability. The key lies in restoring the water cycle and ecological succession while creating connectivity along the bike path between Tilburg and Turnhout. This vast area betweern the cities is of utmost importance for implementing impactful changes, as the urban landscape significantly affects the local climate.







railway network
(Bels Lintje)
water bodies
grass and meadows
urban structure
Tilburg (NL) north
Turhnout (BE) south
agriculture land
forest cover

The proposed scenario involves converting the agricultural land along the bike path back to nature. Through this transformation, the area is reimagined as green spaces with water bodies and new forestation, untaming the ecological succession. As a result, the region is soon transformed into a network of interconnected green spaces, The name of the project Green Enfilade refers to a baroque-type arrangement of rooms. In this scenario a landscape-scale enfilade provides serie of interconnected green rooms along the bike path.


1 nature reservations and protected areas inbetween Turnhout (BE) and Tilburg (NL)
2 bike path connetcting the  two cities and new corridor (offset of 100m on both sides)
3 all protected areas, meadows and agriculture fields (wthin the perimeter of 100m) merged together
4 green enfilade, a series of interconnected green spaces along the bike path




A diverse range of interventions is designed across the affected territory. These interventions are listed in catalogues and differ in size, placement, and intended users. Some are designed for animals, others for people. Soon the area thrives with renewed vitality and biodiversity. By embracing these strategies, the project aims to create a harmonious balance between the urban landscape and nature, making the environment more resilient to extreme weather conditions.

interventions