Anyone driving into the centre of Ghent via the flyover above Ledeberg will have recently noticed a striking concrete structure on their right. A car park has taken root on a vacant plot between the motorway and the main road, beckoning to the traffic rushing past as if it were an extension of the bridge. Although the building is intended for a P R – the Open Call for it was issued in 2014 – and is situated very close to the historic centre, and visitors have not yet found their way there, it is full of potential. The team from Havana Architecture and L.U.S.T. Architects, in collaboration with engineering firm Bollinger Grohmann, has created a building that takes the densely populated centre of Ledeberg into account.

The car park tower strikes a balance between Ledeberg and the bridge. In terms of height, it nestles within the town, but in terms of function and views, it seeks to connect with the bridge. The team has cleverly utilised the constraints, ensuring the neighbourhood is less burdened by the infrastructure. By setting the building back from the main road, a verge with valuable trees is preserved, something that is more than welcome in the urbanised landscape of Ledeberg. It also ensures that the building can extend slightly higher than the stipulated cornice height of 15 metres along that road, as it remains entirely within the 45° rule.