AWV ('Agentschap Wegen en Verkeer') shared images from the future bicycle bridge.
More about the history of this bridge on bicycle and pedestrian bridge and on the AWV website.

VIB is currently building a new incubator at Tech Lane Ghent Science Park/ Campus Eiland Zwijnaarde with a floor space of 14,000 m² in total. Next to shared infrastructure the new incubator will offer 22 individual modules of 272 m² each. This new incubator will also be the home of VIB’s headquarters. The new incubator will be available as of the end of 2023. For a preview of the new incubator under construction at Tech Lane Ghent Science Park:
Visit:https://facilities.sites.vib.be/en/ghent/vib-bio-incubator

For further information, please contact Wim Goemaere - wim.goemaere@vib.be.

Janssen Pharmaceutica & Legend Biotech are working together to enable the production of innovative cell therapy or CAR-T in Europe. To make this happen, new state-of-the-art facilities are currently being built, both at Campus Ardoyen and Campus Eiland Zwijnaarde.

Cell therapy to treat cancer

Cell therapy offers a new approach to fighting cancer cells by using the power of the patient's own immune system. Chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy (CAR-T therapy) is a specific form of cell therapy. It is a complex and highly personalised technology in which a patient's own T-cells are extracted from the blood and reprogrammed to target and eradicate cancer cells, making CAR-T therapy a treatment tailored to the individual patient.
Personalized therapy also requires customized infrastructure!

Daikin Europe N.V. (DENV), the European subsidiary of Daikin Industries Ltd., and leader in the field of climate solutions, has chosen Ghent as its new location for the EMEA Development Center (EDC).

The EDC needs additional capacity, test chambers and larger research facilities equipped with the latest technologies. It is therefore planning the construction of a cutting-edge development complex on our Tech Lane Ghent Science Park / Campus Ardoyen in the second half of 2021. The new and more extensive EDC is also very important for DENV with a view to the further development of new technologies.

Following a study into the ideal new location for the headquarters of the EMEA Development Center, Daikin Europe N.V. had its eye on Tech Lane Ghent Science Park / Campus Ardoyen.

As a Top 100 university, Ghent University has a renowned doctorate programme in ‘Mechanical Engineering’, and is, in that sense, a significant source of future employees. Ghent University and the EDC have already worked together, and will intensify their collaboration at the new site in the field of new heating technologies, the Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence.

The intention is to inaugurate the test building in May 2023, and to take the office area into use at the end of 2023.

Read HERE the full article.

PMV wishes (in cooperation with Tech Lane Ghent Science Park NV and Ghent University) to engage a private partner for the full development, realisation and operation of a new tower building at Tech Lane Ghent Science Park/ Campus Ardoyen. The AI Campus Hub is a primarily private development intended to house companies and institutions in the fields of artificial intelligence and photonics.

We envisage a building of approximately 17,500 m² GLA (above ground), of which Ghent University is considering renting approximately 5,000 m² of office, demo and fablabspace on the basis of a fixed long-term lease. The remaining space can be leased to commercial or other users, and is partly also useful for community building and incubator purposes.

The realisation of the AI Campus Hub will take place via a project company in which the participant, as a private partner, will subscribe for at least 60% of the shares.A maximum of 40% of the shares will be taken by the public partners in this project, being Ghent University, Tech Lane Ghent Science Park NV and/or PMV.

More information can be obtained via steven.adons@pmv.eu

What's on the agenda?

• A new central meeting place (parvis)
• The construction of a new ring road with more measures to slow down the traffic
• Improvement works on the green areas, including picnic islands and two sports fields
• The construction of a network for cyclist and pedestrians

As part of these works, the underground pipelines will also be renewed, new streetlights will be installed and additional data facilities will be expanded. The ring road will be furbished for two-way traffic and will allow for the bus routes of De Lijn to traverse the park. Two bus stops will be built as well. At this point no free standing bike path will be constructed. However, a 3 meter strip around the ring road will be safeguarded in order not to rule out this option in the future.

A network for cyclists and pedestrians will be constructed in the green areas and a central bicycle axis will be realized.
This main bicycle road will connect the parvis, the parking building and the tram stop in Zwijnaarde. In time, a connection with the roundabout and the park forest will also be added;

Improvement works will be carried out in the green areas, including picnic islands and two sports fields with ping-pong tables and soccer field, as well as some long overdue forest management.

All these construction works will greatly improve the look and feel of the park, and will further enhance the water management and biodiversity.

Ghent University is working towards a more uniform park appearance and by improving the ‘soft road network’ they’ll enhance the safety for cyclists and pedestrians as well as making the green park strips more enjoyable.

The car traffic at the park will be better managed. The cars will be guided to the respective car parks and/or to the new parking tower. Access management for cars has also been introduced.

Final stage of the works: Construction of the parvis, centerpiece of the redesign

The contractor could finally start work on the parvis this spring. The icing on the cake of the first phase of the redevelopment works.
The parvis will become the heart of the campus: the square will provide space for nature as well as a meeting place among colleagues or for events.
Thus, on the one hand, the central water feature will have a soft bank that will be used for rainwater infiltration. On the other side, a quay is provided with seating areas. The wide paths traverse green lawns and flowery patches of hayfields.
We expect that a first part of the parvis can be released by the start of the academic year in September 2023.
The arrival of the new trees ánd the bridge over the pond will have to wait until the end of this year.

The related traffic diversion will take effect on Monday 12 June

Find HERE an overview of the alternative routes for pedestrians, cyclists, shuttle traffic and cars.
The contractor will also install additional traffic signs for this purpose. This work will take several weeks.

Works: Nov 2022 – Fall 2023

The majority of the main road has been refurbished.
A building permit for the last part of the loop road is not yet granted.
Until the end of the year the contractor will be working on expanding the relighting of the campus to roads that weren’t refurbished, including the entrance road. The light fixtures themselves will be installed in February / March 2023.
The new year will finally bring the start of the centerpiece of the redesign: the central square with water feature. The contractor has already started preparing the area, but the actual construction will start after the Holidays.
In order to connect the water feature and infiltration area to the existing sewerage system, the traffic on the loop road will have to be interrupted one final time (approx. February 2023).
The teams involved are also working hard to work out solutions for a more traffic-safe park.

During the redesign Ghent University is focusing on better recovery of rainwater and increased infiltration in order to prevent major drought and flooding. In this context, 'bioswales' were constructed. These are special canals that ensure better infiltration. There will also be a large rainwater pond. Read this article (only in Dutch).

During the week of April 17, 2023, the contractor will start the next phase of works

As a result, a section of roads will be closed in the north of the park until the end of May. The site zone near the Locus building will also be closed until the end of the works (autumn 2023). This means that the student restaurant will be accessible via the back of the building.
Find HERE an overview of the alternative routes for cars, bicycles and the Max Mobiel Shuttle Service and a plan for easy access to the student restaurant during the works.

North Road phase: End September 2022 – End October 2022

On September 22, the works will start.

Find HERE for the North Road - phase 1, an overview of the alternative routes for cars, bicycles and the Max Mobiel Shuttle Service.

East Road phase: End May 2022 – End September 2022

On May 30, a second phase will start: the eastern phase.

This eastern phase (indicated in blue on the map) will be done in two different phases in order to preserve the accessibility of the parking building:
Eastern phase 1: mid-May to mid-July
The area between BASF and the PARKING BUILDING
Eastern phase 2: August to end September
The area between the PARKING BUILDING and the BIO-ACCELERATOR

Practically, this means:
° All car traffic must re-enter via the main entrance. Entering via Tramstraat for companies located on Tramstraat will no longer be possible, but exiting will remain possible. The entrance barrier will no longer operate from 1 June.
° Two-way traffic on both southern and northern roads
° The parking building will initially be accessible via the northern road, then via the southern road.
° Max Mobiel will follow a new route and will stop respectively at the VIB stop, the temporary Cleanroom stop and the familiar stop at the AA Tower.

Find HERE for the East Road - phase 2, an overview of the alternative routes for cars, bicycles and the Max Mobiel Shuttle Service.

South Road phase: Oct 2021 – End-May 2022

On the 20th of October 2021 the first phase has started. According to the current construction schedule, the new southern road will open on May 30. There will be a confirmation of this closer to the date.
The southern phase includes the new southern road for mixed traffic with a new footpath and bioswale.
The road profile already accommodates the arrival of De Lijn with new bus stops at the level of the VIB research building (building no.71).
Near Labo Magnel (building no. 60) there is a new square that connects with the central grass area. A food truck will be serving lunch on this square every day starting at the end of May.
Across the entire park a number of footpaths have also been realised to provide better connection between the buildings.
The bicycle path to the Hertooiebos neighbourhood has also been realized and, pending the top layer, it can already be used. This offers an alternative access to the park for cyclists coming from the east (Merelbeke, Zwijnaarde).
According to the current construction schedule, the new southern road will open on May 30.
There will be a confirmation of this closer to the date.

Master Project Ardoyen is a joint project with the City of Ghent and its partners AWV (Agentschap Wegen en Verkeer), Ghent University, De Lijn and VZW Ardoyen.
Together they are working towards an integrated and sustainable development and accessibility of the Technology park Ardoyen.
With the main aim of sustainable mobility, the partners want to make the site more accessible through small and large interventions: footpaths, bike paths, better public transport. In addition, modifications to the accessibility of the site at the N60 roundabout (with bicycle tunnel) and a new bicycle connection between De Sterre and Ardoyen (with bicycle bridge) are an important part of this project.

Want to find out more about the projects?
Visit the project site: Project Ardoyen