À l’assaut du rempart > Belgian Garden of Peace, 2018

À l’assaut du rempart > Belgian Garden of Peace, 2018

In Le Quesnoy, the landscapers Mathieu Allain and Thomas Van Eeckhout invite the visitor to copy the battalion that liberated the people of Le Quesnoy, by attacking the ramparts. Their design is based on a simple concept, the perfect projection of part of the ramparts onto the lawn of the fortress. Transposed from the vertical to the horizontal, the wall becomes a terrace: a pause in the walk around the ramparts at the base of the military infrastructure, it enables the visitor to appreciate the impressive walls 12 metres high. The use of terracotta bricks, a common material in Flanders, is a reminder of the links between Belgium and the region of Hauts-de-France. Next to the sandstone pavers, this layer also makes it possible to appreciate the natural ageing of the wall, with loose bricks here and there allowing the vegetation to grow back and transform the space into a haven of greenery. Finally, corten steal seats frame the garden.