Businesses have a responsibility not only to the people who work in their buildings, but also to the natural environment around them.
At van Cronenburg, we have deliberately made room for nature around our workshops in Ghent. Concrete has been replaced by permeable paving and greenery. Grapevines provide natural shade in summer while allowing light to enter in winter. Our green roofs grow herbs for tea, improve insulation and help extend the lifespan of the roof membrane. Nesting spaces provide shelter for birds, bats and insects.
These choices have a tangible impact on biodiversity, but they also transform the experience of the people who work here every day. A green, living environment brings calm, beauty and a stronger connection to the changing seasons.
Our commitment to greening our site began well before the City of Ghent introduced this subsidy programme. What started as a deeply held conviction has since become an example that others can follow. We are therefore particularly honoured that stadgent now presents van Cronenburg as an inspiring example through its official programme, encouraging businesses to remove concrete and make space for nature.
We believe that our workplaces can be more than functional spaces. They can be places where people, architecture and nature coexist, and where businesses can play an active role in making our cities more liveable.
Craftsmanship is about creating things with care and with an eye to the future. We believe the same should apply to the places in which that craftsmanship takes place.
Read more or apply for the programme on stadgent.
