Watersportbaan (Gent, Belgium) is a neighbourhood with a large part dedicated to high-rise social housing blocks from the 1960s, considered a valuable piece of Modernist heritage. A high concentration of socially disadvantaged renters lives in this neighbourhood. The neighbourhood residents are from diverse backgrounds. Over the years, a lack of neighbourhood services and human scaled public space has manifested itself. However, a high footprint of green areas between the building blocks holds unique opportunities. The social housing units are in urgent need of renovation. The area has recently been put forward on the urban renewal agenda.

Sluizeken-Tolhuis-Ham (Ghent, Belgium) is a multicultural 19th-century belt neighbourhood. The initial working-class neighbourhood is dense, composed of primarily private terraced small housing. The neighbourhood has little public and green spaces. The neigbourhood consists out of a collection of quarters rather than ‘one neighbourhood’. It is experiencing a surge in popularity and continuous evolution due to ongoing real estate developments. As a consequence, contradictions between the existing and new residential patrimony are growing.