This June, we wrap up our year-long design studio journey with 13 students, who worked on our second scenario, “The Fluid City”. Focused on the Brussels Capital Region, the studio explored how community welfare infrastructures can address vacancy and promote ecological welfare amid the city’s demographic growth. It emphasizes the necessity of flexibility, adaptability and mixed-use in welfare infrastructures.
The studio’s process began with developing an cartography of vacancy and typologies of various WELCOMINs in Brussels. Each group then focused on a specific case study to explore the potential of these initiatives and their contribution to welfare. This was followed by a semester-long research-by-design exercice by the students, who tested governance, legal, and financial frameworks, experimented with mixed programs, and envisioned strategic roles for WELCOMINs and vacant spaces in building an eco-resilient city.
Throughout this year, the students developed five cases:
- Out of Office: Tackling office vacancy in Gare du Midi to strengthen community welfare infrastructure by dismantling speculation.
- Thriving Together: Implementing a community benefits society in Jette’s Miroir area to build a resilient community future.
- Artcoop Heyvaert: Creating a community heritage cooperative in Heyvaert, addressing environmental regulations that displaced car businesses.
- Molenbeek in Movement: Enhancing urban inclusivity and mobility in Molenbeek, providing children access to 20 times more public space.
- Careghem: Expanding care beyond private spaces by establishing a network of care infrastructures in Cureghem.
Students presented their work on the 13th of June in the Vaartkapoen, in central Molenbeek. They received valuable feedback on their designs from a diverse jury comprising members from VUB, Perspective, Recyclart, and Bruxelles Environment. This research will further develop under our “The Fluid City” scenario, contributing to the eco-resilient future of Brussels.
