BRUKSELBINNENSTEBUITEN

This walk is only available in FR – NL

Gare de l’Ouest has all the makings of a lively town centre: all the metro lines cross here, the train stops here and it lies along the busy Chaussée de Ninove. The Ekla tower block and the neighbourhood renewal contracts are bringing new residents to the area.

And yet it often remains quiet, the Wild West of Molenbeek. A Brukselbinnensteubuiten guide takes you on a tour of a hidden aspect of the neighbourhood. Away from the traffic of the main thoroughfares, you’ll discover the urban traces of committed residents and a strong community dynamic (collective vegetable garden, self-managed park, socio-cultural venues, etc.). Saturday’s visit will end with a visit to the ‘carré & co’ neighbourhood urban design workshop.

This tour is available in NL at 13:00 and in FR at 15:00.

To register for this activity, click here.

Felix Aerts & Arshia Ali Azmat

Talk on your neighbourhood of the future

Join us for an engaging debate and Q&A session featuring Arshia Ali Azmat and Felix Aerts at Park Ouest. a community organiser and a graphic designer, working with the Brussels Centre for Urban Studies as well as on the research project “WELCOMIN – Community Welfare Mixed Infrastructures”. Her work probes the nexus of culture, housing, and politics, aiming to envision a city that is more accommodating for all its residents. With a background in coordinating a cultural network addressing migration and social justice within artistic realms, Arshia brings a unique perspective to urban community welfare.

On the other side, Felix Aerts represents Toestand vzw, a rapidly expanding non-profit focused on revitalizing temporarily vacant spaces for social and cultural uses. Their current initiative transforms the area between Beekkant and Osseghem into Park Ouest—a space for community building, sports, relaxation, and more.

This discussion will delve into the future of the neighbourhood and the ongoing development of Park Ouest. Attendees are invited to contribute their visions for their community’s future, engaging with various scenarios inspired by prospective research. Don’t miss this opportunity to shape the future of your community through active participation and forward-thinking dialogue.

Super Terram & CiDéSol

Soil and dialogue: screening and debate

Discover the earth around us at a special screening followed by a fascinating debate on the state of soil in Brussels. This unique programme will begin with a short documentary exploring the challenges and solutions of urban soil management. After the film, take part in an enriching exchange with members of Super Terram, CiDéSol and Bruxelles Environnement.

This exchange will be an ideal opportunity to gain a better understanding of local environmental issues and discover what is being done to preserve the health of our soils.

Inforsciences - ULB

Geometric puzzle

A polygon is a closed geometric shape made up of line segments. Can any polygon be cut into a limited number of pieces and then rearranged into a square?

We invite you to explore this fascinating question through the game of puzzles. What about three- or five-dimensional spaces? Would things be different if we had the ability to divide our shapes into an infinite number of pieces? We encourage you to join us in the fascinating world of geometric dissection. Join us for an adventure into the world of geometric transformations through puzzles and intellectual challenges.

Thema’s: Stedelijke ontwikkeling, Architectuur, Informeel leren

#wiskunde #geometrie #architectuur

Super Terram

Soil chromatography

Discover the soil chromatographies of Super Terram.

Soil chromatography is an analytical technique that separates and identifies the components of a soil sample by causing them to migrate through an absorbent material using a solvent. This process helps determine the chemical composition of the soil.

Are you fascinated by the hidden forces of urban nature? Super Terram invites you to explore the living soils of Brussels, where unexpected life forms and biodiversity thrive, even beneath the most discreet surfaces. This avant-garde project underscores the importance of our urban soils, not only as the foundation of the city but also as living ecosystems essential to urban health and biodiversity.

As part of the Co-creation initiative, Super Terram collaborated with artists to engage citizens in the unique composition of our urban soils. The exhibited soil chromatographies bear witness to these innovative experiences.

CiDéSol

Citizens for soil pollution control

The CiDéSol project aims to provide access to decontamination techniques for professional and citizen farmers who cultivate polluted plots and lack access to industrial decontamination methods.

It seeks to determine under what conditions and by what means non-professional citizens involved in decontamination can autonomously handle the decontamination of the soils they use through mycoremediation and phytoremediation techniques.

The strong urbanization and industrial past of Brussels have led to the accumulation of various pollutants in the soil (heavy metals, hydrocarbons, etc.) at concentrations sometimes exceeding accepted standards. Currently, in the Brussels region, 93% of polluted plots are potentially excluded from the legal decontamination system. This system involves initially collecting and then physico-chemically treating the soils industrially, which often results in the biological death of the soil.

However, alternative modes of pollution control exist… For instance, phytoremediation can extract certain heavy metals from the soil using hyperaccumulator plants, while mycoremediation can degrade some organic pollutants through a plant-fungus association. These techniques do not allow for deep soil decontamination but offer hope in some areas to make the soils suitable for urban agriculture. Examples of this type of bioremediation are displayed at CurieuCity.

Jaqâmaz

Modern jazz meets Arabic maqâms

In the exploration of blending traditional and contemporary music, there arises a curiosity: What if the inspiration from traditional melodies meets the abstract textures of modern compositions? Or perhaps, envision the vibrant harmonies of jazz entwined with the passionate tones of Arabic maqâms?

Jaqâmaz emerges as a recent collective, formed by five individuals at a crossroads, a nexus between four distinct worlds. Their music mixes the diverse cultural forms to birth something novel. Thus, each member shoulders a significant responsibility within the ensemble, tasked with sharing their influences to achieve harmony amidst diversity. Success in this endeavor could potentially unveil new vistas in music.

For those familiar with the cadence of swing and the melancholy of blues, the resonant timbre of the Ud may evoke a desire to explore beyond the Mediterranean shores. Similarly, enthusiasts of orchestral melodies, reveling in their lush arrangements, may find themselves irresistibly drawn to the pulsating rhythms of modern grooves. In essence, Jaqâmaz aspires to unite disparate sensibilities, ushering them into uncharted sonic territories.

Maxime Jennes et Dimitri Petrovic (Les Meutes) + Jaqâmaz

The Way Back – Film concert

This activity is only available in FR

In August 2015, Hussein Rassim arrives in Brussels after traveling thousands of kilometers from Iraq. A year later, after obtaining his residence permit, he decides to travel to Greece. This musical road movie takes you through Hussein’s migratory journey and that of thousands of other migrants. Through his encounters and the countries he traverses, his story takes shape and gives a voice to the forgotten.

“The Way Back” is more than just a documentary. Hussein’s captivating journey helps us better understand the plight of migrants and the challenges they face. This engaging cinematic experience raises awareness of the complex reality of migration, sheds light on the individual stories behind the statistics, and questions European immigration policy. With its dual approach, “The Way Back” humanizes the phenomenon of migration while encouraging critical reflection on contemporary sociopolitical issues.

During this cine-concert, the screening of The Way Back is accompanied by live music performed by the band Jaqâmaz, which includes the film’s protagonists, Hussein and Juliette.

CIVA (Centre for Documentation of Brussels) and La Fonderie (Museum)

Archive images of industrial architecture in Brussels

This activity is only available in NL-FR

This small exhibition, organized by CurieuCity, presents a selection of archive images provided by CIVA and La Fonderie, offering a fascinating glimpse into the history of industrial architecture in the Belgian capital, specifically in Molenbeek.

The photos of industrial architecture executed in the late 1970s and early 1980s depict the essence and evolution of various significant industrial sites in the Brussels Region. They highlight the Weststation, the breweries of Vandenheuvel, the refinery, the foundry, the market of the slaughterhouses (Abattoirs), and the storage facility of the MIVB in Enghienstraat.

The photos are accompanied by the historical knowledge of guide Bernard De Plaen. He provides us with insight into the history, the industrial revolution, and the development of the city. This exhibition offers you a glimpse into Brussels’ industrial architectural heritage and the evolution of the neighborhood in which we find ourselves.

>> Presence of guide on saturday and sunday from 2 PM – 6 PM

* CIVA – Centre for Information, Documentation and Exhibitions on the city, architecture, landscape and urban planning in the Brussels-Capital Region

* La Fonderie – Brussels Museum of Industry and Labour

Irene Gutiérrez Torres & Rola Zamzameh

Meet the artist – Reel Borders & Cinemaximiliaan

Join us for a conversation and film projection with Irene Gutiérrez Torres (VUB, Reel Borders) & Rola Zamzameh (Cinemaximiliaan).

Reel Borders studies how borders are imagined through film. Reel Borders presents a collection of shortfilms made during a participatory film workshop in Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa, on the border with Morocco. These films offer a unique view of the world through the eyes of these women, bringing their stories and experiences to the forefront in a compelling and authentic way. Participatory cinema thus becomes a powerful tool for advocacy and empowerment for these women, allowing them to raise their voices and share their perspectives with the world.

Cinemaximiliaan is a platform by and for newcomers in Belgium, with a love for cinema and other artistic and cultural practices of storytelling, aiming for warm dialogues with the people of their new homeland.