Brussels2030 wants to appraise and make visible these existing bottom-up dynamics. Imagination and culture are its catalysators. In this way, Brussels wants to build on the working areas, playing fields, and stages for Brussels as a Cultural Capital in 2030.

One of the trajectories of Brussels2030 focuses on Future Places, that evolved from discussions with a big open working group with various Brussels (socio-)cultural, artistic, and spatial practices. An open call for Brussels city makers in January 2023 led to over 80 applications. A jury proposed seven coalitions of organisations that will work on transforming their local living environments in Brussels. Together with these coalitions we will work on a network of Future Places: concrete places in which existing cultural and social dynamics are bundling forces to realise societal changes.

The trajectory for 2023 will be a first experiment, a small-scale version of what could be in 2030: a big network of Future Places as the spatial backbone of a Cultural Capital. In this way we already start to build on Brussels as a Cultural Capital in 2030.

Brussels2030 Summer Assembly

You can get the first glimpse of the Future Places during the Brussels2030 Summer Assembly. On Thursday 29 June the Summer Assembly will focus on Future Places. We are organising an inspiration session in which the Future Places will exchange with other city makers. More info about our session during the Brussels2030 Summer Assembly

The seven Future Places, grouped per theme:

> Social economy and solidarity

Gare de l’Ouest – Ossegem
The municipality of Molenbeek, Atelier Groot Eiland, Samen voor Morgen vzw, Espirito Mundo vzw, Curieus vzw, Carré & Co vzw, Collectif Dallas vzw, pali pali, MUS-E, UP - Circus & Performing Arts and Talented Youth Network want to connect two parts of Molenbeek that are in full transformation, Gare de l’Ouest and Ossegem.

Masui — Brabant — Reine
Zinneke, 123 vzw, Cycl.one, Fabrik vzw, Toestand (in-limbo), Espace 51 and Brupower are exploring a partnership for the development of productive neighbourhoods along the axes of the Rue des Palais as a future place.

> Everyone aboard in public space

Église de Marolles – Chapelle
ZIJkant, The City is our Playground, MUS-E, MetX, CC Bruegel, Brede School Nieuwland, Mazette, Queers in Space and Brussels by Night Federation want to transform the surroundings of the Marolles and Chapelle church into a future place.

Cureghem – Heyvaert
Dérive, Avandi / Microfactory, Superworld, Cultureghem, Gilbard, Erasmus Hogeschool Brussel, Rezolution, The City is our Playground, Gemeente Anderlecht, centre culturel d’Anderlecht, Bibliotheek Anderlecht, Bibliothèque francophone de l’espace Carême and Makettt are building bridges between Cureghem and the Heyvaert area.

Watermael-Boitsfort
La Vénerie and Park Poétik are bundling forces to explore the territory of Watermael-Boitsfort.

> The landscape as a lever for a solidary city

The Senne
Maria Lucia Cruz Correia, Workspace Brussels, KANAL and the Rijksarchief want to transform the Senne into a future place, through several specific places in which the Senne will be laid open again.

Maelbeek valley
Etats Généraux de l'Eau à Bruxelles, Latitude Platform, Atelier Cartographique, Bibliothèque Hergé, Pauline de la Boulaye, André Lantremange, Community Land Trust Brussels, Communa and HER-BRONNEN / RE(S)SOURCES are putting their shoulders on the wheel for transforming the Maelbeek valley into a future place.

More information about all the Future Places

These project proposals are open collaborations: every organisation, expert or citizen contribute to their own capacities. The doors of the Future Places will always be open to new partners and input.

This trajectory is an initiative of Brussels2030, together with LoUIsE Lab (ULB) and Architecture Workroom Brussels vzw.