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CityGate est le grand projet d'urbanisation des quartiers de Cureghem & Biestebroeck. En attendant l'accomplissement de ce chantier de 7 ans, le Studio CityGate esquisse les contours et la pérennité de ce nouveau quartier pour offrir à la commune un projet culturel et social s'inscrivant dans un patrimoine industriel hors du commun.

Studio CityGate ouvrira au public en 2018, mais reçoit créatifs, entrepreneurs et associations dès à présent pour réveiller l'âme de ce lieu riche en possibilités. Pariez sur l'avenir, réservez votre espace aujourd'hui. 

Citygate is het grote urbanisatieproject van de districten Cureghem en Biestebroeck. In afwachting van de voltooiing van dit 7-jarige project, schetst de CityGate Studio de contouren en duurzaamheid van deze nieuwe wijk om de stad een cultureel en sociaal project aan te bieden dat deel uitmaakt van een buitengewoon industrieel erfgoed.

Studio Citygate opent voor het publiek in 2018, maar ontvangt nu op dit moment creatieve, zakelijke en associaties om de ziel van deze plek rijk aan mogelijkheden te laten ontwaken. Wed op de toekomst, reserveer vandaag nog uw ruimte.

The Studio is an opportunity to make something different, something that may have a much larger long-term impact in the building and its surroundings. Over the five or more years, we can create things that may not be possible anywhere else.

The location. The Studio sits at a pivotal place between the highly mixed neighbourhood of Cureghem and the future development of Biestebroeck. Cureghem is one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Belgium with a very high unemployment rate. It has a highly mixed and young population. It is also a place that over the years has become the home of internationally renowned artists, and could possibly become the cultural hotspot of Brussels. Biestebroeck is one of Brussels’ new development zones, earmarked for mixed use development. However while developers must provide mixed use, it is very unclear if the buildings will provide added value for the existing residents surrounding the site or if the buildings will become gated private spaces that bring even a bigger division between rich and poor.

The people.  We want to connect to local residents, brave entrepreneurs, doubting politicians, uncertain building developers wanting to try something new, public services officials and the community of Brussels that will eventually see the Studio as a respected destination. All of these people are stakeholders in this project. Therefore if this becomes a success, all of them will benefit. If the project appears successful without them, they may resent it and event do what they can to sabotage it. If it becomes a success with them, they will likely treat it with pride, defend it and be an important user.

Looking in.  Buildings are often occupied by users that have very little to do with each other and therefore there is little value added by them being in the same space. They may share things like a garden, a café or even a conference space. But in the end there may be very little value that is gained from being each other’s neighbours. What if we see a building like the industrial building that it was, where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts? In this way, we can focus on specific problems, knowing that we are building on a bigger story. New types of mixed functions are being explored in Brussels and the Studio could showcase how it could be done. We need to believe in such a bigger story to make this happen.

Looking out.  The Studio sits on the edge of two neighbourhoods – old (Cureghem) and new (Biestebroeck). Sudden and radical change could bring about a big division in the neighbourhood that could result in segregation or even a ghetto. Urban developers are facing the challenge of building without affecting the local community while maximising return on their investment. Generally, urban development brings about greater amounts of disruption to a community than bringing it together. How can the Studio help reduce the friction between the old and the new? How can the Studio assist the development of Biestebroeck and show what kind of spaces are needed for the existing residents of Cureghem? What if there was a way to create a constructive dialogue between the local community, their future members and the developers? We believe development can also have a positive impact on the local community if done effectively? We believe that the advanced development of a neighbourhood will require a focus on showing the economical potential for local and outside entrepreneurs, and creating a cultural crossing between local and outside culture. We believe that existing communities deserve respect and should be dealt with in a delicate way, only then is true development possible. The Studio could become a bridge between the old and the new.