A PLACE FOR REUSE
Since the summer of 2022, we have been working on the transformation of our 14,000 m² site in the Da Vinci business district of citydev.brussels into a vibrant center dedicated to reuse, craftsmanship and urban production.
The place would not only be a next-level salvage yard, but it would also host an ecosystem of enterprises, workshops and initiatives dedicated to reuse, repair and local economy – changing the way the region's construction industry approaches materials and objects.
Transformation of the site
No plans for demolition: the ambition is keeping the existing buildings from the 1980s as much as possible. Over the coming years, we’ll gradually improve, transform and extend them, experimenting with a large share of reclaimed and bio-based materials.
To make this a reality, we needed to find financiers who believed in our vision. In 2023, we applied for an ERDF call for projects aimed at supporting the development of reuse and recycling infrastructure in the Brussels Region. The selection process took an interminable two years, but happily the outcome was positive! That was just one piece of the puzzle, though. Another step was to secure private co-financing in the form of a loan agreement with Triodos Bank, which invests in initiatives with a positive impact.
For the transformation project to take shape, we teamed up with the architecture office La Générale (+ les Marneurs + Servais + FLOW TRANSFER INTERNATIONAL + Bureau De Fonseca, by Studibo), selected through the design competition organised with the BMA – Bouwmeester Maître Architecte team.
By 2029, our site will be home to an ecosystem of more than 9 SMEs employing over 70 FTE jobs and putting thousands of tonnes of materials and goods back into circulation each year. It will also be an inspiring place to visit and a key piece in the big puzzle of the material economy.
Meet our neighbours
We are currently sharing the building with:
Rotor asbl, Thierry Drumm, Suun Bear, Via et Arte, Alast Mojtahed Najafi, Urbantree, Luca Derom, Maxime Lenglois, Kinamania, Leïla Saïd Bounoua, Articule Café, Willem Schonenberg, Tristan Gielen, General Interior Construct, Christopher Beauregard, Rebecca Kanyiki, Els Petrus, Jessica Blondiau, Floriana Da Silva, Manon De Schacht, Elisa Tchaltsev, Studio Platt, Gaëtan Rusquet, Muriel Marchant, Fabienne Chif, Samuel Lemba, Dan Gvinda, Dan Pop, Rosa De Coster, Charel Pycke, MMG Parole de Vie, Ines Thora
Pictures by Barthélemy Decobecq
