Brussels. (De)construction of a productive narrative

Abstract

Presentation of the working paper "Brussels. Deconstruction of a productive narrative" during the 9th edition of the PhD Seminar in Urbanism & Urbanization (U&U) hold in UGent from Wednesday, February 7th – Friday February 9th 2018. This edition of the seminar was entitled "On Reproduction: Re-Imagining The Political Ecology Of Urbanism". This working paper is part of a research on the spatial organization of economic activities in the Brussels metropolitan area which investigates through historical analysis and prospective design the potential to reconcile habitat and economic activity – living and working – at the heart of the metropolis. It aims to question the concept of functional mixité and to survey the uses and practices of space by those who actually make the built and unbuilt environment but are mostly relegated to the margins of Brussels territory. This research seizes the redevelopment of the Canal as an opportunity to reverse this trend and articulate the tension between productive, domestic and collaborative economies. The research aims at evaluate the spatial impact of the ERDF investments in Brussels-Capital Region. The purpose of this article is first to draw the method and theoretical framework, by combining the contributions of three authors: Fernand Braudel (1979, 1985), Philippe Hugon(1988), and Jane Jacobs (1961). This theoretical framework has been be used to make a first attempt of the historical reading of Brussels. Finally, CoopCity (ERDF) has been used as a case study to inform the statement.