Final SYNCITY Exchange Conference
SYNCITY at a glance
SYNCITY shows how urban transformation projects in deprived and highly diverse communities can reach high acceptance by dwellers and positively impact on the urban society, the local economy and the overall co-living in the city. Our project in Cureghem provides a toolbox for European municipalities to better implement integrative urban transformation processes in the future.
Objectives
Quality of Life
Raise the life quality in the neighbourhood
of Cureghem in Brussels by creating a durable and integrative stakeholder process for feasible sustainable urban transformation.
A Neighborhood for All
Increase awareness of local stakeholders on sustainability issues and the importance
of the commons.
Creating the Tools
Develop a toolbox for European municipalities for improved stakeholder processes, sustainable urban solutions and higher acceptance of these by local communities.
Setting the Standard
Set the basis for a Europe-wide network “Creating Cities together” with clear standards for sustainability and participation.
Our Partners
Previous
Next
Welcome to Cureghem
History
Industrialization
Decline
Revitalization
Cureghem Today
Industrialization
Between the 19th and mid-20th Century, various industries such as woolen cloth factories, cotton printing and dyeing factories, spinning mills and candle factory, were operating in Cureghem due to its proximity to the Senne River and the Charleroi canal.
The construction of the Charleroi canal in 1832 facilitated the supply of coal for the industrialization of Brussels and attracted more industries in Cureghem and its neighboring district like the Molenbeek. By 1834, two woolen cloth factories, six cotton printing and dyeing factories, three spinning mills and cotton factories, and one candle factory were already operating in Cureghem. Similarly, Cureghem had its own railway since 1841 which facilitated the transport and movement of goods and the people in the neighborhood.
The establishment of new town hall in Cureghem in 1875 by the Municipality of Anderlecht, the opening of the slaughterhouses in 1890 and the construction of the new veterinary school in 1903 further contributed to the urbanization of the neighborhood.
Decline
Despite its economic and industrial growth between the 19th and mid-20th Century, Cureghem came under lack of the government interest soon after the World War II, leading to socio-economic decline. In 1950, the automotive industry in Cureghem was booming, with 525 factories and craft enterprises in Cureghem area. Despite this, misguided policies by Brussels officials and it’s geographic location isolated the community, which lead to it’s rapid decline and marginalization.
Revitalization
The Brussels-Capital Region granted the Municipality of Anderlecht the first Neighbourhood Contract in 1997, targeting the area around La Rosée in Cureghem. This represented the shifting from policies that had demolished the industrial buildings and the overall social setting to revitalization of the Cureghem district.
The granting of the right to vote to foreign residents at the municipal level in 2006 has also encouraged elected officials to take into consideration the interests of certain immigrant communities.
Cureghem Today
Cureghem is now flourishing with shops, markets, and museums while its diversity aspects in terms in languages, cultures, and the people define Cureghem as a place of potential for investment.
Curgehem had traditionally enjoyed a vibrant trading tradition for many years. The current Abattoir was founded in 1983 and become one of the hallmarks of the neighborhood of Cureghem.
In Curgehem, the second -hand car business is also one of the active commercial activity since 1970s. Every day more than 1,000 cars are exported from Belgium to Africa, of which over half to the port of Cotonou, Benin. In addition, textile production and candle factory flourished in the district.
Previous
Next
Stakeholders…We Need You!
Stakeholders play a key roll in making this project a success. With your help we can…
Create Inclusive Spaces
Multi-stakeholder engagement promotes collective design of the spaces paving way for inclusive spaces for use for all the members of community.
Create Opportunities
Active stakeholder engagement enables effective urban governance and positively impact cross sector collaborations that will create social, political and economic opportunities for all.
Promote Participation
Involvement and participation of all relevant stakeholders provide those involved with an opportunity to learn, increasing their commitment to action to realize their goals.
Increase Awareness
Stakeholder engagement creates awareness among all members that will in turn stimulates local ownership and promote citizen rights and duties of all.