Jury Statement: Rebirth: A Food's Tale successfully combines urban food production with social inclusiveness and, more broadly, issues of environment and public space. It achieves many goals seemingly intertwined on an aesthetically confident site plan. The team envisions a different future on a small scale, suggesting new uses while establishing a fruitful and inviting space for social interaction and also a platform for biodiversity. The project also acts as an advocate, raising awareness of the food production processes and healthy urban environment.
Once upon a time, the city of Brussels used to be a legendary economic centre with big industry. Our story started in the 19th century when the industry and particularly metallurgy, grew up rapidly with a cheap source of coal from the Meuse valley. As a result, the population of Brussels increased from 210.000 in 1846 to almost one million a century later. The previous agricultural land was eaten by massive urbanization and industrialization. Our story takes place in the area of Anderlecht, which is located in the southwestern part of the city of Brussels.