Reinventing an iconic heritage site today?

As the closing event for the exhibition of the finalist projects in the Ideas Competition for the redevelopment of the gardens in front of the Royal Palace in Brussels, the non-profit organization Quartier des Arts is hosting an evening debate attended by the eight finalist teams of landscape architects.

 

The projects, which combine history and contemporary issues, explore ways of reinventing an iconic heritage site while responding to current social and environmental challenges. The exhibition reflects eight very different responses to the same program: approaches to landscape design that explore social, poetic, ecosystemic, educational, and curatorial dimensions, with sometimes radical proposals to reinvent the very idea of the garden in the era of climate change. Their diversity reflects the dynamism of the contemporary Belgian scene.

 

The evening will be structured around two moments: a presentation of the projects by each team, followed by a debate on the role of open spaces in the contemporary city.