Team: Zinneke team, Ouest, Rotor, MATRIciel

Since its inception in 2000, the biennial Zinneke parade through the city has become a benchmark in the Brussels socio-cultural agenda. Six years ago, they finally obtained a spot in the Masui district in the North of Brussels. A team of 3 people was put in place there to rebuild the site. During archiweek, we visit the studios, meeting rooms and offices where a large part of the installations, vehicles and costumes for the parade are made. A look behind the scenes of a permanent work-in-progress, with contributions from a wide range of professionals and volunteers.

The architecture in which this creative process unfolds is archetypal: a mansion, a back house, an enclosed garden and a shed. The 'unlearning' lies in an innovative construction process and a surprising use of materials and building elements. Unusually for a construction site, the Zinneke team continued to use the buildings during the rebuilding works. What's more, where possible, they actively participated in the rebuilding. The materials in the project were reused as much as possible: stairs, windows, and even techniques and structures were collected from elsewhere in the building and in the city to form the ingredients for the project.

Whereas in other projects the construction site is a kind of black box in the city, the Zinneke site was a hive of activity. Now that the project is nearing completion, the results of these collaborations can be seen: each building element has a story, each space a special meaning.

Visits on Sunday 17.10.2021 will be given by the architect.

The Covid Safe Ticket applies.