Regenerative design: citizen initiatives make the difference

In the Urban Insight report, our experts recommend nine key elements for urban regenerative design. One of these elements is reaching out to and engaging citizens—as well as the community in a broader sense. Their ideas, initiatives, and commitment can make a significant impact. A great example of this is the project to make Brussels more climate-resilient through the participatory process ‘Brussel plant’. 

In Europe, as much as 75% of the population lives in cities. These urban centres provide numerous benefits, but the hardening also brings mounting challenges, such as heat islands and flooding. Cities are therefore increasingly turning their attention to softening and greening to improve liveability and quality of life. Brussels also has big plans in the pipeline for a climate-resilient future, together with Brussels Mobility.

A step-by-step plan towards a liveable city

In an in-depth macro-level analysis, Sweco’s experts mapped out various parameters: geological aspects, risk zones, existing initiatives and ongoing projects, such as the green and blue networks of Leefmilieu Brussel (Brussels Living Environment) and existing open spaces in and around Brussels.

Based on that analysis, Brussels Mobility formulates six ambitions to actively restore urban ecosystems along the region’s regional roads. The multimodal analysis and ambitions expose the way towards an uninterrupted green network in the Brussels Capital Region.

‘Brussel plant’ citizens’ initiative

Sweco is involved in the study and implementation of several Brussels Mobility projects. Our experts also collaborated on the participatory track ‘Brussel plant’, where Brussels residents had the opportunity to propose projects. Sweco promoted the call and analysed the 400 projects submitted for feasibility. A jury eventually selected 26 projects for implementation, which will see the softening and greening of nearly 4,000 m² of land.

The projects include the creation of an urban garden, the construction or enhancement of the green network, the softening and greening of roads, the creation of a rain garden with integrated rainwater management for wildlife enhancement and the installation of animal-friendly elements such as nesting boxes, feeding strips and ecological passageways.