type
Public participation
Context
In Brussels, the place of children and play in the city remains a major challenge. The neighbourhoods of Stephenson (Schaerbeek) and Koekelberg serve as the playgrounds for the first edition of SOFTCITY. Stephenson, a densely populated neighbourhood shaped by traffic, shops and public transport, offers little space for play and social interaction. Children struggle to find places where they can play and spend time together. Koekelberg, by contrast, is quieter, with parks and calmer streets where children and families gather, supported by a strong network of community organisations. In both neighbourhoods, play spaces are divided into small, isolated pockets, while public space remains dominated by cars and fragmented by infrastructure. A persistent sense of insecurity further limits the use and enjoyment of these spaces.
Mission
SOFTCITY is an initiative by Dear Pigs vzw, Kind & Samenleving, CityTools and GC De Platoo, supported by the Flemish Community. This collaborative project invites residents and users to imagine a softer city:one that is human-scaled, social and playful, where people can walk at their ownpace, spend time without having to consume, and connect with one another.It aims to foster a greater sense of ownership of public space, placing childrenand adults at the heart of the process.
Approach
The process alternates between listening, collective reflection, and experimentation. An initial diagnostic phase—conducted with residents through on-site "street interviews" and participatory workshops—gathered narratives rooted in the local context of the two neighborhoods. These findings inform an open call to artists, who are invited to transform the gathered needs into ephemeral artistic interventions in the public spaces within and between the two neighborhoods.