ZINNEKE, the social and artistic organization famous for its biennial parade in Brussels, has been settled since 2013 in the Masui district, to the north of the citycentre. After a rather nomadic existence, the organization came across this permanent home which, in close collaboration with Rotor DC and OUEST architecture, is now being renovated and restructured. What is ambitious about this project is the co-creative work method that aims to enable the extensive reuse of materials and to stimulate collaboration that puts care and solidarity for people and the environment first.

The collaboration between ZINNEKE and rotor did not emerge out of the blue, but dates back some time. Even be-fore rotor came into existence, future staff members were already established in premises of the ZINNEKE and both parties worked closely with one another. For this project, they organized a particular open call: there was no need to submit an actual design, but rather a work method of co-creation. OUEST won the tender with their proposal to install a ‘project room’ on the site itself, a room in which, thanks to the close proximity of the building, the workshops and the reusable material available, a work strategy was set up that made it possible for the parties involved to design and discuss all the phases of the project together.