Urban porosity: a chronicle of spatial inclusion in Matonge, Brussels

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article explores the concept of porosity as a metaphorical device to investigate the interplay between urban space and urban inclusion. It develops a diachronic case study of Brussels’ so-called “Congolese” or “African” neighbourhood of Matonge, drawing from urban analysis and fieldwork observations. Different historical and current modalities of city-making (including formal plans, urban projects and more “spontaneous” forms of urbanization) are examined in their respective impact on social exclusion and inclusion. This way, the aim is to reflect on the peculiar role of the built environment vis-à-vis socio-cultural diversity and inclusion. It will be argued that the notion of urban porosity allows to shed light on the intricate interplay between the formation of urban form and its subsequent capacity to “include” diverse forms of urban life. The case study of Brussels’ neighbourhood of Matonge thus advances porosity as a qualifier of space in view of urban inclusion.