Curious about how Zurich tackled the challenge of affordable housing through cooperative living? On April 22, author Anne Kockelkorn (UGent) will present the book Cooperative Conditions: A Primer on Architecture, Finance and Regulation in Zurich (2024, published by gta Verlag). This book, which explores the conditions that enabled the growth of cooperative housing in Zurich, has gained international recognition, with book launches in Berlin, New York, Rotterdam, and Vienna. We are delighted that Anne has agreed to present it in Brussels as well.
After her presentation, she will engage in a conversation with Brussels-based stakeholders to reflect on the future of cooperative housing in Brussels. Don’t miss this opportunity—sign up here!

Recent cooperative housing projects in Zurich have become internationally recognized icons of architectural design. But how can innovation in non-profit housing emerge within a real estate market largely driven by profit? What has allowed Zurich to maintain its anti-speculative commitment for over a century? What role does architecture play in these processes, and how does this role expand the definition of architecture itself?

Cooperative Conditions explores these questions by analyzing eight key factors that have enabled cooperative housing in Zurich to thrive under the principles of public utility, or Gemeinnützigkeit. Through an in-depth study of financial and regulatory instruments, their history, and their impact on the built environment, this book demonstrates that Zurich’s exceptional cooperative housing quality is made possible by the joint commitment of the public, private, and civic sectors to affordable housing.

In Brussels, BMA, in collaboration with CLTB, seeks to draw inspiration from this approach to develop a sustainable alternative to traditional rental and ownership models. This event aims to explore the land and financial mechanisms that regulate the Brussels housing market and examine how housing cooperatives can contribute to affordable living and foster new ways of inhabiting the city.

Program
6:00 PM  –  Doors open
6:15 PM –  Welcome and introduction
6:30 PM –  Book launch Cooperative Conditions by Anne Kockelkorn (UGent)
7:00 PM –  Discussion with Nathalie Renneboog (Citydev), Joris de Kelver (Wooncoop), and Joaquin de Santos Barbosa (resident of the Marolles), moderated by Anne Kockelkorn, followed by an audience debate
8:00 PM –  Presentation of the COOPBXL coalition
8:15 PM –  Drinks