There’s a lot happening in Forest. Less known than its neighbor Saint-Gilles, the commune has nothing to envy it for: within a few streets of each other, you’ll find village history, an industrial past, green spaces, major cultural venues, and working-class neighborhoods in the middle of transformation.
Built up around the former Wielemans-Ceuppens brewery and the automotive industry, Forest was for a long time a place of work, production, and movement. As major industrial sites closed and certain economic activities declined, parts of the neighborhood were left more fragile. Squeezed between major roads, wasteland, and industrial zones, it saw social and urban contrasts deepen.
But decline isn’t the whole story. In recent years, new spaces and new uses have reshaped the area: the WIELS art centre, the P.A.R.T.S. dance school, the renovated abbey and the redesigned Place Saint-Denis are all part of a new momentum, one where heritage, contemporary creation, local life and urban renewal all meet.
This walk takes us through Forest’s different layers: its religious and village history, its working-class and industrial past and its cultural and urban future. A tour to understand how a neighborhood transforms, between the memory of labor, green spaces, cultural venues, and new ways of living in the city.
This guided tour takes place just before the Gardan Ensemble concert at P.A.R.T.S./Rosas. You’ll find more information and tickets for the concert below:
Please note: a ticket for the guided tour does not include access to the concert. A separate ticket is required.