The Brussels Centre for Urban Studies is one of the largest centres of its kind in Europe and brings together researchers from across the social sciences, humanities and engineering.

Aims

The Brussels Centre for Urban Studies aims to increase the visibility of VUB urban research and develops and supports inter- and transdisciplinary research projects in the domain of urban studies. The Centre also stimulates networking between the various VUB research groups and of VUB researchers in international and local networks. The research orientation is global, but particular attention is paid to urban dynamics in Europe and of Brussels.

Brussels

In the context of Brussels, the Centre acts as an intermediary organisation in two directions: internally by supporting Brussels-focused networks and events (co-)organised by VUB research groups; and externally by acting as the first point of contact for everyone interested in research on Brussels, such as researchers from other universities, policy makers and civil society actors.

The Centre encourages and supports research on Brussels and in the domain of urban studies and, in doing so, is linked to other complementary initiatives in Brussels: the Brussels Studies Institute (BSI), an inter-university research platform for research on Brussels; and the Brussels University Alliance (BUA), an alliance between the ULB and VUB to develop synergies in education, research, service to society, infrastructure and logistics. As part of the VUB-ULB alliance, the Centre also collaborates with EBxl, the ULB network for research on Brussels.

Centre organisation

The Brussels Centre for Urban Studies is directed by Prof. Bas van Heur and Prof. Lena Imeraj (daily coordinator) with the support of a supervisory board consisting of members from the various involved research groups.


Homepage:
Cover image: Photo by Erol Ahmed on Unsplash.
Other images: Robert Rauschenberg, Scow, from the series Pages and Fuses, 1973, color screenprint on tissue paper on handmade colored paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase, 1978.13; Photo by Milo Miloezger on Unsplash; Photo by My name is Yanick on Unsplash.

Education: 
Hiram Maristany, Hydrant: In the Air, 1963, gelatin silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase through the Smithsonian Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center, 2016.30.3, © 1963, Hiram Maristany; Photo by 褚 天成 on Unsplash; Schwerdtner, Willy, Metropolis, ca. 1928, size: 31 x 22 cm; Lindøgaard ved Odense fjord, 1933, KKS13691. © Christine Swane; Photo by fotografierende on Unsplash.

Research:
Julius B. Cohen, View over Leeds, smoking chimneys, Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images images@wellcome.ac.uk, 1912; Gene Davis, Eskimo Map, 1976, pencil and colored pencil on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Florence Coulson Davis, 2000.43.11; Sean Scully, Raval 3, 1996, etching, aquatint, spit bite and sugarlift on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist, 2001.79.58, © 1996, Sean Scully.