The East bank area (Oosteroever) in Ostend, close to the city center, used to be an industrialized part of the port. As the link with the port activities declined over the past decades, vacancies increased. Therefore, the area was appointed for urban redevelopment in 2014. To facilitate this conversion, a brownfield covenant was signed between Burco Coast, OVAM, Port Oostende, the City of Oostende and the Flemish government. Currently residential and commercial occupation are combined with a large central landscape park. Specific attention was paid to sustainability, implementing a communal heating network, cogeneration and rainwater infiltration system.
The Public Waste Agency of Flanders (OVAM) remediated a brownfield plot within the area that was heavily polluted by the former operation of a fuel depot. In return, they demanded the plot be used for circular initiatives afterwards. O.666 now operates a social circular hub there, in a former fishermen’s cooperative building that was renovated in cooperation with the City of Oostende. The facade is made of recycled materials, thus salvaging 2759 kg of waste. O.666 has become a creative, circular breeding ground, where locals can meet and collaborate.
