It's party time at Whatt, the cooperative that wants to blow a new wind through the Brussels housing market.
Today its blogging platform is officially inaugurated.
Everyone is welcome, especially those who...
- Are interested in housing, real estate, living in Brussels, affordable housing, construction, renovation of buildings...
- Are looking for a real estate investment that offers more than just a financial return.
- Are familiar - or wanting to become familiar - with the principles of sustainability in general, and around buildings in particular.
- Are concerned about the poor housing situation of a growing number of people in the Brussels-Capital Region.
- Want to know more about the advantages of cooperative enterprise in general, and about real estate cooperatives in particular.
What is on the programme?
A lot of food for thought
Whatt's objective is to broaden and renew the supply of rental housing in the Brussels Region, increase general well-being, and make society more inclusive than it is today.
Admittedly, that's quite a task!
There is a lot involved.
There are many opinions about it.
There are quite a few interests involved.
And that is exactly what Whatt's blog is for: to present this diversity of facts, opinions and interests to the readers. To give them food for thought.
Action, reaction and interaction
This blog platform must not and will not become a dull affair with endless monologues and lamentations about what is currently going wrong in the world of real estate and housing.
On the contrary, this is a place where work is a pleasure!
This is where new ideas and analyses emerge,
that set others straight, or make them think,
that provoke constructive criticism,
that prompt the formulation of even better proposals,
that lead to empowerment.
If you think " You bet! Show me! I want to see that!", we suggest you register soon to be kept automatically informed about the publication of new blogs. You can cancel your registration at any time for any reasons.
Events
People are not robots. They need personal interaction. Written exchanges around blogs will inspire the organisation of physical meetings around a certain theme. So be sure to check out Whatt's Events page or register to be automatically notified of new events or developments in the network. Again, there is no obligation and you can unsubscribe from the mailing list at any time.
Lowering the barriers
All blogs are published in three languages: Dutch, French and English. Extra work for the administrator of the platform, but we are convinced it pays off. The reach will increase many times over. After all, social challenges such as affordable housing and sustainable construction are equally important in all language communities. And those who master several languages can join in blog discussions in several languages. In Brussels, we are more used to switching languages anyway, sometimes even in the middle of a conversation. And, if necessary, we can turn to www.DeepL.com for free translation assistance.
A handy tool has been added to the Whatt website for the benefit of website users with disabilities. By simply clicking on the blue icon (bottom left of any page), various accessibility options are displayed: enlarge text, convert written text to speech, etc.
A windmill as a mascot
The image of the little yellow windmill on the Brussels Canal appears in several places on the website. It has become a mascot for Whatt's project. Photographer Bruno D'Alimonte wrote a poem about it, in French. Here is our translation:
Tiny windmills are dancing and blowing in the wind above the Brussels canal. They are spinning on the banks of a waterway that could take us to new horizons. Yellow like the sun, our mini wind turbine shifts gears bringing about a momentum that creates connection between people and houses. Its red upper part, a pointing arrow, is also the symbol of a house, of a home: an unconscious, ultimate, goal. Finally, its shape has a meaning: our mill is a flower that brings optimism.
Bruno D'Alimonte - Images are Poems - 20/10/2021
Final word before starting
This blog platform offers the general public - individuals, as well as companies and other organisations - the opportunity to contribute to the thought process, to collaborate, to co-invest in a general improvement of the housing situation of tenants in Brussels.
It may seem like an impossible task, but you would be amazed at what a joining of forces can achieve. I experienced it personally, with the creation of the Brussels-based organisation DoucheFLUX asbl ( www.doucheflux.be ). Nothing is more powerful than human energy. We certainly intend to prove it again with Whatt!