The former industrial area of Buda Island is surrounded by the waters of the river Leie. Even though cultural activities started to emerge on the island in the 1950s, a regeneration project initiated by mayor De Clerck in 2000 has transformed the island into a place for cultural and artistic innovation. Investment in cultural infrastructure development has been combined with the physical redevelopment of the area, including the renovation and reuse of several historical buildings. One can find several creative and artistic facilities on the island, such as museums, an arts centre, an arthouse cinema, a fab lab, several hybrid multi-purpose spaces and co-working facilities.
Buda Island is an island in the river Leie that came into being in the late 14th century. Throughout the centuries, it was mainly utilized for functions that were not preferred in the crowded city centre, like a hospital for infectious patients and the manufacturing industry. Redevelopment of the area started in the 1950s when the municipality acquired a historical building on the island and turned it into a museum. Throughout the following decades, the municipality acquired more sites on the island, and slowly more creative and artistic initiatives appeared. [4]
Major redevelopment commenced from 2000 onwards, when the newly elected mayor of Kortrijk proposed the idea of Buda Island as an island of arts, with the vision of becoming an internationally recognized area for creativity and innovation. A significant regeneration programme was initiated that combined development of the cultural infrastructure with the physical redevelopment of the area. [2;5]
As part of the programme, the river Leie was widened and its quays lowered, new bridges were installed, and the local infrastructure and green public space were redeveloped. [2;5] The cultural infrastructure was strengthened with the Budatoren (Budatower), a dedicated place for performing arts, and a renewed offer of museums. [2] One of the most iconic developments on the island is Buda Fabriek (Buda Factory). This former textile factory has been converted into a networking and meeting place for designers, artists, entrepreneurs, students and researchers. It has space for exhibitions and events, offers residencies for the performing arts, and hosts BUDA::lab, a fab lab with a great collection of analogue and digital machines and Budascoop, an arthouse cinema. [1;3]
Together with this publicly driven regeneration process, several large scale private developments took place. These include, for example, the complete refurbishment of the sites of a former school and a former hotel, both being developed into living accommodation. [2]
The regeneration of Buda Island was initiated in the early 2000s by the newly chosen mayor De Clerck. The municipality of Kortrijk has been the driving force behind the redevelopment, cooperating with a wide range of public and private partners. These include the Flemish Government, the city development agency of Kortrijk, Art centre BUDA and Howest University College West Flanders.
The municipality of Kortrijk established AGB Buda, an autonomous municipal cooperation bringing together several cultural institutions on Buda Island to manage the buildings on Buda Island and guard the overall vision. [2;5]
The budget of the regeneration programme is estimated at €18.650.000. Of this, the city of Kortrijk contributed approximately €9.800.000. The regional government of Flander contributed €3.000.000,
Co-funders include the Flemish Government’s Urban Renewal Fund (€3.000.000), the European Regional Development Fund, the Hermesfonds Vlaanderen (governmental fund), and the EU Interreg project Proud. Furthermore, subsidies were received from the Flemish government for the remediation of brownfield sites. [2]
Buda Fabriek was realized with support from the city of Kortrijk and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The total budget is estimated at approximately €3.000.000, of which € 974.382- was funded by ERDF [2;3]
Kunstencentrum BUDA, organisational website, www.buda.be/en/, accessed on 15/02/2022
Kenniscentrum Vlaamse Steden (n.d.), Buda Eiland, Kortrijk, availabe (in Dutch) on www.complexestadsprojecten.be/Paginas/Kortrijk_Buda_Eiland.aspx, accessed on 15/02/2022
Eurocities (n.d.), Successful investments in culture in European cities and regions: a catalogue of case studies, available on nws.eurocities.eu/MediaShell/media/Catalogue_09112016-2.pdf, accessed on 15/02/2022
Genius Loci (n.d.), Kortrijk – the Buda Island & Factory, available on www.industrialheritagetourism.com/itineraries/belgium/five-days-itinerary/kortrijk-buda-island-factory, accessed on 15/02/2022
Block, T., & Paredis, E (2013)Urban development projects catalyst for sustainable transformations: The need for entrepreneurial political leadershipJournal of Cleaner Production, 50, pp 181-188.