Wildernis
Collecting knowledge
Surface of water (M2)
©Jadd Hallaj
Story of the island
This island, rich in history and knowledge, has existed for over 150 years. It is one of the many West Flemish islands created in the mid-19th century. In 1850, about 500 of these islands were scattered across the countryside of Kortrijk.
Over the years, this specific island has served various purposes, including as a botanical garden, which is why it still houses various interesting plant species.
To be precise, 498 islands.
The islands are elements of the landscape that come in many shapes and sizes. From the size of a house to that of an entire neighborhood, their moats now form rich socio-cultural and ecological spaces.
©Ana Salom
These artificial islands, spread throughout the region, were created by humans for agricultural purposes. They were occupied by farms, dwellings, and palaces, many of which still stand today. They formed a network of connections between the city and the countryside, following the flow of the water.
Nowadays, these places are an important part of the region’s historical heritage and contribute to the landscape’s beauty. They are ideal stops on a cycling route through the area. Today, they are transformed into recreational spaces, schools, environmental centers...
©Ana Salom
Wildebras
The Gebroeders Van Raemdonckpark is an essential natural site in the middle of the city. But it is in the heart of this island, in a lush forest with species that grow wild on the pond’s banks, where ‘De Wildernis’ is hidden. It is a place where children play freely.
This island was made accessible through an initiative by Wildebras in 2016, and since then, it has developed into an open, public space where children can play and explore.
Wildebras is a research and experiment into how wild play can fit within a city. Spaces and materials are explored, tested, and adjusted throughout the summer. The headquarters of Wildebras: on this island, ‘De Wildernis’
De Wildernis is an “Adventure Construction Playground.” It is a haven for children. Getting dirty, jumping in puddles, climbing trees, using hammers, nails, and pallets, and even making fire at the fire pit all of this is allowed. Children can do what they want in a controlled environment.
On the site, we have three buildings, mainly used for storage. These buildings are in poor condition, but the city of Kortrijk granted the ‘wildebras association’ a 27-year lease, which offers the opportunity to think long term and build sustainable structures.
©Ana Salom
Wildernis Festival
In the spring of 2025, Constructlab, in collaboration with Wildebras, will start building a pavilion, a long-term project to develop this island further.
In November 2022, (De)Constructlab began dismantling a wooden structure in Almere, Netherlands, to rebuild it in Kortrijk. Over 30 tons of wood have been saved and prepared for future use.
First, the proto-structure will be built from the dismantled wood. Afterward, there will be the ‘Wilderness festival’. Several workshops in smaller groups will expand the structure, try out different uses, live on-site, and be part of the growing network around the space.
©Ana Salom
Vision: The island as a place of cohabitation
Pilar 1: Long-term thinking Short term project - Long term use
- In the way we invest in the network
- Circularity by adding, changing & being transparent (showing work - open source)
- Exchanging knowledge
- Change of mindset and transcer knowledge
- Future vision of the island
- In the way we built
Pilar 2: Learning Informal, uncommercial learning
- A place to learn from each other
- Consuming information is not learning
- Visible construction / example for sustainable building
- Unlearning
- No formal learning
- A building to be experienced
Pilar 3: Play Unconditional way of playing
- Playing outside in a social evironment
- Eperimentation + exploration
- Creating space for play (safe and shared space)
- Inspiration to play
©Peter Zuiderwijk
Constructlab
Constructlab is a transdisciplinary design-build network and art collective that integrates architectural concepts with construction. By challenging traditional divisions of labor, Constructlab brings together a diverse team of designer-builders, sociologists, urban planners, graphic designers, curators, educators, and web developers. This collaborative approach allows them to carry the creative process from the drawing board to the field, seamlessly blending creativity with practicality and thought with action.
With a focus on the design and interaction of spaces, Constructlab emphasizes the importance of actively used environments. Their work incorporates interaction, a participatory approach, and straightforward technical solutions. In partnership with local initiatives, Constructlab develops sustainable concepts and long-term solutions that foster meaningful use and engagement with spaces.
©Arthur Bed
Living Summer School
The Living Summer School (LSS) is an annual program in Kortrijk, Belgium that brings together young multidisciplinary people to experiment with territorial innovation. The program addresses socio-environmental challenges by collaborating with local partners to develop sustainable initiatives in Southwest Flanders.
As an Erasmus-certified informal training program, LSS offers a unique learning experience where young people from diverse backgrounds collaborate and learn together. LSS takes place at three locations: Bolwerk, Heerlijkheid de Heule, and De Wildernis.
©Arthur Bed
Bolwerk defines itself as a cultural freeport fostering creation, encounter, wonder, and ecology. Bolwerk is located along the Bossuit–Kortrijk canal, in an industrial area that was once dedicated to the production of cotton. From the industrial site, once you cross the big wooden gate you enter into the haven of makeshifts. The two brothers who founded Bolwerk, Ruben and Servaas, built the place together with Kortrijk’s community from the bottom-up with an ecological vocation.
Bolwek welcomes many people, spirits and attitudes, which slowly shape and build its reality. Below the giant industrial hangar outdoors and indoors bars are situated to welcome visitors and events such as exhibitions, concerts and parties. Within the hangar, a huge workshop produces literal car-pools, giant marionettes, and tiny houses. Kortrijk’s communities, especially the youth, can always find their space in Bolwerk by organizing events, learning how to build their crazy project, and participating in the production through the “Jongbloed” group.
©Arthur Bed
The Heerlijkheid Van Heule is a historical farmstead surrounded by water. Its historical buildings and natural environment create an ecological oasis within Heule. The Heerlijkheid is not just a farm; in fact, its organization pursues a social vocation by using ecological farming as a connection to vulnerable groups, especially vulnerable youth, and more broadly to its surrounding neighborhood. Every morning and noon, employees, visitors, and volunteers gather around in a circle in the heart of the farm and distribute the daily tasks in an equitable way according to everyone’s vocation and capacity.
The Heerlijkheid Van Heule in its community represents a space for radical inclusion and collective experimentation amongst people and nature.
©Arthur Bed
During the summerschool at the Wildernis the week’s leading questions were: How can we document the knowledge this island holds? And how do wild play and protecting nature go together?
The most important part of our experience was discovering the philosophy behind this space. The best way to understand a “wild play” area was to unlearn our adult habits and act like children—playing games, making fires, and climbing trees. This hands-on approach helped us gain deeper insights. We gathered input from locals and non-locals about the trees, soil, history of the island, documenting, etc.
The knowledge we gained throughout the week was shared through small interventions and invitations around the island, encouraging further exploration and stimulating wild play.
©Ana Salom
Content & knowledge about the island
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Mapping trees of the island:
1. White poplar: one mother tree connected under the soil with roots to all her child trees. This interconnected root network allows the trees to share nutrients and support each other’s growth,
2. Hazel: trees grow quickly and are highly renewable, producing straight branches.
3. Ivy: flowers bloom late in the season, providing bees and butterflies with their final source of nectar for the year.
4. Elderflowers attract beneficial insects, and their hollow stems are ideal for insect hotels. They also have edible and medicinal uses.
5. Bald Cypress: air roots or ‘knees’ to help in gas exchange or provide structural support in swampy conditions.
6. Giant sequoia: Adapt to survive wildfires because of its thick bark. Most giant trees in the world.
Full recording of the tour:
Footage of the island
