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In recent decades, the critical role of cultural and creative sectors (CCS) in regional economic development has found increasing recognition. The Brussels-Capital Region also has become aware of these industries and of the need for measurement tools recording and monitoring their impact and activities. This article responds to this awareness by presenting a scoreboard with the Brussels Region as its main focus. Unlike other (theoretical) measurement models it privileges the immediate usability of the scoreboard, through a maximum alignment with existing data providers and Brussels institutions.

In recent decades, the critical role of cultural and creative sectors (CCS) in regional economic development has found increasing recognition. The Brussels-Capital Region also has become aware of these industries and of the need for measurement tools recording and monitoring their impact and activities. This article responds to this awareness by presenting a scoreboard with the Brussels Region as its main focus. Unlike other (theoretical) measurement models it privileges the immediate usability of the scoreboard, through a maximum alignment with existing data providers and Brussels institutions.

At the end of the 1960s, the urban area of Brussels underwent a modernisation process which deeply transformed certain neighbourhoods. Ten years earlier, Expo 58, the North-South junction and the construction of the state administrative district had already brought modernist architecture to Brussels. The enthusiasm generated by these projects, the very weak reactions on behalf of those who were affected and the strong growth of the Golden Sixties (1960‑1970) kindled a will among certain local politicians, town planners and architects to pursue the large-scale modernisation of the city. Due to the promise of a significant increase in wealth, a coalition of interests was established with money lenders and the destruction of entire neighbourhoods was organised. This led to the appearance of the urban struggles in Brussels such as those in the Marolle and the North Quarter. The former was a victory and allowed the neighbourhood to be saved. The latter, however, was not able to prevent the destruction of 53 ha of urban fabric and the eviction of more than 3 000 families. A comparative analysis of these two events allows a better understanding of the multiple stakes, the strategies of urban stakeholders and the effects of these struggles on the emergence of a new urban and civic “conscience”.

At the end of the 1960s, the urban area of Brussels underwent a modernisation process which deeply transformed certain neighbourhoods. Ten years earlier, Expo 58, the North-South junction and the construction of the state administrative district had already brought modernist architecture to Brussels. The enthusiasm generated by these projects, the very weak reactions on behalf of those who were affected and the strong growth of the Golden Sixties (1960‑1970) kindled a will among certain local politicians, town planners and architects to pursue the large-scale modernisation of the city. Due to the promise of a significant increase in wealth, a coalition of interests was established with money lenders and the destruction of entire neighbourhoods was organised. This led to the appearance of the urban struggles in Brussels such as those in the Marolle and the North Quarter. The former was a victory and allowed the neighbourhood to be saved. The latter, however, was not able to prevent the destruction of 53 ha of urban fabric and the eviction of more than 3 000 families. A comparative analysis of these two events allows a better understanding of the multiple stakes, the strategies of urban stakeholders and the effects of these struggles on the emergence of a new urban and civic “conscience”.

At the end of the 1960s, the urban area of Brussels underwent a modernisation process which deeply transformed certain neighbourhoods. Ten years earlier, Expo 58, the North-South junction and the construction of the state administrative district had already brought modernist architecture to Brussels. The enthusiasm generated by these projects, the very weak reactions on behalf of those who were affected and the strong growth of the Golden Sixties (1960‑1970) kindled a will among certain local politicians, town planners and architects to pursue the large-scale modernisation of the city. Due to the promise of a significant increase in wealth, a coalition of interests was established with money lenders and the destruction of entire neighbourhoods was organised. This led to the appearance of the urban struggles in Brussels such as those in the Marolle and the North Quarter. The former was a victory and allowed the neighbourhood to be saved. The latter, however, was not able to prevent the destruction of 53 ha of urban fabric and the eviction of more than 3 000 families. A comparative analysis of these two events allows a better understanding of the multiple stakes, the strategies of urban stakeholders and the effects of these struggles on the emergence of a new urban and civic “conscience”.

In recent decades, the critical role of cultural and creative sectors (CCS) in regional economic development has found increasing recognition. The Brussels-Capital Region also has become aware of these industries and of the need for measurement tools recording and monitoring their impact and activities. This article responds to this awareness by presenting a scoreboard with the Brussels Region as its main focus. Unlike other (theoretical) measurement models it privileges the immediate usability of the scoreboard, through a maximum alignment with existing data providers and Brussels institutions.

The church of Scherpenheuvel was built from 1609 during the reign and with the support of Archdukes Albrecht and Isabella, who were personally closely involved in the adoration of the miraculous statue of the Virgin Mary. The church building forms the centre of the seven-cornered concentrically laid-out town square already designed for it, which at that time embodied the most modern views on ideal town planning. The dome-shaped church is built in an utterly modern Italian architectural language and its concept implies a complete break with the local tradition (Illustr. l, 2, 3). Until now the court architect of the Archduke and Archduchess, Wenceslas Cobergher, who had spent a long period in Rome, was considered to have provided the inspiration for the church building. Within the direct family context of the Archduke, however, we come across a building project of which the form language and meanings show strong similarity with Scherpenheuvel. On March 11, 1585 Carlo Emanuele I, duke of Savoie and Prince of Piemont, married his cousin, Catalina Michaela and younger sister of the Archduchess Infanta Isabella, in Zaragoza. When Catalina unexpectedly dies in 1597, the duke decides to bury her in the church of Mondovi, a Marian pilgrims' church designed on the basis of an oval-shaped central ground plan, which had been started a few years previously. It is likely that Albrecht was told about this project just before and during his honeymoon, when he stayed in the duchy of Savoie for some months. The occurrence of this architecture project within the family context of Archduke Albrecht makes it very likely that he had claimed a more prominent role for himself in the active design process of the church of Scherpenheuvel than was assumed until recently. Contemporary examples show that other monarchs also regarded this as an appropriate regal occupation and used these architectural designs to visualize their political aspirations.

Despite the targets for greenhouse gas emissions agreed in Kyoto under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change - again to be discussed in Copenhagen in December - climate change will still have serious effects on public health. The health effects of climate change will be noticeable also in the short run. Diseases which are transmitted by arthropod vectors will spread to more areas of the world than where they are present now. In addition, we will have to deal with allergies, deaths due to heat waves, diarrhoea and malnutrition. For this reason, every action is needed now in order to minimise the adverse effects on health.