Soap Box Race
The Soapbox race took place on Sunday 22 June 2002 in the Marolles neighbourhood of Brussels.
Soap Box racing has always been intrinsically part of the popular image of Brussels, and particularly of the representation passed on through Quick & Flupke by Hergé. However, no soapbox race had been organized for decades, and it was impossible to find out why: Brussels is still hilly, cars can be stopped, and children still find racing very exciting. The ramp connecting –or dividing- the Palace of justice entrance and the popular Marolles area provides an ideal racing track, and connections between up- and downtown are always very welcome.
In the run up to racing Sunday, workshops were organized throughout Brussels, in which children built their own soapbox. Organizations like Jeugd & Stad, Chiro Brussel, Cyclo en Foyer-Bis, lend a helping hand, and the event was sponsored by the Fondation Roi Baudouin and the Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie. On Sunday, in a first stage the youngest were provided with soapboxes to test the track. After that a dozen teams competed for the main prize.
Another soapbox race was organized in the summer of 2003.
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Ongoing projects:
L-Atlas
Precare
Generalized Empowerment
Krax
Micronomics
Cartografie
Bouillot
Publications:
Bunker Souple Repertorium 1998 & 2000: available at Citymine(d) offices.
Generalized Empowerment. Uneven Development and Urban Interventions, 2006. Download here.
MapRAC. Plannen voor het RijksAdministratief Centrum. La Cité Administrative de l'Etat en cartes & en question, 2004: available at Citymine(d) offices.
Micronomics scanning: DVD online soon.
Networkbook for Urban P/Arts. 42 initiatives capturing London's Public Space, 2004: available at Citymin(e)d offices.
Towards. Cartes Subjectives d'interventions Urbaines à Bruxelles // Subjectieve Kaarten van Stedelijke Internventies in Brussel: available at Citymine(d) offices.