Lioncity: the transition of the Delhaize bottling plant

Anyone entering the Lioncity site today finds themselves in a place that visibly carries the past, present, and future within it. The site, once owned by Delhaize, housed, among other things, the bottling plant and distilled spirits, thus playing a major role in the company's development into the supermarket as we know it today. Strategically located close to the railway line and the canal, the site was part of the industrial network that helped shape Molenbeek since the 19th century. Warehouses, logistics buildings, and robust constructions testify to an architecture that was entirely at the service of efficiency, production, and distribution. Temporality as a strategy Today, the Lioncity site is temporarily in use under the leadership of Entrakt, which opens the industrial heritage to cultural, social, and economic initiatives. In the former halls, projects such as Volta, Groot Eiland, a parkour hall, a second-hand shop, and a café have found their place. At the same time, the Delhaize Museum is located on the site, which gives visitors insight into the history of the supermarket chain and its production activities. The current use respects the robust industrial architecture, allowing the past to remain visible while new functions bring the site back to life. At the same time, Lion City is looking ahead. In the longer term, housing and small-scale industry will be developed here; the permit applications for this transformation are ongoing. The current phase acts as a transition period in which the site is tested as part of urban life. During this visit, you will see how the architecture of the former Delhaize site not only reflects the industrial past of Molenbeek but also provides a framework for future urban development.