young newcomers
Together, we’re creating the climate-adaptive landscapes of tomorrow.
Young newcomers play a central role in Koel Groen. They design, create, and implement climate-adaptive landscapes that contribute to a cooler, greener, and more pleasant city.
Koel Groen is a year-long program. Over the course of one school year, young people develop their skills in three learning environments: the OKAN school, the das Kunst workshops, and public spaces. Step by step, they grow in their craftsmanship, language skills, independence, and sense of responsibility.
Throughout the program, they develop artistic, technical, social, and communication skills through real-world design and fabrication practice. In this way, they simultaneously build their own future and the future of the city.
A program in collaboration with OKAN schools
Koel Groen works closely with OKAN schools.
The OKAN schools are responsible for selecting and referring participants. The young people then enter a professional design and production practice developed and supervised by das Kunst. The program takes place in das Kunst’s workshops, without supervision from school teachers.
Artistic practice, education, and social engagement reinforce one another within a single, integrated development program.
Three learning environments
Koel Groen connects three learning environments that complement each other.
The OKAN School
The OKAN School serves as the starting point of the program. Here, young people develop their language skills, get to know Belgium, and prepare for further education and participation in society.
The workshop
Training takes place in the workshops of das Kunst:
- De Punt in Gentbrugge.
- Het Oude Badhuis in Antwerp-North.
Here, young people explore materials, develop designs, create prototypes, and collaborate within a professional design and fabrication practice. At the same time, they strengthen their language skills by designing, creating, discussing, and bringing their ideas to life together.
During the implementationphase, young people collaborate on climate-adaptive landscapes at schools, businesses, residential care centers, healthcare facilities, andpubliclocations.
Their work is prominently displayed in the city and makes a tangible contribution to cooling, biodiversity, and improved spatial quality.
Learning through design and creation
Koel Groen integrates design, creation, and implementation into a single development process.
Participants develop skills in, among other things:
- design;
- collaboration;
- communication;
- planning;
- creating;
- problem-solving;
- material research;
- taking responsibility for a shared result.
Each phase builds on the previous one. In this way, participants gradually develop greater independence, craftsmanship, and responsibility.
Future Outlook
Koel Groen introduces young people to architecture, graphic design, materials research, artistic creation processes, and professional implementation practices.
The program helps participants discover their talents, gain work experience, and make informed choices regarding further education, internships, volunteer work, or employment. By collaborating with professional implementation partners, young people also gain exposure to various professions and work environments.
Every participant contributes to a visible result. Together, young newcomers design, create, and build climate-adaptive landscapes that contribute to cooling, biodiversity, and a higher quality of life.
In this way, young newcomers are not only building their own future, but also the future of the city.