Creating Space for the Commons hub

In the heart of Brussels, Commons Hub is more than just a shared space, it’s a living experiment in collective governance, shared responsibility, and regenerative urban development.

Designed as a physical and social infrastructure for those rethinking the role of the commons in the city, Commons Hub offers a co-working and event space managed not by a company, but by its community. Every member contributes to the growth of the space and the network, ensuring that the benefits are shared by all.

But when it came time to furnish this space, Commons Hub faced a familiar challenge: how to align its values of sustainability, equity, and collaboration with the physical items that would define its daily use?

Rethinking Furniture as a Shared Resource

Together with Relieve, Commons Hub chose to furnish its interior in a way that matched its mission. Instead of sourcing everything new, the team opted for refurbished and second-hand furniture, giving new life to items that would otherwise have been discarded.

In total, 137 items were carefully selected to support the functionality of the space: desks for co-working, seating for open discussions, and modular elements that support flexibility and growth.

This conscious choice saved an estimated 4,70 tons of CO₂, helping reduce the project’s environmental footprint while reinforcing the principles of circularity and stewardship.

A design that serves community, not just aesthetic

The Commons Hub is a space for dialogue, learning, experimentation, and now, thanks to its redesign, it’s also a space that embodies its values in every detail. With a focus on peer-to-peer learning, shared knowledge, and active participation, the new layout reflects the needs of its diverse members while encouraging collaboration across disciplines.

The furniture itself becomes part of this mission, not just as objects, but as tools for gathering, sharing, and building community. From flexible meeting setups to repurposed seating areas, the result is a dynamic environment where everything has a purpose and a second life.

Transforming spaces, strengthening commons

Commons Hub Brussels reminds us that transformation doesn’t start with a blueprint, it starts with intention. By rethinking how space is furnished, and who gets to decide, Commons Hub is demonstrating a model of urban development that’s collaborative, equitable, and sustainable.