Maison Verte & Blauw

About Maison Verte & Blauw

Maison verte et bleue is a Brussels-based non-profit association active in Neerpede, in Anderlecht, where it works to preserve and animate one of the city’s last major agricultural and rural areas. It presents Neerpede as a living landscape linking city and countryside, with social, environmental, and economic functions that deserve to be strengthened rather than lost to urban pressure.

The organization focuses on reconnecting people with nature, biodiversity, and sustainable food. Through outdoor activities, educational formats, participatory gardening, and territorial initiatives, it serves families, schools, associations, groups, volunteers, and local residents who want to learn, take part, or simply spend time in a greener setting.

Core Values

• Environmental stewardship: The association emphasizes preserving biodiversity, protecting rural land, and cultivating in ways that respect soils and ecosystems. Its work is grounded in reducing harm and supporting living systems.
• Permaculture: Permaculture is a guiding framework across the organization, shaping its gardening, activities, and internal governance. It informs a practical approach based on observation, resilience, and working with natural cycles.
• Human connection and community: Maison verte et bleue values social ties, mutual support, and inclusive participation. Its activities are designed to bring people together, build confidence, and create welcoming communities.
• Sharing and accessibility: The organization promotes fair access to nature and sustainable food, including accessible pricing and the sharing of surplus produce. It aims to make its activities open to a broad public rather than a privileged few.
• Learning through experience: It favors hands-on discovery, reflection, and experimentation. Visitors are encouraged to learn by doing, observing, and engaging directly with the territory and its living environment.

Unique Aspects

• Anchored in Neerpede, Brussels’ rural edge: The association is specifically dedicated to Neerpede, a rare agricultural and natural area within Brussels. This gives it a strong territorial identity and a clear role in defending a landscape under urban pressure.
• Perma’Cham as a collective experimental garden: Its 5.5-are garden is not framed primarily as a production site, but as a participatory laboratory for permaculture, biodiversity, and community learning. Seasonal produce is shared among volunteers, with surplus sold affordably or redistributed.
• A bridge between ecology and local food systems: The organization links biodiversity work with sustainable food, local agriculture, and short supply chains. It supports local producers and helps connect residents to the territory’s food landscape.
• Partnership-based territorial role: Maison verte et bleue works with local actors, associations, public bodies, and volunteers, and positions itself as a point of convergence in Neerpede. Recent positioning on its own site describes it as a place that connects, coordinates, and supports cooperation across the territory.
• Outdoor learning across multiple natural sites: Beyond its garden, it can draw on a natural garden, a reserve, a small woodland, and nearby ponds and countryside for activities. This gives it a varied outdoor educational setting within one territory.