Wild little sister

The furnaces might be cold, but Esch-sur-Alzette is still hot! From rock concerts, street art and theatre to the continuous reinvention of industrial facilities, this town is an alternative insider tip! 

“My grandfather always told us work stories about fire-spewing dragons and steel monsters. He spoke of the incredible heat at the plant and the perpetual red shimmer reflected in the sky. Day and night. It was like a never-ending sunset. It was both beautiful and at the same time evidence of the hard labour men performed in the Minett region,” says Chrissi, who was born here. As she shares her story with us, we see the furnaces her grandfather so vividly described. We meet Chrissi at the Esch2022 office in the Belval district, where she works as a volunteer coordinator for the European Capital of Culture Esch2022. 
 

We spontaneously contact an artist on Instagram because we’re looking for a particular piece of art. We’re searching for a collage we found on @icicestesch’s Instagram feed. Lāscār, the artist we contacted, responds quickly: “You’re looking for the “Bâtiment 4” exhibition.” Let’s go! Chrissi knows the way.

“Bâtiment 4” is a collective exhibit and the sixth of its kind. It takes place in Esch once a year in buildings that are ready for demolition or in need of renovation. When we get there, the doors are closed. The trip is still worthwhile because the old villa is surrounded by impressive artwork. Two small cars are welded together like entwined lovers. Paintings cover every wall and various sculptures are randomly scattered around the grass. A former training centre of the steel industry completes the tableau. It feels like a Bladerunner filmset. The original idea of wanting to keep pace with the times is still palpable in the remnants of a building considered modern sixty years ago. Located between Esch and Schifflange, it’s just another dilapidated building. We decide to come back in a few years to see how urban planners transform this huge plot.

We can’t believe our eyes: in a back courtyard, containers are stacked like Lego. The rendering is made of reed. Beams are made of recycled timber from buildings demolished on nearby construction sites. It’s a textbook circular economy. In essence, a gigantic Villa Villekulla. A new, second-hand creation. Doors, windows, railings: all made of different shapes and colours, all second-hand. Scrap and natural materials only. 

To complete this motley creation, a restaurant using exclusively “rescued” food is planned. That is, food with supposed aesthetic flaws that commercial chains don’t want. Twin cucumbers and pale aubergines are welcome here in Benu village where everything is crooked and warped anyway.

Even if not all of Esch is committed to zero waste, the whole region still feels like a monumental upcycling project. From the brightly polished former furnaces to the lovingly renovated factory buildings to the recreational area near the rewilded mines: old is not bulldozed but consistently upgraded and integrated with the new. There is a sense of pride in the history and stories of previous generations.