Koen Vanmechelen's LABIOMISTA in Genk: Art and Science Merge

Belgian artist Koen Vanmechelen (born 1965 in Sint-Truiden) is developing LABIOMISTA, a 240,000-square-meter project in Genk, Belgium, on a former coal mine turned zoo. The multidisciplinary initiative blends art and science to explore biocultural diversity and sustainable community building. Architect Mario Botta designed three key structures: a villa, a park, and a 5,000-square-meter studio. The studio, clad in black brick with 6-meter windows, houses Vanmechelen's works and a greenhouse with various bird species, including a pair of Steller's sea eagles. Vanmechelen's Cosmopolitan Chicken Project, which crossbreeds chickens from different countries to enhance genetic diversity, is a precursor. The project has inspired similar initiatives globally, including one in Ethiopia. LABIOMISTA aims to rehabilitate the ecologically scarred site and stimulate local economic growth, supported by local administrations, private backers, and Flanders and Limburg Tourism. Discussions are underway for local produce cultivation and restaurant projects. Vanmechelen stated, 'I think LABIOMISTA will promote debates among a wide range of people... on how we can create more diverse, sustainable, resilient, and engaged communities.' Construction is expected to be complete by spring 2019.