Establishing itself during the early 11th century, the Duchy of Brabant deemed Brussels an excellent location for their settlement. With a river connecting it to many other European cities, Brussels was born. The city was built around the river and spread in both directions. A rugged tapestry called for a unique urban landscape and the organization was specific. As time progressed, due to drastic changes in equity across the city, and economic changes over time, the government created programs in order to help the disadvantaged neighborhoods. This organization that was in place has become a modern melting pot. These programs, known as contracts, are split into multiple sections: district, school, urban renewal, axis, and housing block contracts.

From the beginning, the wealthiest areas in Brussels were farther from the river, situated at the top of the hill (southeast) protected from potential river flooding. The merchant class existed near the river/market in the low areas near the Grand Place square of today. As time went on, the government shifted to the square giving the people more power. This was a turning point in the organization of the city because now everyone wanted to be in the city center meaning the wealth was spread more evenly throughout the city. The center city of Brussels has always been split by the Senne River. Historically the river was the main waterway, but eventually, it became more and more polluted. The river became less navigable as the city grew, resulting in its covering in the mid-19th century. Instead, a canal was designed west of the original river allowing for transportation of goods to continue. To make this urban change, many neighborhoods were gentrified and its inhabitants relocated to other parts of the city. 

Mid 1950 the construction of the ring road began and the roadway infrastructure became complex. The upcoming World Exhibition of 1958 would expedite the roadway development creating sprawl in Brussels. This brought more people toward suburbs and development progressed outward. Although the inner city is still dense, at the edges we begin to notice more open space and parks. This demonstrates the unbalanced distribution of green space and the lack of equitability in the city. The inner city housed the disadvantaged class while the edges remained the wealthiest areas. From an outside perspective, Brussels appears well organized given its title as the capital of Europe. However, through abysmal urban planning and development post World War II, the city as a whole has declined. In a report of The Brussels Times, they acknowledged, “Behind the rich, shiny surface lurks another Brussels that rarely rears its head: a city heaving with poverty, where almost one in three live on the breadline” (Cendrowicz, 2017). While trying to demonstrate the appearance of a wealthy city, Brussels continues to struggle to balance the wealth of the city and create a thriving economy.

The city of Brussels bears the imprints of its historical evolution, which greatly influence its present-day appearance. The sense of history coexists with the remnants of what time has taken away. Today we can see this separation of the people in Brussels very clearly in the city structure. Despite considerable transformations over time, the organization remains a remnant of its origins. With the wealthiest areas still situated toward the southeast, they remain distanced from the river. In an effort to battle this continuous unequal distribution of wealth, upscale developments along the canal are now beginning to take shape.