Belle-vue, the beating heart of streetball in Charleroi

The Belle-vue basketball court is the most iconic streetball spot in Charleroi. Nestled in the heart of Marcinelle, surrounded by residential towers, family houses and a truly diverse community, this court has long been a meeting point for the city's best players. During summer, it's not uncommon to see Division 1 and Division 2 players going head-to-head on the half court. Easily accessible from the main train station, major freeways and a large nearby car park, the court draws players from across the region.

We transformed the existing surface into a bold, large-scale artwork — a riot of colour visible even from above. Alongside the mural, we upgraded the facilities to the highest standard: to our knowledge, Belle-vue became the first court in Wallonia to be equipped with plexiglass backboards and flexible hoops — a game-changer for the playing experience. We completed the setup with polyester nets and foam padding on the backboards, making this one of the best-equipped streetball courts in Wallonia region. Scroll down to discover how the community came alive on the day of the event.

To mark this new chapter for Belle-vue, we hosted the finals of our official 3x3 streetball tournament — men's, U18 boys' and girls' categories — as well as a dunk contest. The winners took home €1,000 in cash, the MVP earned a city trip to Casablanca (Morocco), and the youngest participants walked away with brand new basketball shoes. Marcinelle is the second largest district in Charleroi, home to around 24,000 inhabitants spread across 13.16 km². Its name carries a special place in Belgian cultural history — it inspired the distinctive drawing style behind the world-famous Spirou comics.

Location: Fraternité espanade, 6001 Marcinelle - Belgium

Team: Mehdi Ould Kherroubi Hacine-Bey, PhD (art director, building site coordinator and artisan), Dema (art supevisor), Daouda Kouyate (logistics coordinator and artisan) and Boban Nicic (artisan in chief). Paint supplier: Victoria paint. Photographers: Sebastien Nagy, Rayane Huart and Abraham De Cugnac. Communication agency: nonante cinq.