Spolia, or reuse, refers to the reappropriation, particularly at the end of the Roman Empire, of parts and artworks from earlier Roman monuments as building materials for a new monument.

The project to create a community garden and civic space in a hollow area on Rue de la Porte aux Oies in Liège, a street located within the dense urban fabric of the Outremeuse district, was developed and promoted by local residents through the cooperative Les biens communaux. The initiative emerged from residents’ attachment to the site and the biodiversity it hosts, with the aim of providing a welcoming space to exchange ideas, meet people, and support one another.