Eindhoven is a city in the South of The Netherlands where I spent a lot of time since 2007. Eindhoven is originally and at its core an industrial city, but its character has changed significantly into a modern technology and innovation hub. Also design is big here. In 2026 the city hosts 250.000 people and there will be more people moving in soon. There is a huge development in constructing high buildings for residents. The city is growing and aims to compete with the skyline of Rotterdam. It is become a concrete jungle what for me represents grey. I’ve been observing the changes and naturally documented some of the developments  in this provincial city what becomes more and more a city with an international character who is positioning itself in the world.

In 2007 I lived in the neigbourhood Woensel West which is next to Vredeoord. Vredeoord has always been the home of the headquarters of Philips, the electronic brand Eindhoven is known for. At a certain morning in the autumn I left my house by bike and saw movement in the area. Some small houses where brought in on trailers and there was some diggin for a pond. I decided to go have a look and visited Tom & Judy, the couple who was moving in with their mobile offgrid wooden homes. Five hours later I left their place with a full belly and a happy heart knowing that I would have new sweet neighbors who are super conscious about how we should treat Morther Earth and bring change in this area.

Now 10 years later this area is a neigbourhood where families from several different nationalities live peacefully together. In the heart there is a very special spot. It is a little food forrest where Tom & Judy live. They builded together with their daughter Isa a self sustainable mobile wooden house. This place called Casa Basata is a green hub for the whole neigbourhood. They also digged a pond and it is full of life now with frogs, insects, fishes and sometimes ducks are landing for a small break. We all know that the Dutch biodiversity is decreasing at alarming stages, Tom & Judy’s paradise creates awareness about it and actually locally a bigger biodiversity.

They also created a community garden right behind their house. This green spot is accessible for everybody with the simple invitation to connect with Mother Earth and be in peace.

In between all the concrete and greyness of the city this peaceful spot feels like a paradise where time stands still for a moment and strangers can meet each other in curiosity.