Creative hotspot Strijp-S: a must-visit in Eindhoven
Okay, with hip Dutch cities you may not immediately think about Eindhoven. But then you're probably not familiar with Strijp-S. This former Philips business park has now been transformed into a hotspot for living, shopping, eating and doing all kinds of fun things. This bustling district is a real place of innovation and creativity, with not for nothing as a motto: 'Old buildings, new ideas'. Curious what can be done here? In this blog you can read why a journey of discovery in this Brabant district is well worth it!
Successful rezoning
For years, 'industrial' has been a big trend and let this be exactly the basis of Strijp-S. Philips settled here in 1916 and became a great success, making Eindhoven a real city from a collection of villages and being nicknamed 'City of Light'. In 2002, however, Philips left Strijp-S behind, which meant that this extensive industrial area had to be given a new destination. It has been decided to involve the area with respect for the industrial heritage. The area has been redeveloped into a vibrant place where many people now live and various creative entrepreneurs are located and events are organized. Because many factory buildings have been preserved, you will find buildings on Strijp-S with names such as the Glass House, Ketelhuis and NatLab (short for Physics Laboratory).
Plenty of inspiration and gadgets
In addition to the buildings that recall the factories, there are also two monumental buildings named after the founders of Philips: Anton and Gerard. In the Anton building you will find Urban Shopper, a small-scale shopping centre in which about 20 unique boutiques each have their own wooden unit. The range goes from design to books, from cycling to jewelry and from vintage clothing to LPs. Especially go here if you like different than average, to find a nice present or just look around and get inspired. Every third Sunday of the month, the FeelGood Market takes place on ketelhuisplein, next to Anton. This is also one of those places where you can stroll around for fun unique stuff, but here there is more focus on sustainability, handicrafts and organic. You can also eat all kinds of goodies, participate in workshops and enjoy live music. This (free accessible) market returns every month, but the nice thing is that every edition the offer is different. So it's always worth it! Outside the summer months, the market is set up indoors, in the Klokgebouw.
For foodies and beer lovers
A visit to the market can be perfectly combined with an ice cream from Intelligentia ICE, just down the road in the Anton building. This salon not only has delicious ice cream and cakes, you can taste flavors here that you don't just find anywhere else. Think of 'Cuban sigar', a smoky coffee flavor, pineapple with pink pepper, fermented carrot or coconut bacon cake. Some tastes seem too bizarre for words, but fortunately you can always taste a bite before you order a ball. The nice thing is that the ice at Intelligentia is freshened every day and the creators continue to experiment to develop new flavors; So there is always some news to taste! In addition to this ice hotspot, there are many other restaurants on Strijp-S – too many to mention, so here a small selection. For sweet chewing, the Pastry club is worth a visit just because of its tough location – the old Engine Room. Beer lovers have to go to Brewery Het Veem, here you have a special beer on the terrace and you can take a look at the beer kitchen. And if you're still there, stroll through the Vershal (wherever the brewery is), a permanent indoor fresh market with extensive offerings.
Films under the stars
It came along for a while; the Physics Laboratory, better known as NatLab. This was a legendary place of innovation at philips. New techniques such as X-ray technology, television and CD were developed here, and even Einstein and Queen Wilhelmina have been here. A special place, and hence it has also been declared a monument. Since 2013, NatLab has been a film theater where in addition to films, lectures, exhibitions and more are held. What I'm particularly a fan of is the 'outdoor films' that are on the program in the summer. Then a movie is projected on a big screen that you can just come and watch for free. There are a lot of benches waiting, but a lot of people often come on so it's convenient to bring your own pillow/seat/folding chair so you have at least a nice spot. Watch film in the open air and a cozy atmosphere, with drinks and snacks on site for sale; a lovely summer evening if you ask me!
Technology made fun
In addition to being a nice place to shop, chill and eat ice cream, Strijp-S is also a so-called 'smart city'. In short, this means that all kinds of technical gadgets have been applied to make living and life easier. But also léuker. A funny application of technology is the security camera that lets you take a selfie with. Here's the trick that you have to stand in a designated place, where you can scan a QR code that activates the camera. Then you can download the photo taken.
Furthermore, the area is still in full development. Many more homes and other concepts are being realized so Strijp-S is only becoming more fun and lively. The area is outside the centre of Eindhoven, but fortunately not far. It can be easily accessible by bike or by bus and there is even your own train station, so that's how you can get there directly. So you're going to Eindhoven soon and want something different from the centre with the well-known chain stores that are the same everywhere? Do you like originality, creativity, culture and all this in an inspiring industrial environment? Then Strijp-S is the place you need to go for you!