Eindhoven in Art

NUL ZES: Multiplication of knowledge, skills and network.

On the former gas terrain of Eindhoven and between the Dommel and the Canal you can discover a non-Eindhoven-like ensemble of historical buildings. A small-scale village near city-centre, combining residences, hospitality and creative entrepreneurship. One of the buildings has the letters NUL ZES written above the entrance. There is -and has been- quite a lot going on behind this door…

Returning visitors know the constant transformation that this place undergoes. Not only the terrain itself grows and transforms, but the NUL ZES collective loves constant transformation of their own space. Inside we encounter two of the founders, Dirk and Renee. For seven years they have been putting their energy and enthusiasm in the location and the people. It all started with using this vacant building with a very temporary permit, starting with small-scale expositions and drinks, mainly inviting the neighbourhood. It sparked the growth of a mentality, an open-minded creative atmosphere that keeps welcoming the unknown.

Last milestone in the development is the completion of the transformation of the building itself. The new NUL ZES is, at the moment, quite museum-like. Dirk explains: ‘NUL ZES is a collective of designers. We grew to a group of 18 members with a variety of disciplines, together running the place. We share a

variety of spaces, a workshop, tools and a van, but above all: we share parties, stories, diners and ideas. Every member of NUL ZES has their own studio, everyone is an entrepreneur in the design field. The result of this set-up is the multiplication of knowledge, skills and network.

The artist meets the engineers

Inside you can find a rich combination of graphic design, ceramics, copywriting, architecture, furniture and product design, material design or social design. At NUL ZES, the artists meet the engineers. We always aim for interaction with visitors, and to embody this, the heart of our home-base is kept open and transformative. Collective spaces never reach a definite state, shape shifting for every event.

In the past seven years we hosted a variety of workshops, different restaurant-setups, a playground for grown-ups with 2000 crates and a stand-up comedy stage. People have flown through the space on a unicorn, an installation made it rain inside for a week, we hosted poledancing queers - and the evangelical church. In all these events, we found the sweet spot between our creative work and public interaction. If you haven’t experienced it before, perhaps this year’s Dutch Design Week is a good moment to come have a look.’

Bringing people together, playing together and understanding different perspectives

Philippe adds: ‘All members experience the freedom to transform the collective space to their needs, and they invite others to be part of that. The result is two-fold: every member acts as an owner and takes care of - and enriches - their environment.

Gradually we have learned that this curious and experience-based design attitude has its effect on many levels. This attitude might be an important ingredient when solving the wicked problems that we are facing nowadays. Bringing people together, playing together and understanding different perspectives all together seem to be a very healthy starting point when trying to find integral solutions. Therefore we hope it will be infectious. We already see that the approach of userbased redevelopment of a terrain and buildings with social cohesion and diversity is making multiple developers curious. We started collaborating with the large Dutch construction and development firm Dura Vermeer. Together we orchestrate the experimental redevelopment of the historic machine and engine room in the center of the NRE terrain. These two small buildings will be the concluding piece in the redevelopment of the former gas terrain, becoming ‘clubhouse NRE’.

When finished, The NUL ZES ensemble will work as an inspiration machine: with studio’s (places to think), workshops (places to make) and interaction spaces (places to share). In Dutch we call this threesome: Denken, Doen en Delen. Three steps in a design process, that the artists and engineers can experience together with visitors and clients. An open process with the end user as the main ingredient. You can see this as an invitation…

Our philosophy: people-first

With the city-maker experience of the past seven years, being part of a city whilst influencing and trying to nourish that same city, we found an energy that is spreading out to other areas. Members of the collective are part of think tanks. Project developers, housing corporations and the municipality, all started to find their way to NUL ZES. With our philosophy of people-first, we try to push the developments (from VDMA to Vredeoord to Emmasingel to Sectie C) towards a more green, inclusive, welcoming and perhaps undefined direction. Sometimes these developments are all too exciting for civil servants, but when they are, it will be exciting for visitors as well.

agenda

Parktheater

Friday 6 November AMAZING ASIA - INTRODANS Asia as a source of inspiration Hertog Jan Zaal / dance

Thursday 12 November DARE TO SAY - NEDERLANDS DANS THEATER Two world premieres by two distinctive makers Hertog Jan Zaal / dance

Saturday 14 November LIVESTREAM LA VOIX HUMAINE & L’HEURE ESPAGNOL – OPERA ZUID Enjoy opera on the big screen. Two women crave for love. One wants her lover back, the other cheats. Hertog Jan Zaal / opera

Saturday 14 November LEAVING TRUMPLAND - GREG SHAPIRO A Trump election special: we find out how to leave Trump behind. (English and Dutch spoken) Philipszaal / comedy

Sunday 15 November ZIN IN ZONDAG New at the Parktheater: Zin in Zondag? Treat yourself and someone else to this lively Sunday morning concert. Grote Foyer / music Tuesday 17 November ASIAN CELEBRATION - DON’T HIT MAMA Performance about family baggage from an Asian colonial past, with dance, music, photography and spoken word. Hertog Jan Zaal / dance

Thursday 26 – Saturday 28 November SWAN LAKE - CLUB GUY & RONI + SLAGWERK DEN HAAG + TOMOKO MUKAIYAMA A performance about our need to escape in a perfect fairytale world and the danger of losing sight of reality. Hertog Jan Zaal / dance

Sunday 6 December CHRISTMAS UNDER AFRICAN SKIES - THE AFRICAN MAMAS A musical program with beautiful African traditional songs, a-capella songs, gospel and the well-known international Christmas songs. Hertog Jan Zaal / show

Safe at the Parktheater: view the Corona measures for a safe and responsible theater visit on our website. www.parktheater.nl

Autumn crossword puzzle

Autumn is here! Get ready by seeing whether you know the Dutch translations of the words below! If you’ve done it correctly, a word should be revealed from top to bottom. Send that word to hello@reginacoeli.nl to enter a drawing to win the book ‘Stuff Dutch People Eat’.

1. Leaves

4. A downpour

7. Rain puddle

10. Autumn 2. A walk in the woods

5. Wintertime

8. Rain boots

3. Mushroom

6. Acorn

9. Pine cone