Public Art: murals and more

Strijp-S is a former Philips industrial site located near the city centre of Eindhoven right next to the company housing of Philipsdorp. The company left the site in 2000 and in 2002 an agreement was reached over the redevelopment of this hitherto barred area. Old factory buildings and offices are redeveloped for the creative industry and other functions like restaurants, exhibition space, leisure activities and large gatherings (pop concerts, exhibitions and conferences). The idea was to create a vibrant new urban quarter of high density with a mix of uses and many new apartments, partly in concerted factory buildings, partly in new high rise towers. The area is still in flux, but is slowly changing into a “proper neighbourhood” since the first people took up residence here in 2012. Many buildings that were given temporary use were adorned with murals by graffiti artists; injecting some colour in this very stony and windswept environment.

Along the new central infrastructure -Philitelaan- a temporary structure in front of a former office block has a colourful mural that reads CHANGE. The murals were commissioned by the local authority with and resident entrepreneurs to make the place more lively and entice people to visit this “hidden beauty”. At the central event square the word HIER (which means here) emphasises that you have arrived in a specific place: Strijp-S.

The skate boarding centre is located in a former industrial hall as a type of temporary use. The success of this Area 51 has meant the plans have changed and the social housing society is now planning to build affordable houses over the existing building. The walls show several murals.

Another temporary resident was a climbing centre. They recently moved to a former car mechanics school and the old building will be demolished soon. This will also mean that the lovely mural of a Quetzalcoatl bird in a verdant tropical setting will disappear.

The mural with all its green tones with the central blotch of red of the birds belly and flanks is a good example of a skilful use of the spray-paint can. Around the corner of the scene in green is a wall of panels decorated by school children as part of an art project on identity dubbed “I Am”. Each panel represents an attribute (like strong, confident, creative, joyful, etcetera) with an image that matches.