The Space that Talks Back takes shape on the Ketelhuisplein
The Circular CLT frames are upandThe Space that Talks Back is truly starting to take up space at Ketelhuisplein in Eindhoven. The assembly of Urban Climate Architects' interactive installation for Dutch Design Week 2026 is in full swing. What began as a design concept about the future of our living environment is now becoming a place where visitors will soon be able to experience for themselves the impact of spatial choices.
Circular CLT from design to reality
The wooden frames will soon form the spatial foundation of the installation. They are constructed from circular CLT: a material with which we are exploring how secondary wood streams can be repurposed for high-value applications.
This makes the material not just a part of the structure, but also a part of the narrative. The Space that Talks Back demonstrates how design choices, material usage, and the future of our living environment are interconnected.
This material development aligns directly with our research with TNO into Circular CLT made from waste wood and our broader activities regarding Research & Innovation.
What happens when your choice affects others?
In The Space that Talks Back, visitors are presented with spatial dilemmas. We want to build homes, create space for greenery and work, and simultaneously prepare our cities for water and heat. But space is limited.
In the installation, you will discover how a choice from one perspective can have consequences for another. In this way, an abstract spatial issue becomes personal and tangible.
This touches directly on our vision for nature-inclusive urban development: how do we bring housing, climate, nature, and social needs together in a single living environment?
Experience it from October 17 during Dutch Design Week
The final components are currently being assembled. From October 17, 2026 visitors can enter on their own and discover how their choices influence the space.
The Space that Talks Back is from October 17 to 25, 2026 to be visited at the Ketelhuisplein in Eindhoven, daily from11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Admission is free.
The installation is being created together with TNO/BioBuilt, Kiss the Frog, and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, including Bart van den Berg, Lars van Vianen, Tim Vermeend, and Fenne Jansen.
