Getting Started with Existing Buildings
With the help of designers and experts, we started working on ideas and designs. How can we transform vacant buildings into places with a new story? Together with the municipality of Winterswijk and the Cultural Heritage Agency, we organized the Transformation Festival Achterhoek.
Why? Because we tackle vacancy, housing shortages, and heritage preservation simultaneously with creativity, knowledge sharing, and collaboration. This contributes to sustainability and strengthens the livability and identity of the Achterhoek.
Inspiring Speakers and Examples
The Belgian architect Tim Vekemans kicked off the week with a lecture. His call: build less and do more with what already exists.
The art of not building, for the most sustainable building is the building that you do not build.
Additionally, we organized several excursions in the region with a heritage bus. Each time a different route with other good examples at the center to learn from and inspire.
Sketching, Designing, and Discussing
A vacant church, a school building, and a farmyard. What could be new stories for these buildings? At the 3 locations, designers and architects worked daily on ideas and built new stories. The doors were also open for residents to engage in conversation with the designers, a valuable addition to the design process.
Barbara van Dijk, landscape architect at Land-id: “It was great to work on location. Many people came in, either looking for housing or a farmer wanting to work on his own yard. It also inspired us to create sketches in a kind of pressure cooker.”
During open mornings and at the ‘Inspiration Square’ in Oldschool Hotel Winterswijk, residents could view the interim results. About 18 organizations, the municipality of Winterswijk, and colleagues from the province of Gelderland informed visitors at the Inspiration Square about subsidies, regulations, and ongoing initiatives. They could also seek advice from the designers.
Closing Day with Results
On Friday, June 27, 2025, the designers presented their ideas. From youth studios to a country estate hotel. With attention to the qualities of the existing building, the history of the buildings and surroundings, and the wishes and concerns of residents and neighbors. The week yielded not only concrete designs and sketches but also many new experiences and insights into how we can tackle vacancy in Gelderland and preserve heritage.
A (digital) magazine will soon be published in which we will compile all results. With interviews with the designers, lessons learned, and more. Keep our website in mind!