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Behind Two Big Trees

This project was done in collaboration with the community of the Cultururwerkplaats Tarwewijk

The wood workshop is rich with treasures. Here the wood is stored, here are machines and tools hanging orderly on the wall. What is your favorite tool? A nice, small, practical pocket rule is brought out from a hiding place. It looks so cute and unassuming, and for a former carpenter, it is essential. It's interesting to look at the tools from a different angle. I've never done that before. I like this perspective. It looks so abstract. And this tool used to be the most important tool of a carpenter before there were machines. Now it looks like an insect.

Stacked plates, folded towels, ladles hanging on the wall, enough of everything to cook for a large community. In the kitchen, people cook, bake and wash dishes. This room is not only functional. When the kitchen is in use, people work together here, new acquaintances are formed, and perhaps the most exciting conversations take place.

Another room. Another room for the community. Large windows on both sides. Tables with wheels and chairs to sit on. A sink next to the entrance door. Cabinets where material is tidied up. Look in the box over there, there are buttons in there and on that shelf are fabrics. Do you need a sewing machine? Would you like to use this? That looks good too, and maybe you'd like to try that out? I'll hand it over to you. I made a tower out of spools of thread. Yeah, I like that one. Here, I'll bring you a prop so it doesn't fall over.

This room is called the coffee room. I have an idea. We could take a picture with tea. There's so much of it here. Let's take the cups, and here are some saucers. How about the tea strainers and the little bowls? I think the table is good, it's lower than the others. And maybe we'll take this tablecloth? Wait, I will put that away out of the background. It wobbles a little bit. It'll hold. Let's try it out like this. I'll get some spoons. How does it look?

The garden is so big. The garden is the highlight. I like to be in the garden. The biggest rosemary bush I've ever seen. Raised beds, herb garden, insect hotel, a little amphitheater and benches. In summer we have to water here twice. Now it rains almost every day. In this shed the tools are stored, I especially like these ones. Maybe we can do something with them? Can we integrate them in the garden? I like especially the part of the garden where all the tress and bushes are. Look, the two cats, they are always here together.

It is a place of freedom, that is what I have been told. That is how people feel there. Everybody can be as they want to be. Everybody has his or her own story. It is a place for encounter, for exchange, for collaboration, a place to try things out, a place to experiment. A place to get to know other people and to meet individuals you would usually not be in contact with. A place to be with other people or a place to feel alone. It is a place that invites to be creative and active.