A tip from Rik: Strijp-s walk

We all know Eindhoven as a city where creativity, design, and high-tech innovation come togetether. That originates with Philips, the company that put Eindhoven on the map. Want to find out more about its visible impact on the city? Rik has listed several historical highlights for a walk from the city center to Strijp-S. 

Where it started

Almost everywhere you can see the history of Philips. But let's go to the spot where it all once started: the first light bulb factory, an appropriate place to begin your walk. Nowadays, you'll find the Philips Museum here, a place to learn more about the history and products through exhibitions and enthusiastic guides. Across the street, you'll soon spot the Witte Dame, the first expansion site and currently the home of among others Design Academy Eindhoven. 

Walking down the Emmasingel complex, you'll spot the Bruine Heer (the former head office of Philips) on the right and stumble upon the monumental Lichttoren on the left. In the latter building, the first light bulb innovations were tested by Philips, illuminating the city. The building is of such striking value to both Eindhoven and Philips. Therefore, there is a permanent connection between Strijp-S and the Lichttoren through a line of sight. 

The forbidden city

If you continue your walk in the direction of Strijp-S, then both the Philips Stadium and the Philips Village are icons from Philips' past. So, make sure to linger at it for a while. Once you've passed both, you will arrive at the ‘Forbidden City’. In the past, it was not that easy to get in. Strijp-S was highly protected, and only employees were allowed to enter the site via the porter's lodge. 

Once inside, a lot of research was done. The gates were put in place to keep the top secret inventions safe! Fun fact, the name Strijp-S is a double reference to the location: Strijp, to the adjacent village called 'Strijp' and 'S' to the first letter of the name. Later Strijp-T and Strijp-R were also added to the expansion area. If you put these letters together they spell S-T-R-IJ-P. The last two letters were never used for additional expansion. 

District in transformation

Over the years, Strijp-S has transformed from an industrial estate into a symbol for new creative energy. Through smart choices and a bottom-up approach of local communities such as Plug-in-City, the district has become an alternative city center where living, working, and recreation come together. 

This creativity results in ever new changes so that no two visits are the same. Rik recommends the following indispensable places for your walk or your next visit. At Tea Stories, you can get a tea to-go, and at Intelligentia you can get an ice-cold treat. The Veemgebouw is a historic piece of architecture with, among others, VR center Enversed. Want to discover more? Broeinest, Radio Royaal, and PopEi are also highly recommended.