A Future-Pointing Social and Ecological Experiment. Text; Berto Aussems
2026 marks the 15th anniversary of the opening of Het Landhuis. A reason to reflect on a place that holds special memories for many people. These were years in which many people, for shorter or longer periods, participated in social and ecological activities. Het Landhuis was never finished. It was always in the making. This was due to ideas contributed by people, which could be freely developed. The opening took place in the summer of 2011. See the video here.
Two initiatives preceded this. The first was to make a house habitable after the municipality had completely demolished the interior. The renovation began in 2009 under the leadership of Obed and Malenka, residents of Landbouwbelang. They were assisted by students from several Maastricht programs. Significant progress was made, particularly in 2010, with the installation of floors in one half of the building. The second initiative originated from a group under the inspiring leadership of Bart Dekker. In mid-2009, ‘Transition Town Maastricht’ was founded with the aim of stimulating the local community’s power to, among other things, reduce fossil fuel consumption in light of the climate crisis.
In 2011, these two initiatives merged, and the remaining Transition Town group was given access to the partially renovated building in front of Landbouwbelang. In the fall, the Repair Café, organized by Berto Aussems, was launched. The Sunday morning Landhuis Brunch was held, along with the weekly Landhuis Café. The importance of these meetings was to discuss ideas about what we wanted to achieve. See the Repair Café video.
The beauty of it was that little was documented in those early days. There were musical performances by Bernadette Huijbers and Guus Pisters, with accordion and double bass, who brightened up the Repair Café and also made repairs themselves. There were upcycling workshops organized by Dymph Korse, including sewing cushions, yarn knitting, and drawing Zendela.
By the spring of 2012, the kitchen had been renovated to the point that they could cook elaborate meals for the Pop-Up restaurant on Wednesdays. A brick oven was installed outside, where Willem Verschoor and Frans Hermans baked healthy bread. The early developments at the Landhuis were documented by photographer Wil Peerboom. That spring, the pilot garden also opened on the grounds behind the Sphinx building. The project provided the opportunity to grow our own vegetables and herbs in containers. Throughout the remainder of 2012, this attracted many people who wanted to help make our Landhuis garden dreams a reality.
But it wasn’t all work. We increasingly turned many activities into celebrations, and word quickly got around. Meanwhile, Coen Eckhardt, Bob, Martijn, and John worked on renovating the Landhuis. A proper electricity and water connection was installed. Over the course of the year, a beautiful veranda was added to the first floor. In the fall, Timo Eckhard launched Radio Timo á la Carte on Sunday afternoons. While enjoying freshly squeezed apple juice, visitors could listen to live performances, interviews, poetry, and fine music; that was the Landhuis at its best.
In 2013, the Open Stage, featuring Richard Vroomen, Willem, and Corneel, among others, opened in the first-floor veranda. It had become a cozy, pocket-sized theater. That year, woodworking days, recreation days, and a beer brewing and juice pressing day were organized. Lieveke Vonk founded the Landhuis choir. In the Landhuis kitchen, surplus produce from supermarkets and the city market was processed into delicious meals. Daniël Speek started an organic bread bakery and a distribution of organic vegetables. See a video of a Landhuis day.
In 2014, the Landhuis initiative spread among student circles. The community expanded rapidly. The Landhuis movement, as it had been until then, became a foundation. Led by Kelly van Bragt, the students began streamlining the Landhuis’s organization. English was increasingly common. The gatherings outside by the campfire, featuring homemade pizza and organic beer, were becoming increasingly popular. The students raved about the place. The Landhuis increasingly became a welcoming co-working space, meeting a need in the Maastricht of “Sjiek en Sjoen.” At the end of 2014, the Livingroom Café opened, where young international visitors met for a good cup of coffee, a game, or a conversation about relevant topics. Italian evenings were also organized, featuring plenty of wine and overcrowded crowds. By early 2015, the Landhuis quickly became overcrowded. The Landhuis Foundation could no longer guarantee safety and hygiene, which led to the initiative’s closure in the spring.
In 2014, the Landhuis initiative spread among student circles. The community expanded rapidly. The Landhuis movement, as it had been until then, became a foundation. Led by Kelly van Bragt, the students began streamlining the Landhuis’s organization. English was increasingly common. The gatherings outside by the campfire, featuring homemade pizza and organic beer, were becoming increasingly popular. The students raved about the place. The Landhuis increasingly became a welcoming co-working space, meeting a need in the Maastricht of “Sjiek en Sjoen.” At the end of 2014, the Livingroom Café opened, where young international visitors met for a good cup of coffee, a game, or a conversation about relevant topics. Italian evenings were also organized, featuring plenty of wine and overcrowded crowds. By early 2015, the Landhuis quickly became overcrowded. The Landhuis Foundation could no longer guarantee safety and hygiene, which led to the initiative’s closure in the spring.
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