Projects

Werkplaats Fellenoord Eindhoven

Eindhoven (NL), 2026

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How Can We Move from Area Development to Inclusive Urban Development?
Brainport Eindhoven region is experiencing rapid growth. Therefore, the development of Fellenoord, a neighborhood in the city centre, plays a key role in Eindhoven’s shift in scale. Together with BVR Adviseurs Ruimtelijke Ontwikkeling, VenhoevenCS conducted a research-by-design study for the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (VRO); and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW). The focus was the socio-economic positioning of this station area development: what kind of district should Fellenoord become, for whom, and how should that ambition translate into housing, workspaces, amenities and public space? In short, the study explored how the ambition of an internationally competitive “world city” district can reinforce, rather than overshadow, local urban life.

Strategic positioning of Fellenoord as a link between the city, the region and the world.

Strategic positioning of Fellenoord as a link between the city, the region and the world.

Research by design
Through interdisciplinary workshops, site visits and societal dialogue, we connected economic ambitions to social realities. Design scenarios were used to test how different socio-economic profiles influence target groups, housing mix, cultural programming and the use of public space. This approach revealed that socio-economic positioning is not an abstract strategy, but a decisive factor: it shapes who can live, work and feel at home in the area, and therefore defines its true soft values.

Photo: Discussion at the area model during the site visit

Photo: Discussion at the area model during the site visit

Key insights for inclusive urban development

  • The scale jump of Brainport requires more than housing numbers; it demands a balanced mix of income groups, housing types and work environments.
  • Affordability must be understood as urban quality, enabling long-term residence, social stability and diverse amenities.
  • A strong social and cultural base layer, affordable workspaces, meeting places and community initiatives, is essential to create identity and resilience.
  • Soft values such as inclusion, health and ownership need to be embedded structurally in governance, land policy and financing.
Image scenario: the healthy city

Image scenario: the healthy city

Result
De Werkplaats delivered strategic recommendations for Fellenoord and practical instruments for other large-scale developments in the Netherlands. It demonstrates how economic growth and inclusive city-making can reinforce one another, when social value is treated as a condition, not a by-product.

Advice: organise a social and cultural foundation (the humus layer)

Advice: organise a social and cultural foundation (the humus layer)

Reflection
For us, this project reflects our commitment to broad prosperity: development that strengthens not only the economy, but also social cohesion, health and equal opportunity. Especially in node developments such as Fellenoord, where mobility, density and investment converge, it is essential that the social dimension grows alongside the spatial and economic ambitions.

Moreover, the project reaffirms research by design as a powerful method to achieve this balance, connecting transit-oriented growth to inclusive urban life, and translating long-term values into concrete strategies for programming, governance and public space.

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Statistics

Name: Werkplaats Fellenoord Eindhoven
Assignment: Research by Design / Advise
Period: 2025-2026
Status: Completed
Client: Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (VRO), Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW), Fellenoord 2040

Credits

VenhoevenCS: Ton Venhoeven, Rebecca Smink, Willem Koning
Other:BVR Adviseurs Ruimtelijke Ontwikkeling
Images: VenhoevenCS architecture+urbanism and BVR Adviseurs Ruimtelijke Ontwikkeling
© 2026 VenhoevenCS