The Street Room

Art project in the district of Twekkelerveld, Enschede, 2008

A street room is a room that gives out to the street or overlooks the street. Taken less literally, it may also be seen as a space between private – the house – and public space.

The project ‘The Street Room’ aims at stimulating the use of the public space in the district of Twekkelerveld by various population groups, thus creating or strengthening enduring contacts between the local residents. To achieve this, a meeting place has been created which simultaneously serves as a platform for all kinds of activities for and with local residents.
The Street Room has no walls. It is a sort of room in the district of Twekkelerveld, on the corner of Zonstraat and Schorpioenstraat, marked out in white on the pavement. The form of the markings is reminiscent of a playing field but may also be seen as an imaginary constellation. The rules of the game are not explicitly given but can only be guessed. Is it a hopscotch diagram, the pitch for an unknown sport or a representation of manners and formalities?

In the development of the idea for the Street Room the street names of the district have played an important role. The words ‘sun’, ‘moon’ and ‘future’, which can now be read in white on the pavement, are a direct reference to the street names of Twekkelerveld. With the expression ‘goodgoan’ people part ways; it is an homage to the local dialect.

The street names of Twekkelerveld, which have been derived for the most part from astronomy and astrology, refer to celestial bodies, stars and constellations. A constellation is an apparent network of stars; a construction based on associations. Contacts among local residents can also be understood in the same way. This would constitute an important step toward the Street Room.
Within this context all kinds of activities are organized for and with local residents.
In the months to come, the Street Room will develop into a fascinating and varied whole.

Photo's: Thomas Lenden, Amsterdam.