De groene H — Lobke Meekes
For Nieuwe Uitzichten, Lobke Meekes was paired with Ald Weishoès in Venlo. This distinctive historic building, which was once an orphanage and later a home for older people, is currently being renovated. In its new role, the building will provide space for a hostel, student housing and local associations. It will become a publicly accessible place where permanent residents and temporary visitors to Venlo can meet, under the name ‘Stadsherberg’ (City Inn).
In her initial research, Lobke Meekes focused mainly on this new idea of the ‘city inn’ and related concepts such as hospitality. Who is this inn for? Which guests will come here, and are there guests who are being overlooked?
Hospitality
An inn is designed for passers-by, travellers and visitors to a city. In an unfamiliar place, these travellers, tired and hungry from their journey, hope for a warm welcome. Sometimes they arrive as expected, and sometimes unexpectedly. Some are simply passing through, while others stay for longer.
To make all these different guests feel welcome, a good host needs to understand their needs, listen to them and sometimes put their own needs and discomfort aside. Being hospitable means creating space for the guest in front of you: space in your inn, in your schedule and in your mind.
But what if that guest is completely different from you? Suddenly, a traveller arrives who does not speak the language, and it is unclear how long they want to stay or even whether they want to be there at all. And what if this guest is not human, but a bird or a floating seed looking for a safe place to stay? What does hospitality mean then?
Ald Weishoès
Imagine you are a drifting seed. The city looks like a lava flow created by people: mostly paved and, at first sight, not very welcoming. But it is also a kaleidoscope of rocky edges, damp corners and possible landing spots between paving stones, concrete slabs and cracks in the hard surface. These landing places have mostly appeared by chance, but they offer inspiration for a design that warmly welcomes these green travellers.
Starting from the idea of expanding the current meaning of ‘inn’ and ‘hospitality’ to include plant travellers, Lobke Meekes is developing a proposal for the entrance area of the Ald Weishoès. By redesigning the paved front garden, it can become an attractive resting place for residents and passers-by, while also offering a place to land, shelter, germinate and even take root.
In this way, the historic meeting place at the front of the Ald Weishoès can be transformed into a space where people and green visitors to the city meet. A place where every guest is welcome, from local residents, tourists and students to drifting seeds.
