Press release Portal Eindhoven

In some cities, history is very well known and legible. It can be found in the buildings in the city, in museums and historical societies. Eindhoven is different, it has the habit of not looking back. And this is unjustified. Eindhoven has a rich, virtually unknown history that is worth telling. Various heritage foundations and institutions have a wealth of stories and objects they would like to bring to the attention. In order to find new ways, together with the Eindhoven heritage organisations, to make city history experienceable in the city, for its residents and its visitors, Culture Eindhoven connected designers, architects and other creators in the creative industry with Eindhoven's heritage parties. The Portal Eindhoven is the result of this. It offers a cooperation between various heritage parties (Henri van Abbe Stichting, AWN Eindhoven museum and the municipality of Eindhoven) in combination with the Portal Consortium of designers (MaMaProducties, Kaiser VR, Studio Speciaal and Luis Ferreira). Through the Portal Eindhoven, the past, and perhaps the future, of Eindhoven comes to life on the little square in front of the Heuvel entrance.

The Portal Eindhoven is like a time machine. The basis is an interactive artwork, created by Studio Speciaal and Luis Ferreira, based on the map of Eindhoven from 1560. (This is the first time that the current Eindhoven is recognizable on a map made by Jacob van Deventer by order of the Spanish king). If you stand on the map in front of the Portal, you can open the accompanying Augmented Reality app, made by MaMa Productions and Kaiser VR. This application was specially developed to make the Portal work as a gateway to the past. For example, you can see the market in the Middle Ages or the castle of Eindhoven via your smartphone. But you can also choose not to go so far back and look at the town hall of Eindhoven around 1955. The past comes to life even more when you step through the Portal yourself.

There are also interesting objects and locations in each time layer that tell you more about the history of Eindhoven. Like the sword of Eindhoven that was found during excavations on the 18-September Square in 2007. Or the famous DAFs that were still made in Eindhoven in the 1950s. 

The Portal Eindhoven can now be visited in front of the entrance to the Heuvel near the Catharinaplein in Eindhoven.