I’m standing with you on the Stationsplein. It is morning in the year 2050. There are no more cars around us, but whisper-quiet shuttles that drive themselves. Cyclists whizz past on paths that light up with every pedal stroke. The air feels clean, fresh.
“Welcome to Eindhoven,” I say with a smile. “The city of tomorrow. But look around you – much of what you see already exists today. Come, I’ll take you with me.”
- Strijp-S: factory becomes the future
We walk to Strijp-S. Where once the factory chimneys of Philips smoked, vertical gardens now grow along the walls. On the roofs, bees graze between vegetable gardens that feed the neighborhood. Drones hum softly as they deliver a crate of fresh vegetables.
“It seems futuristic, doesn’t it?” I ask. “Yet this story starts today.
On the bustling Strijp-S you can see how old factory halls have been transformed into creative breeding grounds. You can already taste the atmosphere of 2050.”
- The Dommel as a lifeline
We walk on, towards the Dommel. In 2050, not only water will flow, but also energy: floating terraces will be planted along the banks, and parks will collect rain to survive dry summers. People are working under the trees, their laptops powered by solar energy.
I wink. “And you know what? You can also see this today in small steps.
- Light as magic
Night falls. Suddenly, Eindhoven turns into a sea of light. Buildings seem to breathe, tunnels respond to your movement, and the entire center is an open-air museum. This is GLOW 2050, where art and technology together tell a story.
I turn to you: “But you don’t have to wait thirty years. Walk through the city and you’ll see how Eindhoven is already playing with light – from permanent installations to the annual GLOW Festival in November. It almost feels like the future is shining in front of your feet.” And we already have illuminated bicycle bridges such as the Hovenring and the Tegenbosch bridge.
- Innovation around the corner
We get into a shuttle and drive to the High Tech Campus. Robots walk past us, engineers work with self-learning computers that develop new medicines. This is where the future of the world is conceived.
“You can also experience this today,” I say. “During our tours you will hear the stories of companies such as ASML and Philips. You are standing in the place where innovations are created that will change our lives in the coming decades.”
- The taste of tomorrow
It is late in the evening. We end the day in a cozy restaurant. No more menu in 2050 – a hologram projects the dishes directly onto the table. The food comes from the city’s roof gardens, harvested that same morning.
I grin. “Yet you can already taste this. In one of the many restaurants in Eindhoven, you will discover the cuisines and sustainable initiatives that bring the taste of tomorrow.” For example, we have a great aquaponic farm restaurant.
- The future starts today
As we walk back to the station, I look around. It’s 2050, but it feels so close.
“Do you know what I mean?” I ask softly. “The future of Eindhoven is not a distant dream. It is a story that is already taking place. Every street corner, every work of art, every park already tells a piece of tomorrow.”
I smile and invite you:
👉 Take that walk through Eindhoven and use our web app as your guide or choose the guided bike tour along the highlights of Eindhoven.
or
Guided bike tour along the highlights of Eindhoven
Discover for yourself how Eindhoven is already the city of the future.
