House of Smart

Maurice Mentjens searches for inspiration in the genius loci; the local context or spirit of place. For this design it was the DNA of Eindhoven as the technological centre of the Netherlands. 'In 2011, Eindhoven was declared to be the “world’s smartest region” by the Intelligent Community Forum. This is in no small measure due to initiatives such as “Brainport Region Eindhoven.” This is why it seemed interesting to me to represent the brain with its branching nervous system in an abstract manner in this particular location. It is like a labyrinth or a maze. But you can also interpret the branching as the wiring of complicated printing plates or computer chips, symbolic of rational thought and artificial intelligence.' The entire interior, including the ceiling, has been panelled with a criss-cross of wooden structures. The sober palette of shades of grey combines with the panelling to create the image of the cerebral cortex, the part of the brain where all information is processed.