Eindhoven: the city of light turned design capital

The Strijp-S, a former Philips industrial complex repurposed, today hosts technology startups, art galleries and venues in carefully restored industrial buildings.

Just steps away, the Van Abbemuseum, among the most important modern art museums in the Netherlands, displays works by Picasso, Kandinsky and Chagall in a futuristic building.

Continuing one crosses the Blob Bridge, a pedestrian walkway with futuristic design connecting two city neighborhoods above the railway.

Toward evening, every October the Glow Festival illuminates the entire city with light installations created by international artists.

Eindhoven was born and grew around the Philips factory, founded in 1891 for lightbulb production, a heritage the city still celebrates today through its annual lights festival and museums dedicated to the company's history.

The Design Academy Eindhoven, among the world's most prestigious design schools, played a key role in transforming the former industrial city into an internationally recognized creative hub capable of attracting talent from every continent.