Vrij Gym Nationaal Park

What: A research analysis of the phenomenon where people reinterpret open public spaces and creatively use them as recreational sports facilities, with a practice of the analysis’ outcome as an example, to question the conventional decision making in urban planning in terms of recreational spaces and bodily-spatial relation.

Why: Doing recreational sports, on a spectrum between play and compete, has long been an essential way to spend our leisure time. Beyond the surface of the need to stay healthy physically and mentally, there are so many layers in sociological level.

How: By mapping the where are the spaces and how people use those spaces, then analyze it by using varies theories to get conclusions, then combine the outcome with the reality of Eindhoven.

With the outcome of the analysis, Yufei had a closer look at the city, the barrier between Strijp and Woensel West caught her attention, the physical one which is obvious–the railway, and more importantly the invisible social barrier. Here comes the challenge: can we eliminate the social barrier by transforming the physical barrier into a space that brings people together?