The heart of the Tilburg Spoorzone will be given a special structure in the spring of 2026: the green cathedral. It is a copy of the hill church in the city, but is full of trees and plants. The world -famous Brabant architect Winy Maas designs the building for Van Gogh Homeland, a new biennial event that wants to put sustainability on the map.
The green cathedral can only be seen in Tilburg for two months and costs a million euros. It is the first building in a series of temporary attractions that can be seen over the years in our province to stimulate sustainability.
But can a structure be called sustainable if it only stays in standing for two months and costs a million euros? According to the organization of Van Gogh Homeland.
“Only a physical place can create that energy, meeting, conversation and enthusiasm that is needed for an acceleration,” says spokesperson Anouschka Peterink.
“If all goes well, a visit to the manifestation is aware of raising awareness with which we activate visitors. That ensures the greening of this city. In addition, the greenery on the cathedral will find a permanent place afterwards.”
Planting remains
After two months, the green cathedral does not disappear completely. The planting from the structure is spread throughout the city, so that the city continues to benefit from this initiative.
In this way the project continues to take care of greenery in the city and it has to encourage a discussion about what the future of Brabant looks like.
The cathedral consists of a structure with multiple layers that are filled with trees, shrubs and plants. With the structure, Winy Maas from architectural firm MVRDV wants to connect art, architecture and sustainability.
A ‘Green Sky Walk‘At the cathedral, visitors leads to interactive exhibitions and art installations that have to stimulate and inspire.
“It is an expression of the dream of combining the upcoming gigantic densification of Brabant – caused by its location, her potential, her ambition – with a radical greening,” says Winy Maas.
Investing in sustainability
The green cathedral fits in with the plans that Tilburg has in the field of more green in the city. The municipality is investing in sustainable solutions and tries to improve the quality of life in the city.
Bas van der Pol, alderman for urban development, economy and environmental quality, is happy with the arrival of the cathedral. “It’s great that in Tilburg, one of the places where Van Gogh learned to draw as a young student, we will receive the first building of this project.”
Marc Meeuwis, director of City Marketing Tilburg, is also enthusiastic. “In recent years, Tilburg has proven itself as a city of makers, a breeding ground for experimentation and innovation. It gives room to try, test and create. “
The project was made possible in the development phase by the province of Noord-Brabant, Midpoint Brabant, the municipality of Tilburg, the Efteling and Libéma.
The rest of the project is paid from the Deal region, which the government last awarded to the Central Brabant region. The municipality of Tilburg and entrepreneurs in the region also contribute to the further development of the program.
More green buildings
Tilburg is not the only municipality that wants a structure full of trees and plants in the center. In Sint-Michielsgestel there will be a green villa full of planting in two years that was also designed by the Winy Maas architectural firm.
There will be seven luxury apartments with a surface of 150 to 250 square meters in the villa. There will be a new office on the ground floor of the building.