Carola Eichstaedt

Department: Information Design

Urban Discomfort

Carola Eichstaedt has taken her personal experience of settling
in Eindhoven as a starting point for her research into the
value of the city. When she first moved here, Eichstaedt found it
hard to cope with the lay-out and look of her new hometown.
With its endless blocks of identical houses and stark contrast
between empty spaces and architectural overstimulation,
it seemed to lack any comfort. Living conditions here are
dominated by architectural constraints: residential streets and
districts look the same everywhere you move. Residents
try to compensate by adding personal objects around their
homes such as potted plants, decorative fences, and awnings.
Eichstaedt dubs these elements ‘urban prostheses’. But
paradoxically, while these elements bring personal comfort,
their impact on the general atmosphere is such that collectively,
they cause further ‘urban discomfort’. By charting these
urban prostheses Eichstaedt offers an inquisitive alternative
introduction to Eindhoven.