Veerle's Sidenotes A collection of thoughts on subjects of my interest.
Viviendas Sociales en Ibiza
Two things you wouldn’t expect to find in the same sentence: social housing and Ibiza, the Iberian island better known for its parties than progressive architecture. These 19 housing apartments by Ripoll Tizón should serve as an example and inspiration of what is possible. One can only wish more would build like this.
The exterior aesthetic is quite simple: white walls help reflect the heat, while wooden shutters provide shade for the windows. The shape of the building itself is also pretty sweet.
A central atrium serves as a communal space while also allowing cross breezes to flow through and soft, diffused light to filter in. I love how they used color, especially the yellow elevator, the beautifully detailed tile work and last but not least, the letterboxes. The building features multiple sets of shared terraces and communal spaces throughout. The apartments themselves feel bright and open, with the atrium allowing for easy cross ventilation. It definitely doesn’t feel like typical social housing. It’s no surprise this project has earned its share of awards and recognition. Well deserved!
Fotografía: José Hevia
Eefje de Visser - Onomkeerbaar
My favorite Dutch artist Eefje de Visser just dropped her new single ‘Onomkeerbaar’. It’s another banger—percussive, intense, and full of momentum. She co-directed the video with Keanu Haumahu, and yep, there are English subtitles so you can follow along and understand the lyrics.
Lelies drijven wit in de koude wateren, in de witte sneeuw slapen zwarte zwanen
Heimwee won’t turn one until September, but the next chapter is already unfolding. Or better yet—the second part of the Heimwee story, as Eefje revealed just a few days ago that her upcoming album will be titled Heimwee II. The first single from this sequel is 'Onomkeerbaar'. The first few notes of the song even have a bit of a Tycho synth vibe going on. In the bigger picture, it’s a song about trying to turn cold into warmth, and the irreversible into something reversible. The video is a workout/dance performance, created together with her friend and dancer Valentine Galeyn.
Tour
You can catch Eefje this summer on tour at The Best Kept Secret Festival, Hivarenbeek, Netherlands on Friday June 13. I'm seriously considering going to The Cactus Festival in Bruges on Sunday July 13. On August 6, she plays at the Lokerse Feesten. The three remaining Belgian concerts of the summer are Drift Festival at Kortrijk on August 30 and OLT Rivierenhof in Antwerp on Saturday 6 and Sunday September 7. More dates in the Netherlands are on her tour page.
Pilobolus
Watch this stunning macro footage of Pilobolus, shared by @scottish.fungi on Instagram. He researches coprophilous fungi, with a special focus on rare and previously undescribed species. Make sure to follow his account—you won’t regret it! I could watch his clips on loop forever!
Nature is Infinitely Complex…
This extraordinary fungus begins its journey as a spore ingested by a grazing animal, survives the digestive tract, and takes root in the resulting dung. If you are like me and wonder what the hell is 'dung'? Dung is a term for animal feces (poop), especially from herbivores like cows, horses, or deer. It’s often used in ecological or agricultural contexts.
But here’s where it gets wild: Pilobolus performs one of nature’s fastest feats. It orients itself toward the sun, builds up incredible internal pressure, and catapults its sporangium at 20 km/h in just 2 microseconds—enduring over 20,000 Gs, far beyond what a rocket experiences at liftoff.
Why the explosive launch?
To escape the confines of dung and land on nearby plants, ready to be eaten and continue its lifecycle. A breathtaking example of biological ingenuity and the hidden brilliance of fungi. The twiglet in this film is now in its third week, captured one frame every 3 minutes.
