Ilke van Engelen, urban planner Tilburg municipality and resident of Lombok, Utrecht.

The city is layered; urban and green, lively and relaxed, innovative and historical. The city has everything and belongs to everyone. The stratification and multicolour are essential, as are the connections between the layers themselves; the network. We move through the layers of the city every day and we meet each other in that network of lines and places to stay. Attractive spaces where we can meet and exchange information are essential for people and animals and form the basis of an attractive city and living environment .

I find it important that people feel 'at home' in their living environment and like to contribute to making the city more attractive. That is what makes my work so fun and challenging.

In my spare time, I especially enjoy doing this together with other fellow city-dwellers. Making your own neighbourhood more beautiful and fun, like at Stichting Lombok Centraal, gives positive energy. You can see that in the timeline.