Through foot-exploration, meeting people on the street, being invited into their homes for tea and stories, from anecdotal books, the history of artefacts, and from video and photographs, we explored the past and present of Zuilen through a multi-faceted approach. Victor, a local bike-mechanic, invited Leif into his workspace, and shared his dream of opnening a non-profit museum for antique tools. We were treated to a lovely visit with Joop and Hanneke, a retired Werkspoor/ Wescom worker and his wife, where cookies were eaten and stories and photo albums were shared. Group meetings with ex-workers were a trove of anecdotes, emotion and humour. These interactions helped us to understand the former and modern Zuilen worker, and their changing roles in community. We came away from our research with a wealth of stories, a feeling of romantic nostalgia tempered by the current neigbourhood and a desire to see transformation and renewal. These last ideas where the guiding principles for Cleaning the Slate.
