Sleeping in a living art project

Thirty artists were commissioned to design a unique hotel room with one simple rule: use what is already there. No new materials, no fast trends, but residual flows, imagination and a good dose of guts. The result can be admired in De Groene Afslag's new hotel in Bussum, which opened its doors on 1 September.

De Groene Afslag: what started in an old AZC in Laren has since become the epicentre for those who want to think, build, eat and meet differently. And now, six years later, this circular hub has reached another milestone. "We have barely moved four hundred metres towards Bussum, but we are taking a giant step forward," says founder Lucas Mol, who has a background as an art historian and curator. "At 5,500 square metres, the new location is more than two and a half times bigger ánd - finally - it will have its own hotel."

Sleep differently

A long-held dream is coming true. From September, you will not only be able to hold meetings, learn or
bubbly, but also sleep differently. And you can take that literally, says Mol, who is overseeing the overall concept together with his fiancée Sanne Oomen - who is an architect. "We outlined the outlines: the rooms were prepared casually, including sanitary facilities made from reused materials, and then handed over to the artists," says Oomen. "After that, they could let loose."

Thirty rooms, thirty times different. Housed in a former military school where soldiers once learned how to make and disassemble bombs. "And now we make ammunition for a new economy there," laughs Mol.

CD-ROM

"You don't sleep in a hotel with us," says
Oomen, "but in a living art project." The rooms bear names like "The Spoon Room," "Heaven in Earth" or "Free Birds". In the latter room, flocks of birds seem to fly through the space. "What makes this work special is the interaction with the visitor. Everyone who spends the night in the room receives one sticker to add to the artwork themselves. In this way, the work grows steadily. Or take the 'CD-Room', in which thousands of discarded CDs have been transformed into shimmering walls, furniture and mood lighting." 

Witty message

This much is clear: nothing is standard at De Groene Afslag's hotel. This is reflected in everything. From demolition material to leftover wood, from discarded curtains to second-hand carpets; everything was given a new life. And all this in an interior bursting with creativity and individuality. In all 30 hotel rooms, the concept of circularity comes to life, but almost always with a humorous twinkle. That witticism is deliberate, Mol emphasises: "The world is going down because people take themselves too seriously. So at our entrance, there is a washing machine with the sign: 'Welcome to De Groene Afslag - for all your greenwashing'. People tell the story more easily if it is brought to them in a funny way."

Stewart Owned

Since 2024, The Green Exit has been fully Steward Owned. No shareholders or profit maximisation, but three independent foundations that determine policy. "We deliberately chose a construction in which no one can become personally rich from De Groene Afslag," Mol explains. "All profits flow back to society. That gives peace of mind and allows us to really focus on what matters: enabling change." According to him, the latter is desperately needed more than ever: "We live in the Netherlands as if we have three planets. But we only have one, so that's failing. With De Groene Afslag, we have created a place that does little damage to our planet. A place where we entice people to get out of their comfort zone and let them experience that change can be fun, tasty and nice. And above all, achievable."