Fontys Helps!

We live in the Comfortocene. Over the past century, many aspects of daily life have been shaped by manufactured thermal comfort, to the point where we now treat it almost as a human right. But because it comes with huge carbon emissions, mechanical comfort is destroying our future. To enable a sustainable transition, we need to reconsider and renegotiate our comfortable way of living, especially our climate-controlled interiors. Professor Daniel A. Barber suggests that architecture’s new ambition should be to condition humans to be uncomfortable. Could designing for discomfort become the new standard in our efforts to combat climate change. Are you ready to be uncomfortable?

This lecture is organized in collaboration with the 4TU centre History of Technology.

Comfort is an integral part of our designed interiors and the causal chain that ties together the systems for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), the fuels that power them, and the resulting carbon emissions. But the global carbon sink is already full. If we can no longer emit carbon, traditional air conditioning is no longer feasible. This calls for  a new approach to conceptualizing, designing, and constructing building interiors.  But what types of new construction can be justified? How much discomfort can we take in our homes, offices, schools, and institutions? How uncomfortable are we willing to be? Changing personal and social expectations is one important element of this challenge. Architecture has the opportunity, if not the obligation, to define and explore this new threshold – to design right to the edge of comfort.

Daniel A. Barber is Professor and Chair of Architecture History and Theory at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). His most recent book is Modern Architecture and Climate: Design before Air Conditioning (Princeton, 2020), follows his previous work, A House in the Sun: Modern Architecture and Solar Energy in the Cold War (Oxford, 2016). His article “After Comfort” (Log 47, 2019) has been translated into four languages and is the basis for the co-edited series “After Comfort: A User’s Guide” on e-flux architecture, which publishes texts, projects and experiments focused on how we will live indoors without fossil fuels. 

Ticket reservation recommended
To ensure a seat for this lecture, we recommend reserving a ticket (black "order" button).

Our beloved cinema is back and better than ever! After a month of upgrades - including a brand-new screen, state-of-the-art sound system, and a cutting-edge 4K projector - we’re ready to deliver an unforgettable movie experience.

To celebrate, join us for complimentary drinks, bites, and a screening of the visually stunning masterpiece: Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar!
Genre: Adventure, sci-fi, drama
Language: English, subtitles: Dutch
Length: 169 mins.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2024, Interstellar is one of the most acclaimed sci-fi films of all time. Ranked #19 on IMDb’s Top 250, it stars Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, and Jessica Chastain, delivering breathtaking visuals, a mesmerizing Hans Zimmer score, and a story that transcends time and space. It’s more than just a film - it’s an unforgettable experience.

Join the (petite) grande reopening of Filmhuis De Zwarte Doos
After a month of upgrades - including a brand-new screen, state-of-the-art sound system, and a cutting-edge 4K projector - we’re thrilled to festively reopen the cinema. The celebration will take place before the Monday screening of Interstellar, starting at 18:45. And you can be part of the festivities! Just buy a ticket via the black “order” button on this web page.

Dress Code for the reopening
Cosmic Chic – Add a touch of intergalactic flair to your outfit with glitter, metallic accents, or astronaut-inspired details. Whether you go all out or keep it subtle, let your look shine as bright as the cosmos!

Ticket information
This film will be shown at Filmhuis De Zwarte Doos. 

• Tickets must be purchased online in advance and can be bought by clicking the black “Order” button on this page.
• Cash or card payments are not accepted at the ticket counter.

For more details about tickets and refund policies, please click here.

Please be on time
The reopening event, featuring drinks and bites,  will start at 18:45. The film screening begins promptly at 19:30 with no pre-film advertisements. We kindly ask you to arrive on time for the reopening. 

The Studium Generale film program is created in collaboration with the Student Film Committee and Natlab.

Discover the talents of students and staff of Tilburg University at the Open Mic Night. Music, comedy, spoken word; everything is possible as long as it fits in the Esplanade café! Sign up as a performer or take a seat in the audience. (English & Dutch)

Time: 19:30 - 22:00 hrs. Admission is free.

Tilburg University’s singers, musicians, comedians, poets, performers of any kind take the stage during the Open Mic Night at Grand Café Esplanade. It's guaranteed to be a fun night on campus!

Are you interested in performing?
Let us know via the form below on which occasion you want to perform. Make sure to bring your own instrument, we provide you with a microphone.I want to perform  On the evening itself there sometimes is room for spontaneous performances, but we cannot guarantee this. Only students and employees of Tilburg University can take the stage, as an audience everyone is welcome.
Come and Support the PerformersNo need to be in the spotlight, but feel like having a great evening? Just come and listen to the performances! Entrance is free, you don’t have to sign up.

Saxophonist Karlo Žamić and pianist Benjamin Goldenbeld form duo Mendula. They explore the rich sonic possibilities of their unique instrumental pairing and play classical music infused with elements of other genres.

Free entrance, registration is not required, but be in time, limited number of seats available.

Karlo & Benjamin
Mendula is a dynamic alto saxophone and piano ensemble founded by saxophonist Karlo Žamić and pianist Benjamin Goldenbeld. Both are students at the Classical Music Division of Fontys Academy of the Arts in Tilburg. Driven by a shared passion for innovation, the duo explores the rich sonic possibilities of this unique instrumental pairing. While their foundation is rooted in classical music, their creative vision extends beyond its traditional boundaries.

Repertoire for saxophone and piano
Because the saxophone is a relatively young instrument (invented in 1840s), its classical repertoire remains underexplored compared to more established instruments. Karlo and Benjamin want to bring their audience closer to this music with its rich harmonies, vivid textures, and infectious rhythms. Through thoughtful storytelling, contextual insights, and direct dialogue with listeners, they aim to transform what may seem unfamiliar at first into an experience that feels fresh, exciting, and meaningful.

Program
Their program features essential works from the saxophone and piano repertoire, offering a colorful blend of classical music infused with elements of other genres, like jazz. Audiences can expect an electrifying atmosphere filled with fresh sounds, surprising textures, and the boundless creative energy that defines Mendula's musical journey.

Fame
The aging actor Riggan (Michael Keaton) once became famous thanks to the superhero movie Birdman but his fame is waning. The only thing that can save his ego is a starring role on Broadway. But the show has disastrous tryouts and expectations toward opening night are dwindling visibly. “You're not an actor, you're a celebrity,” scoffs a venomous theater critic. In a seemingly uninterrupted shot, Riggan roams the St James Theatre in New York, a grand and spectacular technical feat, showing what cinema is capable of. Around it all hovers the ghost of Birdman himself - at times we catch a glimpse of his beak-shaped mask and feathered cape, poison dripping into Riggan's ear, like an evil advisor.

Awards
Birdman has been received as a brilliant, postmodern meta-masterpiece. Birdman won the major Oscars: Best Picture, Best Direction, Best Original Script and Cinematography.