Maurice J. Hermans
is a Dutch artist



Home
Work
Shop
About
Contact


Next Up
The Anti-City Guide 
International Conference 


Work-In-Progress
The Anti-City Guide (2027)


Watch
 AUW   IDEÉ NOiR
The Anti-City Guide
The Anti-City Guide is a cultural travelguide that spotlights two "Anti-Cities"—one from Eastern Europe and one from Western Europe—connected by shared histories or unexpected bonds. Together, they reveal a broader European urban narrative about growth and decline, post-migration societies, and the search for a future beyond fossil fuels.









This project builds on the acclaimed book De Antistad (nai010, 2016), which explored the potential of shrinking cities. As many of those Western european cities  grow again—often due to migration from newer EU member states—The Anti-City Guide updates the conversation, offering new insights into the transformation of former industrial cities.


www.anticityguide.eu

Skip the tourist traps. The Anti-City Guide online platform at www.anticityguide.eu takes you to post-industrial cities you never knew you needed to visit—raw, real, and unfiltered.

Launching in September 2026


Hochfeld (GER) - Shumen (BUL)

 Duisburg’s Hochfeld district is a melting pot of migration, heavily shaped by migration from new EU-countries such as Bulgaria. Does Hochfeld provide a glimpse into the urban future of Europe?

 More on Hochfeld-Shumen

Heerlen (NL) - Zenica (B-H)

Heerlen’s coal era ended decades ago. Zenica’s is ending today. This edition explores their parallel struggles and the grit of reinvention. Can a city outlive its industry and find new post-growth futures?

 More on Heerlen-Zenica


COLOFON

The Anti-City Guide is a community project of some sorts. In no particular order, here is a list of people who is some ways contributed to this project.

Design Koehorst in ‘t Veld
Publishers nai010 & Vrijeme IK
Photography Perry Schrijvers
Correspondents Sanja Stevic, Hanna Zwart



The Anti-City Guide is supported by Stadsregio Parkstad, Creative industries Fund NL, the Dutch Embassy in Bosnia & Herzegovina and ZUYD University of Applied Sciences.

COMING UP

01.09.2026 launch crowdfunding
28.09 - 30.09.26 Field trip Zenica #6
28.09.2026 conference University of Zenica
28.09.2026 launch www.anticityguide.eu