Annechien Meier's Hague passport
- Worldwide involvement
- June 26, 2026
- 4 min read
The smallest park in The Hague
This week we speak with Annechien Meier. She is a visual artist and works from a clear conviction: the interaction between people and their environment can be different. She works on initiatives that make The Hague greener and more livable. Incidentally, she does not do this only in her own city; her projects take her all over the world. Annechien develops microclimates, which are small areas that distinguish themselves from their surrounding environment as little oases. 'Interaction between people and their environment is central to my work,' she says. 'I create projects that relate to climate, nature, and people.'
As a resident of The Hague, Annechien sees how important her contribution is. She views The Hague as a city where a lot of stone and little greenery come together, and the heat can rise considerably in the summer. This has a particular impact on the elderly and children. Her projects show that you can change that environment step by step.
The smallest park with a big impact
One of her best-known projects is The Hague's smallest park, measuring 50 by 50 centimeters, located near the Binnenhof. The idea originated after a trip to Portland with colleague Gert-Jan Gerlach, where she saw how nature was being reintroduced into the city. She translated that inspiration to The Hague.
Together with others, she removed stones and made room for greenery. The little park, small but striking, immediately attracted the attention of residents and tourists. People stopped, looked , and participated. They added small elements themselves, tended the greenery, and took photos. The little park, in all its smallness, was an accessible and interactive monument to greening that received much attention, not only among the residents of The Hague.
'We had thousands of followers on the internet who visited it and posted photos of each other. So that was nice,' says Annechien about the reaction to the small park.
Although the park temporarily disappeared due to the renovation of the Binnenhof, the urban oasis will soon return opposite the Buitenhof. For Annechien, that is more than a relocation. It is a symbol of what is possible.
A call to the city
What makes her work special is that it does not stop at looking. It invites action. Annechien wants to activate people to change their environment themselves, no matter how small their action may seem.
Her advice is simple: 'Start close to home. On your balcony, in your street, or in front of your own front door. Small actions make a difference.'
'Come up with your own motto and get to work with it,' she says.
For Annechien personally, that motto is clear: 'Untile!' A small intervention with great significance for the city of tomorrow.
Photography: Sander Foederer and Courtesy Stroom Den Haag