Thecombination water-industry, distinctive even if not exclusive of theNetherlands, is reconfirmed in Puishaven all along the former industrialramification of Hoevense Kanaaldijke which from the city center extends intothe countryside with hard-designed settlements and rough materials. Heremunicipality clearly aims at gradually pushing away industries troughdemolitions and conversion of the industrial district all along the ring.

Farfrom the city center, close to the flooding area, where the real estate marketpressure weaks, is possible to observe alternative ways of living which cohabitwith industries. Shifting, temporary forms and manners which lay between thewater and the ground, stratifying there, on a narrow soil stripe, somecollective practices.
Onone side floating houses, dropping anchor close by a free docking (usuallyprovided by the local government with street number and separate rubbhish collection kit), on the other one landing places which allow theinhabitans a collective use of the canal banks with common kitchen gardens,tools for boats maintenance and vacant anchors for possible sailors who whish ashort mooring.

Notwithstanding the government regulates the houseboating(usually bordering it within flooding areas) , inhabitants reference point isemobied by the Association Wateridee, on the water surface as well. Ruled by apainter and a skipper, the association is equipped with a twofold program : onone hand sensitizes public awareness of thislife style, on the other hand supports who already joined it. Affiliation isnot compulsory for floating house inhabitants, everybody will find help forquick reparations and nautical advises.

Theon line program (www.wateridee.nl) promotes workshop/cruise trough a wide and vary proposal : package for children, family, couples including severalactivities , from draw seminar to sailing course. All activities (obviously on payment) are based and promotes conviviality and usually end withan healty meal served on boat.
Convivialityin Tilburg again intersects the association network which, among workingindustrial sites and dismissed warehouses, promotes an alternative life stylein which citizes turn into a crew andshare, even if temporarily, both passion and diseases of living on the wateredge. (Puishaven in Tilburg is currently being studied in the Thesis SeminarShared spaces for the contemporary city).