About me
Mariska van der Sluis is a placemaker and community builder working where people, places and change meet. She is fascinated by a simple question: what makes a place feel like home, and what happens when people are given the opportunity to shape that place themselves? With a background in social history, environmental studies and public administration, Mariska began by researching what makes neighbourhoods liveable. Today, she works much closer to the ground, bringing residents, children, professionals and institutions together to turn underused or overlooked places into meaningful parts of everyday life. Her work connects community building, participation, urban nature and play, with a strong focus on creating places that are both socially and environmentally resilient. As part of Thuismakers Collectief, she explores how a sense of belonging can become a starting point for action. For Mariska, feeling at home is not the end result of placemaking, but a condition for people to take ownership, care for their surroundings and imagine a different future. At Placemaking Europe 2026, Mariska brings this perspective to the Climate Lens, exploring how children, play and the experience of feeling at home can help communities become active participants in climate resilience.
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