Tienen takes a digital leap with new city and themed websites
Klant: Stad Tienen
Opdracht: Tienen.be, Visit.tienen.be, Dekruisboog.be, Art.tienen.be
Go live: Februari 2025
Industrie: Lokaal bestuur
Services: Cardsortsessie, Content migratie, Custom CSS, Custom Javascript, Opleidingen, Inhoudelijke opbouw, …
Technologie: Paddle CMS - Drupal 11, UitDatabank, Mijn burgerprofiel, Mediahaven, Tixly, Verenigingsloket, IPDC V3, Topdesk, Jobsolutions, …
Partners: Bridgeneers (design)
Tienen, a vibrant city in Flemish Brabant known as the sugar city of Belgium, boasts a rich history and a lively leisure offering. With a renewed digital strategy, Tienen aims to better reach its residents, visitors, businesses, and associations – with clear communication, accessible information, and recognisable digital identities.
The switch was prompted by an outdated system. Tienen sought a sustainable solution that would last long and remain flexible enough to build multiple websites. They no longer wanted custom development that quickly becomes outdated, but a platform that continuously evolves.
In the old system, we were often stuck in a rigid structure. Now we can build flexibly and adjust content entirely to our needs without having to rely on Paddle every time.
Marijke Tritsmans
Head of communications, City of Tienen
One central solution, four unique digital identities
The city opted for a modern platform that reflects both its identity and that of its services. Together with Paddle, they built four new websites: a city site aimed at residents, a tourism site, a site for the cultural center, and a site for the arts academy.
Objectives:
- Consistently apply the renewed visual identity
- Present information clearly, visually, and user-friendly
- Integrate with external tools (e.g., UiTdatabank, Tixly, Topdesk)
- Give thematic sites autonomy and their own identity
With the Paddle CMS platform as a foundation, Tienen now has a flexible ecosystem with shared components but room for individual accents.
The city website: clear, connected, and accessible
The new tienen.be gives residents faster and easier access to information and services. During a card sort session, the navigation structure was reworked around the questions: “What information is the citizen looking for?” and “How do they look for it?”
Key integrations:
- IPDC V3: products from the LPDC appear automatically
- Topdesk: submission forms link directly to the correct category (and the right team for follow-up)
- Association portal: data is automatically synced daily, with a user-friendly display still in development
The Arts Academy: playful, visual, and independent
The Academy Regio Tienen was previously a subsite but now has a full-fledged standalone site with a fresh look. The academy, offering courses in music, dance, theater, and visual arts, wanted to:
- Visually distinguish itself from the city
- Communicate clearly about courses per domain and age group
- Easily update and adjust content
Custom templates allow the academy to communicate clearly and visually. Student illustrations give the site a playful, unique touch.
Cultural Center CC De Kruisboog: focus on program and tickets
The website for cultural center CC De Kruisboog centers on programming and ticket sales. Through the Tixly integration, performances are automatically imported. Visitors can filter by genre and date and are seamlessly directed to the ticketing system. This integration reduces manual work and enhances user experience.
Visit Tienen: discover, experience, and plan your visit
The tourism website inspires visitors with visuals, events, and tips presented as blog articles. A visual grid module and UiTdatabank integration give the site a dynamic feel.
Bike and walking routes are clearly displayed via a Nodemap integration. Restaurants and accommodations are also included.
Focus on accessibility and sustainability
All websites comply with accessibility guidelines (WCAG). Thanks to a clear structure, strong color contrast, and mobile-friendly design, each site is accessible to a wide audience. With the central Paddle platform, updates and improvements remain sustainable and scalable.
Accessibility was an important focus, and we worked hard on it together with Paddle.
Smooth collaboration from start to finish
From the beginning, Paddle provided a central project manager overseeing the entire process. From strategy to training, Paddle guided the City of Tienen throughout the project:
- Design coordinated with Bridgeneers
- Card sort and navigation structure
- Custom modules such as Tixly integration and grid display
- Content migration of forms, documents, POIs, and contact pages
- Training for editors and administrators
The collaboration was intensive but efficient, with trust and short communication lines.
Working with Paddle went very smoothly. Our project manager was very accessible and actively thought along about both small and larger challenges.
Even after delivery, Paddle’s helpdesk is ready to assist. ‘When we ask a question, we get a quick and clear answer,’ says Marijke.
The results
The four websites have been live since February 2025, and early feedback is positive:
- Clear navigation and search structure
- User-friendly backend for editorial teams
- Less manual work thanks to smart integrations
- Recognizable identity for each website
Want to know more?
Curious how we can support your organisation with a powerful website tailored to residents, visitors, or students?