Nontropolis

Welcome to Nontropolis, my world, my creations, my happy place, a world that is both imagined and yet very real.

TV hit series like 'America's Got Talent' show how much we enjoy we discover how souls can sing literally and figuratively. On that note, my soul sings when I explore a Nontropolis, sit down in its streets and start sketching it essence. When I could not travel last winter to discover new Nontropolises in Europe, I began creating my own at home in 3D from off-cuts from the cabin I was building.

My friend Lynsey totally got it. His soul began to sing and started writing his first master piece: 100 Love Stories!

It's witty, clever, profound, its stories short and sharp as an old fashioned pen nib that effortlessly makes the ink flow. It is not a book about romantic love, but about love that is 'life' itself, that celebrates Nontropolitans, their connections and interactions. It takes you on a walkabout through the streets of Nontropolis and let’s you meet its inhabitants.

I trust you will enjoy exploring this website,

Marcello Baaijens

What is a Nontropolis?

Nontropolis is the opposite of a metropolis, a tiny town, village, or neighbourhood, that grew organically over time. The word Nontropolis is a neologism, coined by creator Marcello.

Their vernacular buildings respond to the landscape in which they are solidly embedded. Filled with portals, alleyways, and squares they channel the flow of, and hold space for, life force energies. Organic layouts slow down the pace of life, creating the time required to resonate with their sympathetic vibrations. This enables people to ground, and to hear their soul sing as they go about life. Nontropolises reflect the essence of the people who created them.

Such qualities are often described as 'old-world-charm', referring to the times before urban landscapes were planned for efficiency so life could accelerate.

Nontropolis 2026 Exhibition Wellington, New Zealand

Urban Sketches

Drawn on Location

Photographs

The Real Thing

Miniatures

New Zealand

Shop

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100 Love Stories by Lynsey Gedye

in print

100 unforgettable love stories. One small town you’ll never forget.

In a quiet coastal town, the ordinary becomes extraordinary. Here, love appears in unexpected places: in a letter never sent, a reunion after decades, a stranger’s quiet kindness that changes everything.

This collection of short, heartwarming tales captures love in all its forms: romantic, familial, and deeply human. Some stories will make you smile. Others may bring a tear to your eye. Each one will remind you that love is the thread that connects us all.

Perfect for cozy nights, morning coffee reads, or sharing with someone you love, these stories are proof that even the smallest moments can hold the biggest meaning.

Step into the magic of everyday love. Start reading today.

To order on Amazon click here!

in video

The Artists

Creator Marcello Baaijens

Marcello is a multi creative, intuitive healing facilitator, traveler, explorer, and pioneer who thus far, lived an unconventional life. He was born on one side of the planet, moved to the other side and lived in a few other places in between, making him a globalite.

He holds master degrees in architecture, and art education. He also studied traditional folk dances, and intuitive healing modalities. He pioneered groundbreaking art programmes for artists with intellectual disabilities, and seated dance programmes for people living with memory loss.

Retirement offers him time to be creative: Urban sketching in Nontropolises in southern Europe, building miniature houses, photographing and filming them in natural environments.

Chronist Lynsey Gedye

Lynsey is a creativity strategist and storyteller who believes every town, real or imagined, deserves its own heartbeat. With a background in creativity coaching, business strategy, and narrative design, Lynsey brings ideas to life through stories that feel both familiar and fresh. He’s spent years helping founders, creators, and communities unlock creative flow, making space for possibility in work and life.

Nontropolis began as a playful writing exercise and rapidly grew into a tapestry of stories capturing the small moments that shape a place. Based in New Zealand,

Lynsey works globally, always searching for the spark between imagination and reality. When he’s not writing or coaching, you’ll find him cooking, sketching future ideas, or dreaming up new ways to connect people with their creative potential.

Contact

Get in touch:

marcel.baaijens@gmail.com

lynsey.gedye@gmail.com