Dutch Design Week 2024
One of Northern Europe’s most significant design events, Dutch Design Week (DDW), took place from October 19 to 27 in Eindhoven, the southern city of the Netherlands. This year’s theme, Real-Unreal, united around 2,600 designers from forty different disciplines, challenging and questioning basic concepts that we accept as “real.” Their projects explored what an alternate reality and future could be or should look like. Projects are located across more than 110 locations throughout Eindhoven. DDW engaged visitors with a diverse program of exhibitions, talks, workshops, seminars, and film screenings. The key topics under the Real-Unreal theme included Thriving Planet, Digital Future, Equal Society, Health & Wellbeing, and Living Environment. Through interactive installations, experiences, and exhibitions, designers brought to life fresh perspectives on these subjects.
DDW dedicated substantial space to student projects, offering young designers a platform to critique habits, materials, and mindsets that have long-term adverse effects on the world and humanity. Participants examined the feasibility of replacing these unsustainable practices with alternatives that prioritize both ecological and human welfare. They displayed designs made from natural materials like wool, algae, fungi, and plant fibers, crafted by hand or produced using 3D printing technologies. Recycled materials such as denim scraps, fabric waste, and plastic waste are also chosen in many designs by designers as ecofriendly materials. A standout example was a prefabricated structure made from wood and straw, proposing sustainable alternatives to conventional construction materials like concrete, steel, brick, and insulation materials. The structure underscored the importance of recyclable and up cyclable materials, sparking thought on minimizing carbon emissions associated with high-temperature industrial production.
DDW emphasizes not only the design value of presented works but also reminds designers, creatives, and manufacturers of the significance of material choice. It advocates for the consideration of each product’s impact on our way of life and its relationship to our environment. The event imparts a sense of responsibility to designers, urging them to think beyond aesthetics and address broader concerns such as sustainability, circularity, and the ecological footprint of their creations. The cycle of non-renewable systems, driven by humanity’s presumption of dominance over the planet, will be a central issue in the design world for next years.
You can explore the exhibitions and events from DDW 2024 at the link below:
To learn more about the city of Eindhoven:
For more information on the Biobased Building:
Written by: Melika Özer