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Part of the Solution: Process and Progress at Dutch Design Week 2016

By Stuart Constantine - November 4, 2016

Arita House Amsterdam With the Arita House project, designersScholten & Baijingsdisplay ceramics produced by 16 western designers working with traditional manufacturers from the Saga region in Japan. 1 of 64

Arita House Amsterdam With the Arita House project, designers Scholten & Baijings display ceramics produced by 16 western designers working with traditional manufacturers from the Saga region in Japan. 2 of 64

Arita House Amsterdam With the Arita House project, designers Scholten & Baijings display ceramics produced by 16 western designers working with traditional manufacturers from the Saga region in Japan. 3 of 64

11X17 Elisa van Joolen's 11X17 project reimagines brand identity - part of the Dream Out Loud show at the Stedelijk Museum. 4 of 64

11X17 Elisa van Joolen's 11X17 project reimagines brand identity - part of the Dream Out Loud show at the Stedelijk Museum. 5 of 64

Stirrer Carpet Created by the collective We Make Carpets this piece is made from thousands of cocktail mixing sticks. Part of the Dream Out Loud show at the Stedelijk Museum. 6 of 64

Stirrer Carpet Created by the collective We Make Carpets this piece is made from thousands of cocktail mixing sticks. Part of the Dream Out Loud show at the Stedelijk Museum. 7 of 64

Interior of the X BANK design shop X BANK is a collection of Dutch fashion, art and design on display, and for sale, in the lobby of the W Hotel in Amsterdam. The store serves as a platform for Dutch designers, and also produces programs and events. 8 of 64

Designer Dinner A lovely dinner table arranged at the studio of ceramic artists Nadine Sterk and Lonny van Ryswyck. In their work the designers explore natural materials in the objects and finishes they create. Recent projects include glassware of different colors made from sand collected throughout Europe. 9 of 64

In need of: Guts, Trust, Poetry Catalog display at the 2016 Design Academy Graduation Show. 10 of 64

Chocolates for Pregnant Women Designer Naomi Jansen devised a tasty and nutritious way to help pregnant women keep a healthy and varied daily diet. The chocolates are filled with a mixture of ingredients specifically chosen for each trimester of pregnancy. 11 of 64

BOLT Designed by Thom Kool, BOLT (www.boltgear.nl) is a parka designed for urban nomads who prefer to travel light by bike or public transport from hotspot to hotspot, but who still want to bring their electronic devices. Hidden pockets offer storage for phones, tablets and a laptop computer. Built in batteries are recharged by hanging the coat on the wireless charger, and the coat includes LED lights front and back. 13 of 64

Reactive Object(s) Designer Toms Lucans distills the design of the office chair down to its most important mechanism - compression. Made with only three materials and rapid prototyping processes, the rigid chair only reveals its function once you sit down. 14 of 64

Hoppa A couch designed explicitly for kids to jump on. An elastic base surrounds the frame keeps the couch looking good while the kids get a new toy. Designed by Renske Rothuizen 15 of 64

Drawn Objects An exploration of how a designer might work if the qualities of drawing were applied to various phases of a production process. Individual expression is celebrated rather than subjugated to the production process. Designed by Sigve Knutson (www.sigveknutson.com). 16 of 64

Digital Anatomy With this project, designer Fabian Briels explores clothing production methods using lasers as needles and silicone as thread. A digital pattern is laser-engraved into an acrylic sheet and silicone is injected into the grooves. Once set, the flat mesh can be lifted from the sheet and draped into a top. 18 of 64

Marble Earth A collection of chipboard furniture decorated with images from Google Earth, selected to look like exclusive natural stone, designed by Bart Joachim van Uden (www.bartjoachim.nl). 20 of 64

Distinctive Hue A portable and modular frame designed to add color to hospital interiors. Patients and visitors can rearrange the scenery by clicking on or off panels and spinning them. Designer: Renee Mes (www.reneemes.com) 22 of 64

The Odd Ones A collection of classroom furniture designed by Mandy van der Heijden intended to encourage playful interaction and exploration. 23 of 64

Ignorance is Bliss A set of ceramic tableware, glass plates and table cloths, created using industrial waste. Designer Agne Kucerenkaite collected six different samples of polluted soil from various industrial locations. The soils are then mixed with clay, glaze, glass and textiles to create objects intended to create awareness of environmental issues around us. 24 of 64

Props for Order Designer Hayo Gebauer created a desk system intended to celebrate the beauty of compulsive orderliness. The ribbed surfaces can be combined and stacked according to individual tastes. 25 of 64

Safe Ground In this project, Snir Gedasi proposes a modular set of reinforced concrete elements that can be assembled into a playground for children growing up in war zones. The resulting system offers a strong shelter and an adventurous playground at the same time. 26 of 64

Sound Scene Designed by Sanne Gelissenfor open floor plan environments, Sound Scene focuses sound into a 'sound spotlight' allowing each person to to enjoy their own music within their own zone. 27 of 64

Mvula Clemence Althabegoity designed Mvula - which means rain in the language of the South African Xhosa people - during a stay int he region. The open source design allows local people to build these rain water collecting devices on site. 28 of 64

Cathedral A 1:100 scale model of the Notre Dame de Reims cathedral made of wood and clay. Created by Bart Joachim van Uden in collaboration with artist Rick Veugen, the collaborative project is an homage to Europe's great cathedrals, which were communally created works of art. 29 of 64

Playing With Weapons The next step beyond toy guns, this series of plush bombs, missiles and mortars by designer Hanna van Luttervelt are cute and cuddly. Created at a 1:1 scale, the collection features a full size version of the "Little Boy" bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima. 30 of 64

Plastival With this project, designer Wesley Nieuwenhuizen reinvents recycling to become an on-site spectacle at festivals, creating new products from waste in minutes. Hand in your cups and camping waste and watch it be shredded, turned into foam and melted and pressed into new items. 31 of 64

Rembrand Glazes A collection of porcelain glazed with colors inspired by the paintings of Rembrandt. On display at the Kazerne restaurant/gallery in Eindhoven. 32 of 64

Cosmic Garden installation of blown glass and light by Jan Koen Lomans & Marc Mulders. On display at the Kazerne restaurant/gallery in Eindhoven. 33 of 64

Woven Light Designed by Alissa and Nienke, Woven Light is a collection of light objects playing with transparency and shadows. 34 of 64

Makersleeve The Makersleeve is designed to be produced on-demand, from felt cut by a laser. Designed by Martijn van Strien. The video shows how it works. One of ten projects selected by the Dutch Design Foundation. See more projects on the Kickstarter page. 35 of 64

Standard Products Designed by Jesse Howard & Jesse Kirchner, Standard Products offers a web-based platform, where individuals can adjust digital designs, select materials, and download components for digital fabrication. Together, it can easily be assembled into a variety of furniture pieces. 36 of 64

Power Wheel A cement flywheel that generates power which can be used to charge a mobile device. The project brings to life just mow much energy it takes to power the devices we carry with us at all times. Designed by Carlo Lorenzetti, part of the Power Play exhibit. 37 of 64

Close Parity collection Designed by Marten Baas, shown as part of the Marten Baas Makes Time exhibit. 38 of 64

Close Parity cabinet Designed by Marten Baas, shown as part of the Marten Baas Makes Time exhibit. 39 of 64

Walking Machine On display as part of the Maarten Baas Makes Time exhibit. For 2016 Maarten Baas was a Dutch Design Ambassador was involved in many of the shows and exhibitions taking place. Each piece on display in this show incorporates time as an element in some way. 40 of 64

Old lady knitting On display as part of the Maarten Baas Makes Time exhibit. For 2016 Maarten Baas was a Dutch Design Ambassador was involved in many of the shows and exhibitions taking place. Each piece on display in this show incorporates time as an element in some way. 41 of 64

Dinner plates On display as part of the Maarten Baas Makes Time exhibit. For 2016 Maarten Baas was a Dutch Design Ambassador was involved in many of the shows and exhibitions taking place. The table service items were designed for a pop up restaurant installed in the exhibit. 42 of 64

Pop up restaurant interior On display as part of the Maarten Baas Makes Time exhibit. For 2016 Maarten Baas was a Dutch Design Ambassador was involved in many of the shows and exhibitions taking place. The pop up restaurant installed in the exhibit was decorated for a fantastic birthday party. 43 of 64

3D Printed Ceramics Designed by Olivier Van Herpt, this series of vases are 3D printed in clay using a machine Van Herpt developed. By pushing the limits of 3D printing technologies, Van Herpt wants to open up the production processes and create a platform for creative exploration. 44 of 64

Waterbike by Ivan Henriques Ivan Henriques eplores hybrids of nature and technological culture. Waterbike is a bio-machine specially designed as an ecosystem for bacteria to feed on organic materials found in water. 45 of 64

Stone Cycling A process for converting rubble from demolished buildings into blocks and bricks for new construction. The project was developed by Tom van Soest who won the "Young Designer" award at the Dutch Design Week awards in 2016. 46 of 64

Stonecycling A few of the ingredients used to create the StoneCycling bricks. 47 of 64

Mushroom lighting Designed by Krown, these lights are made from mushrooms and natural waste streams. The material is held together by mycelium, the natural glue found in mushrooms. 48 of 64

Body Chair Crafted from bent sheet metal, and available in a variety of sizes and finishes. The chair is designed by Kas Oosterhuis of ONL Studio in Rotterdam, and was on display in the Klokgebouw show, in the Strijp-S neighborhood. 49 of 64

Skin Collection The Skin Collection consists of various limited edition desks, tables, cabinets and chairs. Created by Studio Jasser, each item is created from hundreds of pieces of geometry, glued, sanded and refined by hand.The computer guided moulding and laser-cutting technique Jasser created for the production of the Skin collection opens new possibilities to ancient craft like woodwork, metal craft, glass-art, leather-craft, ceramic and many more. 50 of 64

Electric Dutchman Scooter An electric scooter driven by a rear-wheel mounted motor, which frees the frame and creates an open, spacious seating area. The prototype on display at the show will be in production in early 2017. More info at electricdutchman.com 51 of 64

Sculpture Furniture Created by Paul Salet, these pieces are extracted from within the bounds of common production furniture found throughout the Netherlands. 52 of 64

Project MARCH An exoskeleton / robot suit designed to help paraplegic patients take steps. More info at www.projectmarch.nl 53 of 64

3D printed skin suit For time trial bicyclists. The project was on display as part of the Mind The Step show, which showcases the talents and projects of students from three technical universities. This project was developed at the Sports Engineering Institute at the Delft University of Technology, by a team led by Daan Bregman 54 of 64

Custom wetsuit Design and production process improvements in the creation of wet suits allow customized tailoring for a variety of body types and sizes. 55 of 64

Timber Cabinet A cabinet covered in 6X6 timber veneer gives the impression of a stack of beams. Part of the collection of designer Piet Hein Eek. 56 of 64

Hulki playhouse Heavy weight cardboard play houses. The project was successfully launched via Kickstarter last year, and are now shipping from their web site. Several styles and colors are available. 57 of 64

Tension table Assembled with no fasteners, simply friction holds the pieces together. 59 of 64

Tension Table Assembled with no fasteners, simply friction holds the pieces together. 60 of 64

Bubblegraphy A series of vases decorated using a process of blowing air bubbles in the glaze. The process creates a three dimensional effect, and each piece is unique. 61 of 64

Bubblegraphy A series of vases decorated using a process of blowing air bubbles in the glaze. The process creates a three dimensional effect, and each piece is unique. 62 of 64

Popcore Exhibit A small but charming collection of objects shown in a gallery in the central area of Eindhoven. The work is colorful and playful. The Popcore group produces "a programme of awe-inspiring events" showcasing a diverse range of designers and projects. The intent is to use design as a medium to "create a contemporary work attitude that radiates more fluidity, playfulness and freedom." 63 of 64

Spectrum Cabinets Small cabinets for precious items. Designed by Onno Adriaanse, and shown as part of the Popcore exhibit. 64 of 64

Attracting an estimated 295,000 visitors, Dutch Design Week celebrated its 15th anniversary this year with record attendance figures at exhibitions around Eindhoven. From the former Philips factories in Strijp-S to the galleries of the Van Abbemuseum, Dutch Design Week once again offered a crowd-pleasing (and oftentimes crowded) smorgasbord of art, architecture, and design.

Among the 100 exhibitions on view between October 22–30, the Graduation Show at the Design Academy Eindhoven is arguably the single most important one. While the majority of the 40,000 visitors were impressed by the 171 projects on view—the show was bigger than ever—seasoned veterans couldn't help but notice that some projects lacked originality. A preponderance of fashion and especially performance-based projects reinforced the overall art-school vibe, to the effect that potentially market-ready products seemed out of place.

The Klokgebouw show filled another sprawling exhibit hall, with hundreds of projects and participants showing work either in production, or prototypes on their way to market. Included was Mind The Step, a collection of student work and research projects from three technical schools (Eindhoven University of Technology, Delft University of Technology and University of Twente). The work here specifically included technical aspects, explorations and demonstrations.

Meanwhile, "The Making of" served as an easy catch-all theme for the diverse exhibitions and attractions but didn't quite capture the DDW experience. Upon initial reflection, two trends that ran throughout the event: food and virtual reality. Reduced to these two incommensurate forms of sensory experience, 'design' is conceived as less about making or objects and more about simply being in the moment.

As one of the two DDW Ambassadors this year, Maarten Baas, reluctantly stepped into the spotlight (the other was Bas van Abel) with an exhibition celebrating the 15th anniversary of both Dutch Design Week and the founding of his studio. Widely considered a highlight of the week, "Maarten Baas Makes Time" comprised a retrospective and a group exhibition, with performances, a VR component, and a fine dining experience—all under a single roof.