10x Must-sees at Dutch Design Week

Hey design lover! A visit to Dutch Design Week is probably high on your agenda. Is this your first time? Then be sure to check out this handy guide. Have you been to DDW before? Then you know like no other: even with nine days, you are running out of time. But no stress. These must-sees will give you the absolute highlights of the festival. 

Graduation Show @Microstad

If you are short on time, read no further. Go straight to the Graduation Show. This whole expo is one big must-see because this is where the new batch of leading designers from Design Academy Eindhoven present their work. We would love to tell you all about this big DDW tip.

Soils @Van Abbemuseum

As you may have read in our DDW prep, designers question (and solve) social issues. In the group exhibition Soils, artists, designers, farmers, and activists challenge you to dig a little deeper. What is our connection to the earth, and how is it rooted in our culture? You’ll explore these questions during Dutch Design Week at the Van Abbemuseum. For the sharp-eyed readers: yes, the exhibition is already open, but during DDW, Van Abbe adds three works from Design Academy Eindhoven master’s students.

Koelhuis @Kanaalzone

The Koelhuis is a must-see, if only for the location. Just ten minutes from the city center, you’ll find this imposing concrete block that once stored ice cream cakes. From cold to cool—let’s talk design. Did you walk through the water at Koelhuis last year? This year, you’ll probably stay dry with Zalán Szakács’ installation. The Eigengrau Pavilion is an inflatable space with no beginning or end, where light, mist, and sound take you on a mystical journey. Also, Fiera Del Suono is worth a visit: this ‘sound fair’ shows how fairs have been spaces of creativity and innovation for centuries.

Venus by Bart Hess @NRE-terrein

For those not yet familiar with Bart Hess, try googling his name + Lady Gaga. If you’ve seen his slime dress and other works before, you know he pioneers at the intersection of technology, material science, and the human body. During DDW, he opens his studio to showcase his film project Venus, where dance, artificial intelligence, and costume design come together.

Fly Me to the Moon @Klokgebouw

The moon has always had a romantic allure, a beacon in the darkness. In Fly Me to the Moon, around thirty designers explore the future, with sustainability as the central theme. But before you dive into the material, you’ll need to fly a bit first. So, take off your shoes and crawl into a space capsule bound for a better future.

Cooling Down the City @NRE-terrein

Hot, hotter, hottest! With the changing climate, cities are getting warmer. Despite our desire for hot summer nights, this is far from ideal. Trees and plants also suffer from rising temperatures: the oak tree at the NRE struggled to survive. That’s why Elho, the brand known for green design products, developed a towering installation around this oak, where both people and the tree can cool down—accompanied by coffee served by Sprout.

POND @Van Abbemuseum

How can you tell the water quality of a river like the Dommel? POND (Power Of Nature-based Design) has the answer. During DDW, colorful domes adorn the water near the Van Abbemuseum. But these domes aren’t just for show: with the help of bacteria in the water, they emit light, reflecting the health of the water. Tip: POND is especially captivating after sunset.

Manifestations @VEEM

Can you say you’ve truly been to Dutch Design Week if you’ve never visited Manifestations? It’s become a true DDW staple. Not least because this location is always free to visit, but even more so for its content: it’s always a bit quirky, provocative, and, above all, forward-thinking. Take, for example, De Afhaalchinees, which explores Chinese orphans adopted by Dutch parents, or CELLULITE, a clothing collection made from bio-waste. To dive into social issues, check out Art Tech Fun AI Robots, with this year’s theme being invisibilities.

CRASH LANDING @Heuvel Eindhoven

By now, you’ve likely noticed that DDW increasingly revolves around abstract forms of design, such as speculative and social design. But what happened to your favorite designer’s vases? In CRASH LANDING, twenty designers, including Tessa Koot and Aart van Asseldonk, shift attention to collectible design and showcase their signature works.

Sex in the City @Stadhuisplein

What if a futurist told you that, in the future, you wouldn’t need to rent an apartment and could always have your own toilet with you at all times? The Sex in the City installation presents a potential solution for a future with rising temperatures, extreme weather, water issues, and unaffordable housing.