11x projects contributing to the spatial transition
What will our cities look like as we adapt to changes in nature, such as rising sea levels? Where will we build our houses and what will we build them with? We also need space for solar panels and wind turbines. And biomaterials to build with. How are we going to use the space we have? The spatial transition requires assessing and adapting to these changing realities. Short-term solutions will not get us there; the entire system must change. This selection of projects on exhibit during Dutch Design Week 2023 (DDW23) demonstrate that we can work on future-proof solutions.
Biobased Creations – Possible Landscapes Regenerative City
With Possible Landscapes Regenerative City, the creative studio Biobased Creations brings together a network of pioneers, doers and knowledge partners, among others, to investigate what is already possible, as well as what could be possible tomorrow and beyond. This represents a multi-year search for nature-inclusive construction with biobased materials in the built environment. How do you turn existing buildings and infrastructure into new nature that adds value to the city?
During DDW23, this project can be seen as part of the Embassy of Circular & Biobased Building exhibition at the Ketelhuisplein in Eindhoven.
Unlimited Urban Mobility (UUM) & CROW – Mobipolis
Learn how to work together towards a sustainable and liveable city while playing the serious game Mobipolis. Knowledge platform CROW and Unlimited Urban Management (UUM) developed the game, which focuses on the relationship between densification and accessibility. The fictional city develops rapidly but must remain accessible at the same time. Mobipolis is a tool for entering into discussions with different parties and discovering what collaboration in mobility and sustainable area development means. Players also pose the question to themselves: which city do I want to live and work in?
During DDW23, this project can be seen as part of the Embassy of Mobility exhibition in DONNA.
Komovo & Atelier Rijksbouwmeester – Government and Space / The Future of Work
This future exploration looks at the government through nine different frames and highlights nine roles of the government official. Komovo & Atelier Rijksbouwmeester rethink where government officials work and where citizens can turn to. Centred in the Randstad, or spread across the country. Separately, or in direct contact with one another. It takes a fresh look at the organisation of travel and space for civil servants. The concept of movement is central – in search of a world in which the human dimension can return in both the relationship between government and citizens and housing and people.
During DDW23, this project can be seen as part of the Embassy of Mobility exhibition in DONNA.
Studio Lonk in collaboration with Bits of Space and JayKay – HAPPY HYBRID
The film ‘HAPPY HYBRID’ offers insight into the people behind video calls. Hybrid working arose out of necessity and immediately became the new normal. How can hybrid collaboration become an integral part of the office? The film speculates about the future of familiar office situations, such as meeting your colleague in the hallway, or having a quick discussion while waiting for the start of a meeting. How will this be 30 years from now? The design agency Studio Lonk specialises in spatial storytelling: exhibitions, research scenarios and interactive installations. The agency designs and builds temporary spaces ‘that make a lasting impression’.
During DDW23, this project can be seen as part of the Embassy of Mobility exhibition in DONNA.
Bits of Space – HEK YES
Building in an area where people already live is becoming increasingly common. The public space there is then replaced, sometimes for years, by a construction site. Urban interaction designer Tessa Steenkamp of design studio Bits of Space designed furniture and playground equipment on wheels from surplus building materials and fences: HEK YES (A play on words using the Dutch word for fence: ‘hek’). The objects block out space for the neighbourhood. You can play or have a picnic on them. The moving fences are a kind of negotiating tool for residents and construction workers. Can I play here today? The designers of future public spaces can take this into account in their design. Once a project is complete, the fences travel onto the next construction site.
During DDW23, this project can be seen as part of the Embassy of Mobility exhibition in DONNA.
Blik voor Groen
Blik voor Groen (‘Metal for Greenery’) does what the name says: exchanging metal (cars) for greenery in the city. What if liveability is central to mobility design? What if it would actually contribute positively to the environment? Or would it aim to prevent traffic? ‘Metal for Greenery’ is a tool for learning. That is why ten parking spaces at Philitelaan on Strijp-S (right in front of the DONNA building) will be redesigned during DDW23. The main aims include increasing green space, promoting public interaction, combating heat stress and reducing flooding.
During DDW23, this project can be seen as part of the Embassy of Mobility exhibition, in front of the DONNA building.
Research into different mobility options
During DDW23, the Embassy of Mobility will investigate, explore and test various mobility options in Eindhoven, specifically around Ketelhuisplein. The options are based on the STOMP principle: Walking, Biking, Public Transport, MaaS (Mobility as a Service) and the Private Vehicle. Whereas the car used to be number one when designing cities, this project presents an inverted transport pyramid that begins with all other transport options. You can participate in the study live during DDW23.
Part of the Embassy of Mobility during DDW23.
Bram de Vos – Uprooting Urbanism
Bram de Vos investigates how local food production can make cities more resilient. And how it can promote interaction between people of diverse backgrounds and cultures in a city. This in turn leads to a stronger sense of community. With the Embassy of Food, De Vos is exploring what the ideal ten hectares of food would look like, and who would be needed to achieve it. And who would be responsible for implementing it in the best possible way? You too can contribute to the vision of a self-sufficient city during DDW23.
During DDW23, this project can be seen at the Embassy of Food exhibition in the Evoluon.
Charlotte van der Woude – Soil Gold
What lies underground is just as exciting as what lies deep beneath the sea. But you usually miss it. In fact, you walk on top of it. In the ‘Rijk Boerenland’ (‘Rich Farmland’) project, Charlotte van der Woude investigates the situation of farms on government land and discovers that the old soil of the Zuiderzee offers interesting solutions for the future of our agriculture. For example, a farmer works on a former beach. To prevent sand from drifting, he plants new shrubs and trees. Could this also be a solution for enriching depleted soils? At the Embassy of Food, Van der Woude looks at how the landscape, agriculture and policy choices are intertwined and how they influence the health of the soil.
During DDW23, this project can be seen at the Embassy of Food exhibition in the Evoluon.
Embassy of Inclusive Society – Lorem Ipsum
The Lorem Ipsum installation shows that we need to design the world we live in more inclusively. During DDW22, the Embassy of Inclusive Society team had questions about the accessibility and inclusivity of the exhibition. Lorem Ipsum is the result of the research that the team started together with Marleen Hartjes. This built on previous research by the Van Abbemuseum into the accessibility of the museum and the setting up of an inclusive exhibition. Information design studio The Anderen (Karin Fischnaller) designed the installation. Exhibition producer and developer Bruns realised the installation. The guidelines concerning, for example, typography, table height as well as display-case distance from the wall all form the core of the installation. They are proposals for a more inclusive world.
During DDW23, this project can be seen as part of the Embassy of Inclusive Society exhibition in the Van Abbemuseum.
(ink). – Mensenkenners (“People Experts”)
Public spaces too often contain barriers for people with disabilities. Some of these are physical obstacles. Those can be dealt with relatively quickly. Others reside with the people who work in those public spaces. They struggle with discomfort, ignorance, and unintentional awkwardness. The consequence: people with disabilities do not always feel welcomed, taken seriously, or connected. Together with Maaike Bleeker-Anukim, social design studio (ink). developed the online training ‘Mensenkenners’. By following the training, people without disabilities learn a basic inclusive approach. The training helps them overcome their shyness in taking action. They train their ‘inclusivity muscle’.
During DDW23, this project can be seen as part of the Embassy of Inclusive Society exhibition in the Van Abbemuseum.