5x projects using design to create a healthier society

What if healthy food was as commonplace and accessible as tap water? In urban areas, where junk food is often the easiest option, a public kitchen could significantly improve the local food environment. ‘Public Food’ advocates for good food as a basic provision and offers a design vision for accessible, affordable, and nutritious meals. This vending wall presents an alternative to fast food culture by making healthy food available on every street corner.

‘Public Food’ is based on the successful ‘Mensa Mensa’ in Rotterdam South, where a public canteen provides access to healthy and affordable food. It’s a call to establish locally sourced healthy food as a basic necessity and to return control over the food system to the community. By reducing dependence on big corporations and investing in local solutions, this can contribute to healthier neighbourhoods and a fairer food system. Visit ‘Designing Society’ and learn how you can contribute to a more sustainable food system.

In a time when 1.3 million people in the Netherlands experience burnout symptoms, the importance of moments of silence and reflection is becoming ever clearer. Yet, many people find it difficult to carve out such moments without a physical space. Through site-specific field research – from hospitals to parks and offices – ‘Openbare Stilteruimtes’ (Public Silence Spaces) explores how we can reintroduce silence in these environments. The goal is to promote reflection in a busy society by creating silence spaces accessible to everyone.

How do we make room for initiatives that promote public health? In a world where everything must be proven and measurable, this spatial exploration offers a concept that everyone can feel and experience. Escape the bustle of Dutch Design Week for a moment and experience silence in public.

The Netherlands faces major spatial challenges, from housing, water management, and agriculture to mobility, inclusivity, and health. These issues demand significant transformations. What will the Netherlands look like in the future, and how do we bring this vision to life? In ‘Designing Society,’ you’ll meet three core teams using their design expertise to tackle societal missions.

A healthy soil, clean air, and pure water: the ‘Sustainable Agriculture & Nature’ core team focused on area development with a shared vision for the future. The shift towards circular, biobased production of raw materials and food for regional use offers a promising outlook. How do you achieve this with various stakeholders and perspectives in one area – farmers, residents, entrepreneurs, and the government? Learn more during the expedition presentation at DDW24.

How can we improve our health and soil quality with a single product? ‘FEEL GUT’ demonstrates how we can contribute to a more sustainable food system and improve our own health by making smart use of our bodies. Did you know that our bodies only use 1% of the nutrients in our food? The rest is excreted and flushed away with wastewater. What if we could return those lost nutrients to the food cycle and become an integral part of the food system ourselves?

FEEL GUT works on improving our gut health and the quality of our excrement. By feeding the microbiome in our gut, this product promotes healthier digestion and provides valuable nutrients for the soil. Discover how a new perspective on toilet habits can close the loop between food production and digestion. Taste FEEL GUT during your visit to ‘Designing Society’ and experience how you – from consumer to producer – can contribute to a smarter food system.

How do you set the course for a future-proof food system? Studio Futurall presents ‘Het Veranderkompas’ (The Change Compass), your interactive guide to the Embassy of Food’s version of the nutrition pyramid. This compass helps you understand the complex questions surrounding our food system and offers fresh insights for immediate action.

With ‘The Change Compass,’ discover your role in reducing food waste and promoting innovative agricultural methods. Spin the wheels to explore different viewpoints and find points for reflection and action. Rethink established choices and receive practical tips for change. Spin and discover how your contribution, big or small, can help build a fairer and more resilient food system. What course will you choose?

Visit ‘Designing Society’ at DDW24

‘Designing Society’ brings together the projects and programmes of World Design Embassies, What if Lab, PONT, and Maakruimte MooiNL under one roof. The exhibition invites you to explore new perspectives on possible futures. How can we harness the power of design and connect it to the complex transitions our world faces today?

Visit ‘Designing Society’ during DDW24 from 19 to 27 October. The exhibition at Ketelhuisplein is free and open to everyone.