Embassy of Food at DDW24

How can you create change not just through what you eat, but also through how you eat and the choices you make? During Dutch Design Week 2024 (DDW24), the Embassy of Food’s ‘Schijf van Vijf voor Twaalf’ offers fresh insights. The concept was developed to challenge us to look at the world of our food from different ‘lenses’. What happens if you look at it from a lens such as health, space, public values or nature conservation? What then changes in how or where our food is made? Each lens centers on a designer or project that takes a deeper look at these issues with their own work and challenges us to look at food differently.

The Embassy of Food’s focus during DDW24 is on change, explains the creative lead. “Last year was a great start, where we provided insight into the food supply chain and the role the Netherlands plays within it. Together with Rogier Klomp, we mapped out what exactly makes our food system what it is—from the role of technology to the moment you find yourself at the supermarket, making an impulse buy without even realising it.”

To transform the food supply chain effectively, it’s crucial to consider social and societal factors alongside food innovations, and examine how they interact. Long-term thinking is essential, Barbara stresses: “Change that isn’t just superficial but has a deep impact on how we produce and consume food requires patience.” At the same time, she acknowledges that in many areas, the clock is already ticking. “With the Schijf van Vijf voor Twaalf, we explore how to achieve long-lasting impact, even when there’s already significant time pressure. The expo presents how design can be a lens for change in a playful and accessible way. We invite visitors to apply these insights directly in their own lives.”

Nieuwe Vroenten

One of the standout projects this year is ‘Nieuwe Vroenten’. This initiative showcases how plant-based diets can help create space in the Netherlands. “In the Netherlands, 51% of the land is used for food production,” Vos explains. “But if we rethink our food system and opt for more local and plant-based production, we can free up more space for recreation, nature, and housing.” This offers an intriguing perspective, especially considering the housing crisis and the scarcity of land and space in the country.

‘Nieuwe Vroenten’ is a project by Jaap Korteweg, with contributions from landscape architect Peter Veenstra of Lola Landscapes Architects. It focuses on transforming a thousand hectares of rural land into a sustainable landscape where food production, energy generation, nature, and housing coexist. “It’s not a vision for the future but an actual development project. They’re really going to do it,” Vos emphasises. “This project shows what it can mean when we dare to make real choices and embrace what an alternative can offer. Instead of seeing plant-based as something that’s ‘taken away’, it becomes an opportunity.”

Feel Gut

Under the banner ‘Feel Gut’, Fides Lapidaire, in collaboration with Yanna Hoek, is on a quest to combine health and sustainability in new ways. Vos explains: “Fides connects health with soil quality.” She asks: how can we view our food differently by changing the relationship with our own health?

Feel Gut focuses on optimising gut health, which, according to Lapidaire, directly contributes to better soil quality. “Only 1% of the nutrients in our food are absorbed by our bodies; the rest is excreted,” Vos says. “Fides’ project aims to return these nutrients to the food cycle, making humans an integral part of the food system again. It’s a beautiful example of how eating differently can not only make you healthier but also contribute to a more sustainable food system. You become a direct part of the food cycle.”

Mock Wild

Technology, which is becoming ever more advanced, also impacts the food supply chain and our relationship with food. ‘Mock Wild’ by Genomic Gastronomy brings technology and ecology together at the expo. “Technology and ecology are often seen as opposites, but ‘Mock Wild’ shows in a small way that they can actually strengthen each other,” Vos explains. The project uses artificial intelligence to restore our food skills in harmony with nature. Genomic Gastronomy has developed an AI database that collects data from food forests in the Netherlands and links it to seasonal harvests. “You can enter your postcode, and the AI will tell you which crops are available locally at that moment, along with recipes that suit the local harvest and provide enough plant-based proteins for a healthy diet,” says Vos. “This project shows how AI can be used to bring us closer to nature by combining local, organic food with convenience and food skills.”

Public Food

‘Public Food’, another project highlighted during DDW24 at the Embassy of Food, focuses on the democratisation of food provision. “What if healthy food was as accessible as tap water? This is the central question.” In urban areas, where unhealthy junk food is often the easiest option, a public service like a communal canteen or kitchen could radically transform the food environment. The goal is to create affordable and accessible food provision in cities. “Public Food advocates for a basic provision of healthy food to be integrated into a society currently focused on efficiency and quick, easy eating,” Barbara says. “The project explores the power dynamics behind our food system and what it takes to create a healthier alternative to fast food that’s also affordable.”

Het Veranderkompas

‘Het Veranderkompas’ (The Compass of Change) is an integral part of the Embassy. This concept, designed by Eva Oosterlaken of Studio Futurall, creates an interactive section. “Het Veranderkompas helps visitors continuously think about sustainability, health, and the impact of their choices. It encourages people to revisit questions. In this way, they learn to deal with the complex challenges that our food system brings.” According to Barbara, this aligns with what the Embassy explores in a broader sense. “The expo is a public translation of the content we are working on at the Embassy. We want to stimulate and challenge the public to think and act differently.”

Layered Approach

“At the Embassy of Food, we focus on the role of designers in shaping the future of our food system. During DDW24, we are again putting significant emphasis on the Table Conversations conference, which takes place on the morning of Thursday, 24 October. The conference aims to bring together different expertise and disciplines from both the design and food sectors to have a different kind of conversation about what is happening now. Where could it go when it comes to food and everything connected to it? From food security to the future of our landscape and health. This session focuses on embracing doubt, finding creative approaches, and building networks that offer lasting inspiration and support.”

“The expo is designed to engage visitors who may not yet be very familiar with this topic by interacting with the projects in a playful way. People are generally resistant to change, especially when they are asked to change something about themselves. By adding playful elements, we want visitors to almost literally taste the positive meaning of that change as an alternative and thus create space for an alternative future.”

According to the creative lead, one advantage is that the various embassies can showcase their exhibitions close to each other this year. “Everything is, of course, connected—when you think about food production, you also think about water use, alternative business models for farmers if they grow crops for biobased construction instead of food, and what the value of your health is: how could you look at that through the lens of food? By bringing it all together now, we can beautifully illustrate that in the search for solutions, there are also cross-pollinations. When different disciplines collaborate and knowledge is shared, solutions become truly accessible.”

Collaboration

According to Barbara, collaboration between embassies is important, but so is working with a diverse group of partners. She believes that these partnerships connect design with real-world practice. “The importance of such collaborations cannot be overstated. Building bridges between designers and the practical world is, in my opinion, one of the key pillars of the Embassy. Without the support and input from partners like Lidl, the province of North Brabant, Rabobank, and the Foundation Against Food Waste, the Embassy’s work wouldn’t be possible. They not only provide financial support but also bring valuable insights and real-world challenges that designers can tackle. Our partners are actively involved in the process and collaborate with designers to develop practical and sustainable solutions that can have a real impact.”