Embassy of Health at DDW
Our health does not only depend on the medical care we receive, but also on society as a whole and the way we treat each other. Good nutrition, clean air and good social contacts, for example, are essential. Everyone can make a difference to his or her own health and that of others. This is reflected in the exhibition of the Embassy of Health at Dutch Design Week.
Chronic Health’, the expo of the Embassy of Health, is located in Hall 3 of the Klokgebouw at Strijp-S. Here you get a glimpse of the stories of eleven ‘ordinary’ people who are committed to the health of society. Each with his or her own profession, background and motivation. “We do not show a final picture of what a healthy society should look like. Everything is interwoven, so you don’t know what the final picture is at all”, says Jetske van Oosten, curator of the Embassy of Health. “We want to show that everyone has the power to make a difference.”
At DDW, for example, discover the Community Health Hub, a collaboration between housing corporation TRUDO and the Máxima MC. The Community Health Hub takes you back to the year 2034, when the ageing of the population is at its peak and healthcare can no longer be taken for granted. You can actively participate via the VitaalGezond chip, a smart screen that shows you all the possibilities. From a smart fridge that measures what you eat to a personal goal for staying active.
The possibilities of technology
In the healthy society, many possibilities for technology exist. But how does it fit in? And how do people respond to it? During the exhibition, you can watch eight short films about Artificial Intelligence (AI). The videos were made by Frank Kolkman in cooperation with Philips Experience Design and students from ArtEZ Arnhem and DesignLab UT. The videos show an exploration; how do we humans relate to AI and how does AI relate to us? “A look into an everyday future, exciting and sometimes with unforeseen consequences”, says Paulien Melis, programme manager at the Embassy of Health.
Also on the Ketelhuisplein there is something interesting to experience, the ExperiVan. This is a mobile laboratory of the University of Twente for carrying out research on location. Much research takes place within the walls of universities or through online questionnaires. The ExperiVan brings research to you and shows you in an interactive way what is possible.
In conversation
At the Embassy of Health, you can try out and experience all kinds of things. In addition, there is room to talk to the ‘makers’ of a healthy society. For people who want to immerse themselves (professionally) or who are involved in creating a healthy society, the Embassy of Health is organising a conference on 22 October. Guests from design, care, science and the public sector will discuss cooperation and the new perspectives that are necessary for healthy living.
During the event, experts will discuss, each from their own perspective, the role that technology plays in a healthy society and explore how designers will design with technology as a stakeholder in the future. We will also look at the influence our living environment has on our health. Curator Jetske van Oosten and Stannie Driessen (Council for Public Health & Society) look back on the exhibition and the theme of the Embassy of Health – working together and meeting each other.
On the website you find more information about the conference and how to sign up!
You can find the Embassy of Health at Hall 3 in Klokgebouw.