Netherlands

BOUNCE BACK!
a Dutch approach to societal challenges
An exhibition reflecting on the topic of ‘Resilience’ by Dutch design curators Marleen van Bergeijk and Lisa Hardon for Zagreb Design Week 2021.
Introduction
As partner country in Zagreb Design Week 2021 we reflect on this year’s theme ‘Resilience’ from the perspective of Dutch design. The concept of ‘Dutch Design’ has become known all over the world. It started in the 90s, when the movement and brand of Dutch Design took off as a reaction to the traditional design culture of that time. Characteristics of this now iconic movement are the conceptual, experimental and innovative approach, often with a humorous twist. Led by designers Hella Jongerius, Marcel Wanders, Jurgen Bey and Tejo Remy they paved the road for a more unconventional approach to design.
Fast forward to 2021. In the past 30 years, the important societal questions have shifted, in the world and in The Netherlands. This has influenced the playfield of design too. When we look at design from the standpoint of solving problems, it can be stated that the problems that need solving have changed. The world is facing globally complex challenges that relate to climate change, sustainability, inequality and social tension. We are experiencing the limits to growth and its consequences in real life. As a result, an important element of responsibility, activism and acknowledgement of these complicated challenges has entered the field of Dutch design. Dutch design nowadays reflects these ideas of social and environmental responsibility, and designers use their creative power to address bigger issues and offer possible solutions. Thanks to international collaborations and exchange of knowledge, this mentality in design has shifted to ways of designing that reach far beyond the Dutch border. In the 21st century, the new Dutch design is social. mooi!
BOUNCE BACK!
The Dutch word for resilience is ‘veerkracht’. This literally means ‘the force of a spring’ and refers to a spiral shape. When it’s pressed down there is increased tension. Upon release it will bounce back up with forceful lightness and flexibility. A beautiful metaphor for when times are challenging: the force downwards fuels our urge and creativity to bounce back.
But bouncing back is not something that can be done overnight. The road towards resilience consists of many turns and stories. It starts with a shock, a throwback, when things are turned upside down. Then, in the eye of the storm, suddenly a load of creativity is released which unites people in solving the problems together. At the same time there is grief and pain, while people want to ‘go back to normal’ as soon as possible. But what is normal when everything has changed?
Impactful times force us to take a step back. Before we move on, we must pause and reflect to see the opportunities that lay ahead. Only then we can decide what we leave behind, which valuable elements of the past we keep and which innovative new ideas we implement for the future. By combining what once was with the curiosity of what will come, we can use the power of resilience to build back better.

Ekstremna suša u njenoj rodnoj zemlji Južnoj Africi nadahnula je Shaakiru Jassat da preispita način upravljanja i doživljavanja vode u našem urbanom okruženju. Njeno iskustvo na polju arhitekture postavilo je temelje projektu Akvatektura, ploči dizajniranoj za sakupljanje vode koja se može instalirati kao fasadna oplata ili može biti postavljena kao samostojeći element u krajolicima, stvarajući stanice za prikupljanje vode. Iako tradicionalna arhitektura zahtijeva da se voda drži izvan zgrade, Jassat je zamišljala zgrade koje mogu ubirati i održavati vlastite potrebe za vodom i pokazati kako naše zgrade i naši gradovi mogu biti samoodrživiji u promjenjivim uvjetima.

With his graduation project Ruin Prostheses, Thom Schreuder shows in convincing fashion that new technology can lead to a new language of form. The foundation of his design research is the digital scan technique. By prototyping, he develops his knowledge and skill. Thereafter he applied the obtained knowledge in a design for a ruin located in the south of the Netherlands: 3D–printed „prosthesis” called „Ruin Prostheses”.
The shelf that is suspended between two broken brick walls without any means of fixation appeals to one’s imagination. With this project, Thom Schreuder experiments with the carrying structure of 3D building blocks and shows how technology can lead to a new language of form. By doing so he shows the possibilities of rebuilding the old with new techniques: respecting the past but making it relevant for the future. A beautiful design, that is both harmonious and full of contrast.

On the Eastern boundary of Europe, a razor-wire fence is stretched across Georgia. It marks the occupied territories cut off by the Russian intervention of 2008. Arbitrarily traced through the country, the barrier has become a cause of ongoing violations of human rights and international law. Its creeping movement further into Georgia has taken lives and destroyed communities over the last decade. Cutting through four regions of the country, the structure hides from the world’s view the inside of the occupied land. Here, in an attempt to eliminate the traces of the former resident population, at least 16 villages have been completely erased from the landscape.
Born in a city now behind the occupation line, Irakli Sabekia spotlights the reality across the razor wire boundary, in a two-part installation. In the interactive projection, the destruction of Georgian villages in the Tskhinvali Region is documented and mapped through satellite images. Juxtaposing the past and the present, the installation allows viewers to reveal their location and the structure by casting shadows on the projected image. The second part of the work targets the razor wire fence, subverting it into a tool of protest against itself. A specially built radio transmitter tunes into the fence and uses it as an antenna. Through it, broadcasting on a frequency of conventional radio receivers transmits a short message in Morse code. The message states the names of the disappeared villages and their geographic coordinates. Forcing the fence to voice what it’s meant to hide.

Rethinking the way we deal with our bodies after we die
Our body is a trash bin. During our lifetime, we collect waste substances in our body that we can neither use, nor process further. Due to this, our remains can become a threat to our environment. Ash scattering fields and graveyards struggle with soil and groundwater pollution. The number of nutrients and toxins are rising due to the high amount of ash scatterings and burials that happen in a relatively small area. The problem mostly arises when ashes are scattered, the substances are immediately available for the soil to use. To reduce the negative impact of toxins and nutrients, the release should be regulated.
As a solution, Studio Nienke Hoogvliet introduces a new type of urn. In the project ‘MOURN’ they redefine the concept of an urn as a storage device for cremation ashes. It’s no longer a vessel, but an object with a sustainable purpose. By mixing PHA with cremation ashes, an object is formed that can be given back to nature as a whole. This way, the release of nutrients and toxins in the ashes can be regulated. PHA is a bioplastic. It’s similar to regular plastic but completely dissolves in nature. Small organisms in the soil can feed on PHA, which makes the process of biodegradability similar to that of wood. The urn has three distinct types of shapes depending on the compactness, type, and quality of the soil. MOURN impacts local flora and fauna as little as possible. It prevents soil and groundwater pollution. You can give yourself or your loved one back to nature in a responsible way.

Rethinking work and making inclusive design products
Since its start the Dutch brand Social Label has been striving with various designers for a different perspective on work and design. Initiators Petra Janssen and Simone Kramer consider design as a means to initiate a necessary system change. Petra: ‘We are now in the position to think about the future of our society. It’s time to advocate and help create a more inclusive global economy that views work as a touchstone for reshaping our perspective on the environment and each other.’ By connecting people that are stuck in the margins of the labour process to renowned designers, we create a meaningful purpose for both. The makers learn a new skill and feel proud and respected for creating a true piece of Dutch design. Simone: ‘Our focus is on people and their environment, not on the profit and circulation figures.’
On show here you see products from the >KOM and >WAS collection. >KOM ceramics are made by people with mental disabilities and designed by Edwin Vollebergh. >WAS washing bucket is made by people who struggle with their place in society for various reasons, and designed by Studio Makkink & Bey. The book shows the complete overview of the working method of Social Label.

The global pandemic shifted the way we relate to our surroundings and public space. Seemingly innocent objects of daily use suddenly became carriers of harmful microorganisms. With the peak of the global health crisis behind us, big questions arise about how to prevent a future pandemic. A key element: hygiene.
A paradox of hygiene is that surfaces that can be easily cleaned, like stainless steel and plastics, are the ones that keep virus particles alive longest. These materials are widely used for operating buttons and opening doors in public areas such as toilets, stations, airports, but also at elevators, escalators, shops and restaurants. In the research project Neo Hygiene, Govert Flint of Enrichers explores how new insights on hygiene allow us to rethink how we design public space. Enriching our interactions with our surroundings by using hands-free systems and bodily movements.
Lean on Me is a prototype resulting from this research, piloted in the city of Eindhoven, the Netherlands. The pedestrian leans their shoulder against the Lean on Me additive, to operate the traffic light button. Totally hands free, hygienic as well as enriching our bodily interaction.

S povećanjem populacije i urbanizacije, Bram de Vos uočava važan izazov; pronaći rješenje kako bi gradovi mogli postati samodostatni u proizvodnji hrane. On vjeruje da ne postoji „samo jedan način” i projektom Uprooting Agro–Systems demonstrira kako se tri modela uzgoja hrane: vertikalni uzgoj, sintropski uzgoj te prehrambene šume, mogu nadopunjavati. Pandemija nam je pokazala koliko smo osjetljivi i ovisni o sada dominantnim, dugim lancima, distribucije hrane. Samodostatni sustavi proizvodnje i distribucije hrane su važan korak naprijed u želji da hranu učinimo dostupnom svima, da smanjimo industrijski i ugljični otisak te obnovimo ravnotežu s prirodom.

This unique series of acoustic elements is composed of textile waste from jute coffee bags. BioFold uses these non-reusable textiles that are otherwise hard to recycle, alongside biobased plastics in a new biocomposite material. By employing Japanese origami and digital production techniques, the biocomposite material transforms into a functional, sensory and flexible architectural product. BioFold gives interiors (from office spaces to restaurants) a distinct, sustainable identity and can be installed as a wall panel or an acoustic element.

Soon…
MARLEEN VAN BERGEIJK
Marleen van Bergeijk has a background in Industrial Design at the Eindhoven University of Technology. In her education, there was a strong emphasis on the societal aspects of design, which she adapted in her work as a designer and curator. In her design practice, she focuses on social and systemic challenges, mostly related to health & well-being.
In 2018 she started working as a curator for Dutch Design Foundation and her prior experience is in founding the TEDx chapter of Eindhoven. In the DDW programme, she’s mostly looking at the programme through an innovative and speculative lens. She has a fascination for how developments in technology can bring a lot of value to society, but only when solutions are designed in line with human needs and taking into account the bigger picture.

LISA HARDON (Zakka Stories)
Lisa Hardon holds an MA in Design Cultures and works as a design curator & writer. Her expertise lies in product design, and she focuses on the value and meaning of objects. Her goal is to inspire others with new insights into the value and meaning of things, to hopefully create a more sustainable relationship between product and user.
Soon..
IT’S DUTCH DESIGN is a 60-minute documentary about the worldwide success of Dutch Design. Top Designers and international key players reveal their personal vision and explain why a small country could become so big in the field of Design. The history is told with iconic Dutch Design examples, spanning more than 100 years.