Veza između cvijeća i insekata je po Atelieru Boelhouwer jedna od najfascinantnijih u prirodi. Oni su evoluirali služeći jedni drugima. Danas, kada živimo u betonskim i kamenim urbanim džunglama, cvijeće više nije tako uobičajena pojava. Ovaj nedostatak cvatnje rezultirao je drastičnim smanjenjem populacije insekata.Kako bi urbane sredine učinili ponovno rascvjetalim, plan ovog projekta je stimulirati važnu populaciju insekata te im pomoći da oprašuju ponovno. Insektologija: Hrana za zujalice, projekt je koji je razvio umjetno cvijeće u cvatu koje služi kao pomoćni izvor hrane za „pet velikih oprašivača”: pčele, bumbare, pršilice, leptire i moljce. Projekt predlaže nove načine inkorporiranja prirode u gradove uz pomoć tehnologije i pokazuje važnost bioraznolikosti.

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.