Dutch Design Week kicks off in Eindhoven, over 300,000 visitors expected

The Dutch Design Week (DDW) kicks off on Saturday in Eindhoven. For nine days, over 2,600 designers and inventors will present their work and ideas at more than 100 locations in the city. More than 300,000 visitors are expected to attend the exhibitions, lectures, installations, discussions, and networking events that accompany the event.

Sustainability is an important topic for DDW. “For a liveable and healthy planet, design must enhance the power of nature, or at least not hinder it,” says the organization, describing one of its missions.

The DDW is divided into themes such as the “thriving planet”, the “digital future” and an “equal society”. The overarching theme is “Real Unreal” which deals with people's different realities and experiences. The theme addresses the complexities of the world’s challenges and the ability of designers to explore and question what the public accepts as truths, according to the organizer.

During the event, designers will explore, question, and challenge what we perceive to be true and try to create a different reality. According to the event's organizer, designers “help us imagine the unimaginable and make it more tangible. They find countless ways to use their imagination in combination with collective knowledge and varied experiences.”

The Dutch Design Week was launched in 1998 as the Day of Design and has since developed into an international phenomenon. The event takes place from October 19 to 27.