This year was Dutch Design Week all about innovation, sustainability and technological advancement, but we couldn't miss the sense of pessimism and activism from designers regarding the current societal situation.
We visited the graduation show of the Dutch Design Academy for example, which showcased young designers critical view on social matters and ecological matters but also focused on feeling of belonging, mental health and inclusion. It was a wide range of social design, ecological design and activism wrapped in their current state of mind.
The environmental topic was indispensable during DDW. From poop-nutrients that could grow food to silkworms making clothes that keeps on growing after production. Technology can only be accepted if it's sustainable and can be implemented in a inclusive society, is what we understood of this week.
Again an interesting week with our team, giving us oxygen to (re)think, discuss and change our vision of the world.