Real Unreal is the theme of Dutch Design Week 2024 (DDW24), a deep reflection on what is real and what, instead, resides in the dimension of the imaginary.

This year, designers from around the world have been called to explore the boundary between the real and the unreal, asking questions about our perception of reality and how technology, culture and creativity are shaping new worldviews. In an age when the virtual and physical are increasingly intertwined, DDW24 aimed to challenge the public to reflect on what we accept as “real” and what possibilities we have not yet imagined.

Exhibits and installations explored the potential of design to create, deconstruct and reinvent different realities. From sustainability to technology, from biology to the future of living, each project showed us how we can use imagination to make the impossible possible. DDW24 once again confirmed its crucial role in showing the potential of design as a driving force for real change.

Five venues particularly impressed me with their interpretation of the Real Unreal theme and the variety of immersive experiences they offered.

Klokgebouw: where the future of design is born

In the beating heart of the Strijp-S creative district, the Klokgebouw is an iconic space, and for many the starting point for a visit to DDW24. This former Philips factory, recognizable by the blue clock on its facade, covers 7,500 square meters and hosts a multitude of individual projects and group exhibitions. Among them, Class of 24  caught my attention for its freshness and relevance.

The exhibition features the graduate work of young designers from Dutch and international academies, including IED Milan. It is a group exhibition that perfectly reflects the theme of DDW24, exploring new perspectives and stimulating dialogue about what design means today. Each academy had the opportunity to tell its own story through the development of a project. Walking down the Road of New Perspectives was an experience that gave me a vivid look at the future of design through the eyes of students from around the world.

Kiki & Joost: Carte Blanche the art of experimentation

In stark contrast, but equally fascinating, was the debut of Kiki & Joost‘s exhibition space, a dream long nurtured by the two Dutch designers. The inaugural exhibition, Carte Blanche, immersed us in an environment bursting with creative freedom from every corner. It was surprising to see how intuition and exploration drove the creations of Kiki van Eijk and Joost van Bleiswijk, two designers who are not afraid to push boundaries (which we had already seen at Milan Design Week).

Kiki unveiled Sprout, a new series that explores the energy of spring through a fascinating interplay of ceramic and blown glass. Joost, on the other hand, with Intentional Coincidence, transformed flat surfaces into three-dimensional sculptures with a strong visual impact.

A must-have piece in the homes of design lovers is Joost’s FUNKY PUNKY for a super colorful breakfast!

Graduation Show 2024: Design in an Age of Radical Change

Graduation Show 2024 is a must-attend event capable of taking one’s breath away. The chosen location, Microstad, located a short walk from Eindhoven Central Station, proved perfect for hosting more than 200 projects by graduates of the Design Academy Eindhoven (DAE). The theme Design in an Age of Radical Change embodies the challenge young designers face today: an increasingly complex and unpredictable world that demands creative, responsive responses that anticipate change. Walking through the different exhibition areas, I appreciated the way the space manages to initiate a dialogue between designers and the public, thanks to open and shared spaces that stimulate discussion and interaction.

Two projects that particularly struck me are Rose Daher ‘s Se Faire Pigeonner, which transformed simple rusks into a house, offering an ironic and provocative reflection on how standardized bricks and bread reflect our industrialized habits. An invitation to rethink the architecture and materials of the future, with a touch of poetry and ingenuity.

Equally intriguing was Johan Karrebæk Thun’s Tension Connection, an installation that explores the natural properties of wood, demonstrating how strong and durable joints can be created by harnessing only the internal tension of the material, without the use of nails or glue.

The 2024 Graduation Show is not just a showcase of projects, but a reflection of the times we live in, an urgent call for design that responds to global changes with inventiveness, sustainability and a radical vision. It leaves a profound impact, showing us the future of design through the eyes of those who are already shaping it.

Van Abbemuseum: Soils and the connection to the soil

Another valuable stop at DDW24 was the exhibition Soils at the Van Abbemuseum, a curatorial collaboration between the TarraWarra Museum of Art, Struggles for Sovereignty and the Van Abbemuseum itself. This group exhibition addresses deep and topical questions about how we can reconnect with our environment and reconnect as a community.

Through the works of international artists, designers, farmers and activists, Soils invites reflection on our complex and often conflicting relationship with the land. The Van Abbemuseum has been able to create a space for deep and interactive reflection, where the public is encouraged to explore not only the beauty and richness of natural materials, but also the stories and human experiences that are intertwined with them. Soils thus proves to be not only an aesthetic experience, but also an important opportunity for dialogue and awareness, at a time when our connection with the earth is more vital than ever.

Isola Design: This Future is Currently Unavailable

In a sixth consecutive participation, Isola Design transformed Area 51, the largest indoor skatepark in the Netherlands, into a unique design area in the heart of Strijp-S. With more than 100 exhibitors, Isola brought four exhibitions that intertwine design and urban culture under the theme “This Future is Currently Unavailable”.

Among them, Disclosure, hosted in the basement, presented more than 40 independent designers with projects that combined digital craftsmanship and innovation. On the ground floor, Forms Unfolding highlighted functional design solutions, with pieces ranging from furniture to lighting, while Routes to Roots, set up on the skatepark’s practice fields, took the audience on a journey between the Middle East and North Africa, showing how tradition can be reinterpreted with a contemporary twist. Finally, The Floor is Yours transformed the first-floor ballroom, where a novel carpet designed by Karel Bodegom defined the space for a vibrant display of Dutch design, emphasizing sustainable materials and innovative solutions. One memorable example was from Kineco, a company that uses mycelium, the vegetative apparatus of fungi, to create 100% biodegradable materials and objects, demonstrating how design can be both environmentally friendly and fascinating.

This edition not only showed us things “so beautiful as to be unreal,” but also reminded us that change often begins as an idea, a vision. And when designers, creatives and thinkers work together to shape those ideas, the result is a reality we never thought possible. The future, as DDW24 taught us, is in our hands, ready to be imagined, designed and experienced.