“Never waste a good crisis,” Mayor Jeroen Dijsselbloem said at the launch of Design Development Eindhoven (DDE). The idea for a serious network initiative was born when Design Academy Eindhoven (DAE) was on the verge of leaving the city. To prevent that from happening, Dijsselbloem gathered various players from Eindhoven’s design world around the table. During those conversations, it became clear that a comparable ecosystem, similar to what Brainport Eindhoven represents for the tech industry, was missing for the design sector.
“It wasn’t by chance that DAE was considering leaving,” said Dijsselbloem shortly after the launch. “The academy may have a long history in the city, but apparently its roots weren’t so deep that they couldn’t be lifted and planted elsewhere. That made us think: those kinds of roots, with cross-pollination and exchange, are exactly what a design academy needs. In addition to the pressing issue of DAE’s housing at the time, we realised that although there’s a great deal happening in design here in Eindhoven, there isn’t a true ecosystem. We’re still leaving many opportunities untapped.”
The Brainport concept – the well-known triple helix of government, knowledge institutions and business – had already proven its value for the region’s tech ecosystem. “So why not apply the same principle to design? I hope DDE can give a real boost to a design ecosystem in Eindhoven. Personally, I’m very excited about it.”
What will Design Development Eindhoven do?
Designer Anne Ligtenberg, who acted as scout and lead researcher for the initiative, explored what DDE could become. During the presentation, she explained that the first step was to map what was already happening in the city. “There are indeed many initiatives,” she said. But according to Ligtenberg, Eindhoven’s strong informal network is both a strength and a weakness. “People know how to find each other quickly here, connections are easily made. But too often, that only happens when it’s really necessary, not as an ongoing collaboration. So we started looking at how we could make those connections more structural, and where the real needs lie.”
From that exploration, Design Development Eindhoven identified four initial lines of action on which to focus.
- Creative Space
How can we ensure that the supply and demand for workspace for designers are better aligned? That’s the key question here. Alexander Ramselaar, an expert in real estate financing, highlighted the urgency during the presentation: “The pressure on property is high, especially here in Eindhoven. Creative space is under pressure too,” said Ramselaar, who will also be working with DDE. “We need multiple parties at the table to piece together this puzzle, to preserve and create space. And we mustn’t act incidentally, but work from a shared vision and translate that into viable financial propositions.”
- Professionalising the Ecosystem
DDE will map out the design landscape in detail, identifying what’s already available and where opportunities lie for designers. “We don’t just want to ask questions,” said Ligtenberg, “but immediately turn those insights into action.”
- Social Engagement
According to Ligtenberg, designers are uniquely positioned to contribute to social challenges and DDE will play an active role in this area as well. “Many designers feel a responsibility to contribute to society,” she said.
- Profiling, Monitoring and Impact
DDE will also take on the task of communicating externally about what’s happening in the design field. “This is a regional initiative with great ambition,” said Ligtenberg, “and we want to express that, including Eindhoven’s potential role as a design capital.”
About time for this step
Remco van de Craats, founder of design agency EDHV, was one of the speakers during the presentation.
For him, it is “about time” that such an ecosystem is established in Eindhoven. “In the tech ecosystem, we’ve seen how this creates an enormous multiplier effect. For every tech company, there are five other businesses or start-ups working alongside it. That’s a direct outcome of such an ecosystem. Now it’s time for design in Eindhoven to be better represented too.”
Van de Craats and his agency EDHV have been rooted in the city for twenty years. “We’ve worked hard; blood, sweat and tears, for years. The value you build up as a company, your ability to attract talent, the monetary value, you don’t want to lose that.” He emphasised that Eindhoven has always thrived on energy and transformation. “Eindhoven is unique, but creativity isn’t something to be taken for granted. If the wind turns, that energy can simply blow out of the city. It needs to be better protected.”
A solid financial foundation
Alderman Saskia Lammers (Welfare, Work, Poverty, and Culture & Design) shared that view. “Eindhoven breathes design,” she said. “And design offers a great sense of optimism when it comes to many challenges that require new ways of thinking and doing.” The City of Eindhoven is making a one-off contribution of €1.5 million to DDE. In addition, Design Development Eindhoven will receive €200,000 annually for five years as structural support. “It would be wonderful if, thanks to DDE, the combined strength of the design sector continues to grow across the region. We have quite a unique situation here, with educational institutions at all levels; from vocational education at SintLucas, to higher education at Design Academy Eindhoven, and the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). So there are plenty of opportunities.”
“Students are the future”
More connection between those institutions is needed, argued Elle Keuvelaar, a student at Design Academy Eindhoven. “We’re still too much in our own bubble.” For students across all levels, vocational, higher education and university, the lack of housing is a pressing issue. “Many students are sleeping on friends’ sofas, investing huge amounts just to be able to study at all. People often forget that students are the future.”
That concern was echoed by Barbara Koopman, Head of Usability (or, as she prefers to call it, “Chief Usefulness”) at Philips. Koopman has noticed designers leaving the region. “Affordable creative space is essential. It’s not just about what designers take, but also about what they give.” Mayor Dijsselbloem agreed: “My hope is that we can retain more talent within the design sector. Developers are beginning to understand that the creative sector adds real value. It’s no coincidence that we made housing our first line of action. It’s the first condition for keeping talent here.”
From national to local level
Barbara Wolfensberger, Director-General for the Policy Directorates of Heritage & Arts, Media & Creative Industries at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW), emphasised the importance of local initiatives in such endeavours. “As a national government, you can come up with all sorts of ideas, but in the end, it has to happen locally.” She was enthusiastic about what she saw in Eindhoven. “There are some really fantastic things happening here. There’s a genuine focus on applying technological developments with an understanding of people.”
Wolfensberger, who has been a regular visitor to Dutch Design Week since 2013, highlighted the crucial role of designers: “The creative professional is the one who ensures that all these investments in technology actually reach people. As a country, we’ll never completely dominate alongside the global tech giants. But what we do know and can do, is create applications of new technology that are designed truly from a human perspective.”
Quick to act
The coming five years will show whether DDE’s approach works. “We really have to make this happen together,” said Ligtenberg.
She emphasised the importance of keeping up the momentum. “In the next steps, we don’t just want to keep talking, we want to move quickly.” The lead initiator also made a call to action: “Reach out to us, knock on our door, raise your hand. We’re here for anyone who wants to help build this ecosystem.”
