With the question “What if the Earth were our client?”, Fillip Studios found a Co/Lab that seamlessly aligns with their mission, Impact through Wonder. For the studio, translating complex and abstract issues into sensory and poetic experiences lies at the heart of their work. This project offered exactly the space needed to make the urgency of the climate crisis tangible and to open up a new, meaningful dialogue. By connecting Fillip Studios’ interdisciplinary approach with the expertise of Sweco’s engineers and specialists, a collaboration emerged in which artistic research and substantive knowledge strengthened one another. What connects them to the subject is a shared belief in the transformative power of wonder.
The designers approached the theme from their conviction that wonder is a driving force for change. Their design statement, Het Nieuwe Optimum, centres on finding creative space in not-knowing, a perspective that is essential when the Earth is regarded as a fully fledged stakeholder. The combination of artistic imagination and the ability to make complex information accessible formed the foundation of their contribution to the Co/Lab. By designing from the idea that the Earth must be heard, they translated Sweco’s mission into an experience that helps people realise we must move together to ensure a healthy living environment for the future.
The collaboration with Sweco proved to be one of the most inspiring elements of the process. Fillip Studios thrives when disciplines come together, and working with engineers, urban planners and environmental experts offered a rich field of insights. Jointly exploring concepts such as regenerative thinking, and searching for ways to make these abstract ideas visual and interactive, formed the core of the process. The presentation during Dutch Design Week (DDW) provided a powerful platform to share these new perspectives and to encourage the audience to reflect and take action.
Within Co/Lab: Commissioned by Earth, Fillip Studios brought a radical, artistic imagination that created space for new ways of thinking. Their role was that of a creative catalyst: translating a complex concept into a sensory experience. Working from their mission Impact through Wonder, they developed an installation that not only conveys information, but also strikes an emotional chord and inspires. A poetic mirror that invites visitors to reconsider their own position in relation to the Earth.
For Fillip Studios, design power is essential in this context. Not as an aesthetic addition, but as a strategic instrument that makes complex problems understandable, experiential and actionable. Their earlier project Arabidopsis Symphony already demonstrated how scientific data can be translated into a universal, tangible language. From “need to know” to “need to feel”. It is precisely this ability that enables design to inspire people to change their behaviour. Tom Kortbeek says: “We hope to enrich the collaboration with Sweco by using the power of art and technology to create a deeper, more human understanding of sustainability.”
Within the Co/Lab with Sweco, this resulted in the development of an interactive installation that functions as an immersive dialogue. Not a static object, but an invitation to actively engage with the central question. The installation was created through co-creation: workshops were used to gather the knowledge, concerns and dilemmas of Sweco employees and translate them into an artistic concept that makes complexity tangible. The final result is not a conclusion, but a living instrument that will hopefully continue to fuel the discussion on designing on behalf of the Earth even after the Co/Lab.
“We saw the final presentation during Dutch Design Week as a fantastic opportunity to share our vision on a unique stage. Creating a shared experience that encourages reflection and action is at the core of what we do.”, Tom says.
