Below you can find the complete Design District lecture program. All lectures, workshops and discussions take place in the lecture hall at Design District 2021 and are free to attend. The entrance to the lecture room is in the middle of the exhibition floor, close to the large toilet area. The space can only be reached by stairs. All program components are in Dutch, unless stated otherwise.
Wednesday, November 3rd
12.00 – 13.00 hrs. ‘Acoustics, architecture & space experience’ by Marjan Veltkamp
Powered by Fields, the silence designed (stand D04)
Marjan Veltkamp makes acoustically improving objects. The origin is always nature; the result is a unique handmade object that should increase the enjoyment of work or living. Marjan is happy to tell you about how her unique objects deal with the architecture of the space, improve the acoustics and add something to the experience of the space around us.
13.30 – 14.30 hrs. ‘Creativity & Vitality’ by Kitty de Groot
Powered by Office Academy (booth M01)
How do you stimulate that from the interior, in the spatial plane? And how do you make this inspiring, vision-enhancing and connecting? And finally: what role can ‘green’, ‘nature and ‘biophilic design’ play in this? Kitty de Groot, design journalist at Inside information addresses these and other questions based on speaking reference projects.
15.00 – 16.00 hrs. ‘Circularity & Sustainability’ by Erick Wuestman
Powered by Office Academy (booth M01)
Erick Wuestman started his working life as an interior architect. He was quickly drawn into office innovation. By creating innovative housing concepts for companies, education and government, he became specialized in ‘the new way of working and learning’. After training as a value engineer, his expertise increasingly moved towards facilitating organizational development and transition. At the end of 2012, he founded the Circular Economy Foundation and since then he has been involved in shaping concrete solutions for the scarcity of raw materials and waste. The affiliation with KplusV in 2015 has accelerated the increase of circular impact. With, for example, new business models, alternative financing and specific ecosystems. But also through the guidance of organizations with, among other things, biobased innovations and circular procurement.
Thursday, November 4th
10.30 – 11.30 hrs. ‘bni NOOK live digital’ (In English)
Powered by bni
bni organizes a NOOK live with the theme digital about the new universe of creative design possibilities for interior architecture; with Marc Martinez – Architect and Head of Computational Design & Technology NCBHAM about the unprecedented limitless possibilities of parametric design systems and scripting techniques and Hedwig Heinsman, creative director Aectual about the possibilities of 3D printing.
12.00 – 13.00 hrs. ‘It’s on fire’ by Ingo Bandurski (In English!)
Powered by Kusch+Co (booth V44)
Have you ever thought about what could happen in case of a fire with all that soft-seating in our current offices? Ingo is happy to tell you about his knowledge and experience in this topic, and then set a Kusch chair with the ‘solution’ on fire to convince you! It proves to be particularly impressive every time. It’s actually quite strange that so little attention is paid to this important part of all carefully selected products for projects and tenders. Come and see and experience and let yourself be convinced of the necessity.
13.30 – 14.30 hrs. ‘Culture & Identity’ by Kitty de Groot
Powered by Inside Information (booth M01)
Culture and the interior form each other. But how to give direction? What makes people feel at home at work and proud of their work environment? How do you step into the skin of your customer, to come to his unique core, his individuality to design from the interior? Kitty de Groot, design journalist at Inside Information has been practicing, strategic, teaching and entrepreneurial in the design-interior architecture field for years.
15.00 – 16.00 hrs. ‘What are the challenges for an international producer in the field of environmental certification and strategy’ by Jörg Hoffmann
Powered by Wilkhahn (Booth V23)
The 114-year-old family business Wilkhahn has been established since its foundation in a protected nature reserve in the Hanover region. Wilkhahn achieves the highest environmental certifications possible in the industry; Cradle to Cradle Gold, LEED, Greenguard and EMAS 3 are a few examples of this. The 2020-2022 environmental report provides a clear picture of Wilkhahn as the “frontrunner” in this area. New themes re use / re fub / second life present new challenges.
Friday, November 5th
10.30 – 15.45 hrs. ‘Routes en Discussion’ by FMN
Facility Management Netherlands (FMN) organizes ‘Routes and Discussion’ especially for FMN-members and visitors of Design District.
FMN sees it as its task to recognize trends, interpret the social importance and guide people in the possible solutions. FMN is currently identifying a number of trends that are interesting to explore further. These trends are shared with the visitors during Design District. FMN carefully examined all the exhibitors of Design District, and subsequently constructed 8 walking routes along the themes of Vintage, Traditional, Sustainable, Ambient Sound, Modularity, Smart Furniture, Working Elsewhere and Cash and Carry. In this way you can travel quickly and efficiently across the exhibition floor per trend and obtain additional information about these important themes at these stands.
Do you want to know more or register: https://fmn.nl/kalender/activiteit/73-fmn-op-design-district
Several showrooms in the Van Nelle Factory area will open their doors during Design District. Visit Novy on the 6th floor, a specialist in the field of whisper-quiet design extractor hoods and hobs. For a visit to Wilkhahn you can choose whether you visit their stand on the exhibition floor or the showroom on the 1st floor. For the KFF collection, you can visit the spectacular Tearoom, the glass bonbon on the roof of the Van Nelle, or the Huijser Meubel Agenturen showroom on the 2nd floor. See also their entries in the list of participants.
Visit the Tearoom for a phenomenal view of Rotterdam
It is quite a climb, 9 floors up, but then you see the most beautiful part of the Van Nelle Factory, the Tearoom. The Tearoom is the glass dome on the roof top. The former management of Van Nelle had this Tearoom built in the past to impress guests with the great view. And that view is of course still there! You can see the impressive skyline of Rotterdam and in clear weather you can even see The Hague. But not only that; You will also find the new collection of KFF via Huijser Meubel Agenturen!
Free guided tours with Van Nelle guide
The unique Van Nelle Factory from 1931 is the monument of Dutch modernism. World famous for the progressive design that gave air, light and space a new meaning in architecture. In 2014, UNESCO completed the international recognition of this exceptional building by granting World Heritage status. During Design District you can walk through and around the factory with experienced Van Nelle guide, and learn why this design is of international significance.
Daily at 12.00, 14.00 and 16.00 hrs. Maximum 20 people per tour. Starting point at the coffee corner just after the entrance of Design District.
Designer District
In addition to the well-known names of manufacturers, there are 14 starting and/ or self-producing designers on the Designer District. We are very proud of the list of names this year, and we expect a lot from the special presentation in the old Tabacco Factory. Make sure you do not miss this part!
Dutch landscapes meet HMC talents
Newly graduated students from the Hout- en Meubileringscollege in Amsterdam and Rotterdam will again present their final project this year during Design District. The HMC offers them a stage to show themselves to the general public. The final projects are combined with photos of Dutch landscapes. The landscapes have been chosen on the basis of the work of the students, so that the landscape fits well with the designs. It varies from a dune landscape, to fields, to the skyline of Rotterdam. This year, the final projects are in the heart of the exhibition floor at Design District and all visitors can admire the beautiful designs that these talents have created.
Good food and drinks
At Design District you will find a big bar and terrace where you can go for good coffee, some fresh or drinks, soup, sandwiches, snacks, cake or something else. Near the entrance is a coffee point.