Below you can find the complete Design District lecture program. All lectures, workshops and discussions take place in the lecture hall at Design District 2019 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, June 5
11.00 – 12.00 hrs. ‘INSIDE/INSIDE’ by Odette Ex
There are several guidelines, laws and labels for sustainable and circular buildings, but for sustainable interiors this hardly exists and is not straightforward. We now know that the interior has a greater impact on the health and satisfaction of employees, but also that the environmental impact is too big. Odette Ex, founder of INSIDE/INSIDE talks about the need for a sustainable and circular interior.
13.00 – 14.00 hrs. ‘Creativity & Vitality’ by Kitty de Groot
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.
Thursday, June 6
11.00 – 12.00 hrs ‘Plastic Whale’ by Marius Smit
Marius Smit is a man with a special story, a unique profession and a challenging mission. He is the founder of Plastic Whale, the first professional plastic fishing company in the world. His profession is professional Plastic Visser. The mission of Plastic Whale is to make the world’s waters plastic-free, starting with the Amsterdam canals. The aim of the company is to go out of business. Marius believes that if Plastic Whale can make itself redundant in Amsterdam, he can find business anywhere in the world.
13.00 – 14.00 hrs. ‘Culture & Identity’ by Kitty de Groot
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. ‘Acoustic Facts by Offecct’ by Pieter Vreede
Independent acoustic specialist Pieter Vreede talks about the most recent international studies and results in the field of acoustics: ‘How to improve all persons productivity, well-being and health’.
from 10:00 hrs. ‘Design and Work Environment’ by FMN
This part of the program does not take place in the lecture hall on the exhibition floor, location will be announced later!
Facility Management Netherlands (FMN) organizes a program for members and non-members; including 4 ‘Special Tour’ along 5 selected exhibitors and 4 accompanying catchy lectures on, for example, ‘What does the Work Environment look like now and Why?’, ‘Where is that Work Environment then?’, ‘How Sustainable / Circular is that Work Environment or must/can he be?’, ‘Where does technology affect or affect the Work Environment?’
Friday, June 7
10.00 – 12.30 hrs. ‘Meet the 4 domains’ by BNS Crisp
BNS Crisp is the professional association for the Dutch stylist. Come and get acquainted with the four domains (interior styling private and business, real estate styling and green styling) and their ambassadors!
13.00 – 14.00 hrs. ‘The benefit and disadvantage of open working environments’ by De Architect
The open working environment is a trend but often does not tie in with the work processes of all companies and organizations. Rijnstraat 8 is still fresh in the memory where civil servants have been placed from an enclosed office in an open office garden with too few jobs without any preparation. The editors of the Architect organize a meeting about the usefulness and disadvantage of open working environments. What are the requirements for healthy working environments? And how can the working environment and work processes be coordinated? Designers and consultants give their vision followed by a panel discussion led by Harm Tilman (editor-in-chief of the Architect).
Several showrooms are specially opened for visitors of Design District. On the Van Nelle site you can visit Wilkhahn (1st floor of the Coffee Factory) and Tuna Ofis (in the beautiful main building on the 2nd floor). In the newly opened Offices For You (just across the entrance of Design District) you will find the showroom of Gispen and objectflor. Just outside the Van Nelle Factory site you can visit Secoff. 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 presentation of Lande, Artifort and Interstuhl!
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 20 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 distribution center. Make sure you do not miss this part!
Students Willem de Kooning and HMC
For the second year in a row, the Product Design students from the Willem de Kooning Academy are present. The works of both first-year students and recent alumni can be seen in the long hall towards the Distribution Center. Traditionally, you will also find talented students from the HMC college. This year they are in Hall 2.
Outside District
There is a beautiful garden at Design District, where you can relax in or in front of the panorama tent of Studioworks, furnished with the furniture of Lonc and ByOtten Outdoor. With a nice sun and a view of the monumental factory, it is good to stay here!
Good food and drinks
In every hall at Design District you will find a bar and terrace where you can go for good coffee, some fresh or drinks, soup, sandwiches, cake or something else. When the weather is really good, a bar opens outside.