DesignUnited about their programme at DDW24

Daniel Saakes from TU Twente and Chair of DesignUnited shares more below about the partnership with Dutch Design Foundation and their programme at DDW24.

Why are you a partner of DDW?
From the start, it was clear that we wanted to be part of Dutch Design Week to showcase the technical side of the design profession.

What does DesignUnited gain from this partnership?
It’s crucial for us to present our work to the general public. DDW attracts a broad audience, including students still deciding what to study and who get to see exciting things during the week. It’s also an opportunity for us to inform governments and organizations about the diversity and scale of our projects.

What is your programme during the Mission Days?
Previously, we worked with CLICKNL on the DRIVE festival, which focuses on design practices. However, our own projects from the Technical Universities are more long-term, in 10 years time. With the Mission Days, we can now bring those elements together.

All of the DesignUnited.Dialogues will be interesting, but Tuesday will be especially exciting as we’re planning some outdoor activities—weather permitting, of course. What exactly we’ll be doing is still a surprise, but it will focus on ‘non-human design’, where the key question is: How can we consider the planet more in design?

You also have an exhibition at Klokgebouw; what can we expect there?
The exhibition showcases the diversity of university projects, ranging from large-scale societal solutions to smaller initiatives. One of the projects on display is Expressive Mechanisms, which explores shape-shifting objects. These materials, for example, can be used for robotic arms. Robot arms are now made of metal, a rough and coarse material, but now we are investigating how we can make robots from soft materials better suited for elderly care, for example.
Another exciting project is Let’s Talk Menopause, which focuses on intergenerational conversations about menopause.

You can sign up for the DesignUnited.Dialogues or visit the DesignUnited.Expo Changing Gears during DDW24.