Creative Voices of Dutch Design Week 2024

The Creative Voices are invited to reflect on the role of designers within society at large, in relation to industry and innovation, and the eye-opening perspectives of the next generations. Engaging directly with visitors, designers, and partners alike, the creative voices will explore new media and provide valuable insights directly with the community of Dutch Design Week.

Focusing on these relations in an event like Dutch Design Week opens up how design as a profession is evolving, not as an isolated discipline but as a vital connection between our society and how our future can be real, meaningful and beautiful.

Nina Sieverding and Anton Rahlwes are the co-founders of the thing Magazine: an independent digital platform for critical journalism on design, trends, and aesthetics. Nina and Anton previously held the position of editor-in-chief at  the renowned magazine “form”. Their primary channels are Instagram and their newsletter “something is missing”. Nina is also an educator in History of Visual Communication at the University of Art and Design in Offenbach/Main, while Anton pursues aesthetic theory at Goethe University in Frankfurt Main and Korea University in Seoul, exploring the interconnectedness of physical artifacts and concepts of masculinities.

“Design journalism isn’t exactly thriving right now—but honestly, has it ever been? When we first started out, we were told that readers “just aren’t interested” in critical design journalism since it’s a “niche” topic, even though design impacts everyone’s lives every day. '

'We really appreciate how DDW has reworked their content strategy in recent years to include more diverse perspectives. This year, we’re honored to be part of the format Creative Voices, offering our commentary on both DDW and the design profession, visiting mainly exhibitions with a special focus on young designers. They can experiment, be playful, and do things that might not make sense at first. Giving them this space and freedom is really important to us.”
— the thing Magazine

Otis Dirk is a content creator and creative director, working from Rotterdam and Eindhoven. With his roots in design, he doesn’t just make videos—he designs and builds stories with images, sound, and rhythm, resulting in a wide range of media; from engaging social content, to exciting animations and jingles, to full-blown commercial campaigns. Not just the creator behind the scenes, Otis frequently steps into the shot himself, infusing his work with personality and genuine curiosity.

After earning a Bachelor’s in Industrial Design at Eindhoven University of Technology, Otis honed his skills in marketing and video production at Dutch Design Foundation and Studio Tast. Eventually, he carved out his own space, diving into media projects in the realms of culture, science, art, and design.

“I'm excited to dig up the most interesting stories from the huge DDW community and share it in a way that is super fun to watch.”
Follow Otis Dirk on DDW’s brand new TikTok channel!

Benito Walker was involved in founding youth movement Youth for Climate NL in 2020, where he became its president. He later became a member of the youth platform of the Social and Economic Council (SER), chairman of Bureau Burgerberaad and vice-chairman of the National Youth Council, among others. Since 2023, he has been part of the jury of the Trouw Duurzame 100 (Sustainable 100), which he now chairs. Walker studies public administration at Leiden University and lives in The Hague.

‘The Sustainable 100 shows the power of cooperation,’ Benito stated recently in Trouw. ‘As a jury, we propagate that sustainability is no longer something you do on a voluntary basis. You can also earn money with beautiful inspiring activities. Ultimately, the economy also has to become more sustainable. Innovative ideas are expressed pre-eminently in start-ups.’