DESIGN ACADEMY EINDHOVEN - GRADUATION SHOW
During every annual Dutch Design Week you can visit the graduation show of the famed DAE (Design Academy Eindhoven). This academy has spawned some well known Dutch designers like Maarten Baas, Hella Jongerius, Piet Hein Eek and Marcel Wanders. One thing I’ve learned from visiting is to never go on a Sunday ever again, because it was super crowded. Things I could see peeking between some arms and legs of this crowd are:
> Transitions / Mikael Boulay: Just as we can become handicapped, we can also become un-handicapped. Mikael designed beautiful cutlery that helps train disabled to eat and cut their own meal. Check out the vid of the design process.
> Flowery Funeral / Hedwig Hulshof: Adresses a theme most people don’t want to think about: losing a loved one. She feels the coffin and the ritual surrounding saying goodbye can be more personal and loving. On the biodegradable coffin people can leave small flower-like messages. Designed to achieve real closure.
> Novel Hospital Toys / Hikaru Imamura: Examinations and operations are a cause of anxiety and fear for childeren. These feelings can be relieved by informing them of what to expect via hospital toys that show the child what will happen in a simple and re-assuring way.
> Playing Food / Tomm Velthuis: What might seem as an innocent Old McDonald farm for childeren to play with, gets a bit brutal when zooming in on the hundreds of pigs with tagged ears, manure bags and acid rain clouds. Hiya hiya hoo.
> Urban Nesting / Chaim Becker: Feeling stressed in your urban environment? Take a moment to be ‘alone’ in a comfortable and enjoyable setting. Create an urban nest. Check the vid to see how it works.
> Trend Food Forecast / Anouk van Ranst: The only student who creates a trend book ofcourse catches my attention. Anouk made a highly visual, intuitive food trend report reminding of Li Edelkoort’s style.
> Airline Food Printer / Tim Notermans: Airplane food can be more horrifying than turbulence. Tim provides the solution to this problem. Create a meal suited to every taste and diet with an on-board 3D-printer. Bon appetit!
