Design - 30 projects selected
In the first Design round of 2021, 30 proposals have been selected. All the positively assessed applications were awarded grants. Coordinator Eva Roolker reflects on the round.
25 March 2021
general impression
With a new chair – product and spatial designer Miriam van der Lubbe – and a partly new advisory committee, 30 diverse projects have been selected in the first round of 2021. The selection includes several research projects, one of which focuses on the potential of three-dimensional weaving, various publications receiving support, an interactive installation that will collect handwriting on which a new typeface will be based, an animated film that draws attention to the theme of depression, several exhibitions and an object that can be climbed, intended for the public space. Fashion and textile design are well represented this round. The projects highlighted below give an idea of the breadth of the selection.
reflection and debate
One of the general objectives of the Fund, with which the Design Grant Scheme aligns, is supporting reflection and debate. The Atelier Feldwerk project by Jongeriuslab is a striking example of this theme. With a starting grant, Jongeriuslab is exploring the possibilities for greater room for reflection and deepening the practice of designers. Based on the research results, Jongeriuslab will look into the possibilities of a residency model that would provide guidance and networking opportunities. Valiz's project The Auto-Ethnographic Turn in Design also stands out in terms of reflection and debate. Observers Louise Schouwenberg and Michael Kaethler express criticism of design as a problem-solving medium. They argue that designers must take responsibility for what they do, which means they must be able to thoroughly relate to the world, and know their own world in order to relate it to larger-scale issues. In a publication released by Valiz, Schouwenberg and Kaethler provide both a theoretical and a practical basis for a new approach to design practice, one that encompasses a more personal and therefore more original connection with the world, and means that the designer works from their own personal knowledge. The publication includes a wide range of contributions by many designers.
diversity and inclusion
Because the Fund attaches value to the development of diversity and inclusion within the field of design, as of this year applications are also actively assessed on this aspect. For each application, the advisory committee examines whether opportunities in this area are being utilized or are being missed. Het oranje kind (The Orange Child) by Fleur van der Weel is a striking project in this respect. Illustrator Van der Weel takes the iconic image of the orange-coloured child created by Dick Bruna as a starting point for an investigation into how far the palette can be used to draw diversity without stigmatizing. Tailors and Wearers by Ella Broek stood out as well. With the help of a starting grant, researcher and designer Broek previously conducted research into the technique and experience of Surinamese Creole traditional costume from the perspective of crafts, fashion design and heritage studies. These results are now being released as a publication. In addition to the publication and a symposium, a knowledge working group will be set up as part of the Tailors and Wearers project, so that a broader group of interested parties can be involved in the longer term in this form of material and immaterial Surinamese-Creole heritage, through an artistic making process.
circularity and sustainability
Circularity and sustainability continue to be a common recurring theme in applications. It is central to many of the projects currently being supported, for example in Textiel installatie Hellen van Rees. Within this project, textile designer Hellen van Rees is developing an installation for the new Oyfo Techniekmuseum in Hengelo, which provides insight into circularity, new and sustainable techniques, and the role of the designer in this area. For the project Artistic Research Post Consumer Textiles, Stichting New Order of Fashion is inviting two designers to carry out artistic research into the possibilities for using recycled post-consumer materials as source material for design. In his research project, Matthew Needham from the UK focuses on upcycling non-woven shredded textiles and fibres, while Stina Randestad from Sweden concentrates on knitting techniques with recycled yarn. New Order of Fashion connects these talents with expert knowledge, experimental facilities and market expertise.
Click here for all the projects selected in Design in 2021.
numbers
Of the 67 subsidy applications taken into consideration, 30 are receiving grants. This brings the percentage of applications receiving grants to 44%. The deadline for the second Design round in 2021 is 7 April. The next deadline after that is 11 August 2021.
