Whenever I work abroad, I’m always asked what makes Dutch Design so good. This is a problematic question, first of all because one could question it’s ‘good-ness’ (what are the criteria that form our ideas of quality?), and second of all, if one assumes that yes, it does represent one of the greatest design scenes in the world, there is not one easy answer to explain success. Countries with design cultures ranging from the embryonic to booming (from Romania, to Russia, to South-Korea) are looking for clues and patterns to create such a success at home. But the Netherlands does not offer a secret formula to be replicated: it’s an ecology where many factors like Dutch history, culture, education, business and government all play their role. For Do More Good CSK, a Michigan/Colorado based branding agency, I developed a compact 30 minute online talk on Dutch Design. The presentation tries to give novices to the topic an idea of this ecology: Dutch Design 101 presents Hollands background, current developments and possible future directions of design. It shows the holistic approach that is needed to create a successful support system, and the blood, sweat and tears and decades of work that go into it. Thanks to Joost Roozekrans for his contribution.

1. @Designistan_org
DUTCH
DESIGN
101

2. WHY IS
DUTCH DESIGN
SO GOOD?
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org

3. WHY IS
DUTCH DESIGN
SO GOOD?
IS IT?
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org

4. Droog Design
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org
Hella Jongerius
De Makers Van
Nalden
Job van Bennekom

5. DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org
Studio Dumbar
Richard Hutten
Rem Koolhaas Bertjan Pot (MOOOI)
Victor & Rolf

6. HOW CAN
WE GET SUCH A
GREAT DESIGN
SCENE?
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org

7. @Designistan_org
THERE ARE
NO EASY
ANSWERS...
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk

8. IT’S AN
INTRICATE
DESIGN
ECOLOGY
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org

9. THE NETHERLANDS
FOR DUMMIES*
* 99% of the global population probably
cannot locate The Netherlands on a map...
Should we blame them? Perhaps not.
@Designistan_org
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk

10. DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org

11. the Netherlands
16.800.000 Dutch people
capital Amsterdam
kingdom that includes
4 carribean islands
37.000km2 / 22.000 sq mi
(4hr drive from top
to bottom)
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org

12. Complicated? Only to
the anglophones... We say:
Nederland = the Netherlands
Nederlanders = the Dutch
Nederlands = Dutch
Don’t confuse us...
Deutschland = Germany
Deutsche = the Germans
Deutsch = German
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org

13. Test your knowledge: famous Dutch people
Doutzen Kroes (model)
Peter Stuyvesant (regent of NY)
Anne Frank (holocaust victim)
Rem Koolhaas (architect)
Anton Corbijn (photographer)
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org
Armin van Buuren (dj)
Johan Cruijf (soccer player)
Melisandre (the red witch)
Freddy Heineken (brewer)
Jantje Brinkers

14. @Designistan_org
BACK TO
THE DESIGN
ECOLOGY...
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk

15. Rembrandt,
the anatomy classes
of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp,
Amsterdam 1632
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THE NETHERLANDS HAS A RICH VISUAL HISTORY...
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk

16. Vincent van Gogh,
the starry night,
1889
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THE NETHERLANDS HAS A RICH VISUAL HISTORY...
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk

17. Piet Mondriaan,
Broadway Boogie
Woogie, 1943
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THE NETHERLANDS HAS A RICH VISUAL HISTORY...
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk

18. ...AND A LIBERAL AND TOLERANT TRADITION THAT PROMOTES A FREE SPIRIT
Free spirits
are good for design.
Baruch Spinoza,
Dutch/Portuguese
philosopher,
1632-1677
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DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk

19. Multi-cultural society
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org

20. Gay Pride Amsterdam
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org

21. The Gross National
Income per capita is
$48.460 (US $50.000).
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THE NETHERLANDS IS RELATIVELY WEALTHY
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk

22. The Dutch
have designed
their own
country
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IT’S ALSO EXTREMELY SMALL,
THEREFORE THE DUTCH HAVE TO BE CREATIVE
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk

23. Dutch dredging
company Van Oord is
responsible for the
creation of the palm
island structure in
Dubai.
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...WHICH THEY HAVE TURNED INTO AN EXPERTISE
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk

24. In the 17-18th
century, the Dutch VOC
was the largest trader
of Asia, and the first
company in history to
issue stock/shares.
WITHOUT NATURAL RESOURCES OF THEIR OWN,
THE DUTCH MAKE MONEY THROUGH TRADE & SERVICES...
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org

25. TU Delft
Luna solar
powered
vehicle
AS WELL AS THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY
—AND MORE RECENTLY, THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org

26. ...commissioning
designers and
architects to design
their products
and services
THE DUTCH GOVERNMENT HISTORICALLY PLAYED A
LARGE ROLE IN PROMOTING DESIGN
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org

27. DESIGN THAT IS USED BY EVERYONE...
Ootje Oxenaar, 1980’s
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org

28. AND SEEN BY EVERYONE...
Studio Dumbar, National
Police brand identity
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org

29. COMPANIES ASK DESIGNERS TO CREATE SOMETHING DIFFERENT,
SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WILL NOTICE
Image: Studio Smack
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org

30. Victor & Rolf,
Dutch fashion
designers, created
an upside-down
flagship store
SOMETHING THAT STANDS OUT FROM THE CROWD
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org

31. Classic invaluable
Rietveld chairs
burnt by designer
Martin Baas,
making pieces even
more unique
DUTCH DESIGNERS LOVE TO DEFY THE STATUS QUO
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org

32. AND ‘ONE-UP’ EACH OTHER,
EVERY CHANCE THEY GET
Gert Dumbar, Gitanes tobacco Anton Beeke, Globe Theatre
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org

33. ACTIVISM EVOLVED INTO SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT
Christien Meindertsma
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org

34. DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org
> youtube

35. Jurgen Bey
created chair
shaped bags —
attached to a
vacuum cleaner,
they fill it
with dust.
THEY COME UP WITH NEW IDEAS, FROM THE SILLY...
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org

36. The ‘biggen
bodywarmer’ keeps
piglets temperatures
up and increases
their survival rate
in modern
barns
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org
...TO THE CUTE...

37. Daan Roosegaarde’s
‘smog vacuum
cleaner’ for Beijing
...TO THE ‘IT’S SO CRAZY IT JUST MIGHT WORK’ CATEGORY
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org

38. FROM ACTIVISTS TO HIPPIES WITH A BUSINESS PLAN
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org
> youtube

39. FAIRPHONE: THE WORLDS FIRST OPEN AND FAIR PHONE
Help them
make yours!
www.fairphone.com
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org

40. FAIRPHONE: THE WORLDS FIRST OPEN AND FAIR PHONE
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org
> youtube

41. THE ECOLOGY
EVOLVES AND
YET REMAINS
THE SAME
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DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk

42. 1632 scene set
at De Waag
Fablab: 3d printing,
bio-hacking, ...
De Waag today
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org

43. Iris van Herpen, 2011
Michiel Jansz. van Mierevelt,
1600s
DO MORE GOOD CSK — Dutch Design 101 Remote Talk @Designistan_org

44. @Designistan_org
24.01.2014 DO MORE GOOD CSK
DUTCH DESIGN 101
THIS PRESENTATION is only possible thank to
the collective wisdom of designers, design critics
and thinkers - thank you for sharing your work
and knowledge.
A special thanks goes out to Joost Roozekrans,
this presentation builds further on his 2011
presentation on Dutch Design in Shanghai.
All images and videos © by the designers /
artists due care has been taken to credit the
people involved if despite this care you find
credits missing please don’t hesitate to get in
touch
Designistan
info@designistan.org
www.designistan.org
Follow me @designistan_org