Design Academy Eindhoven’s Graduation show 2016 – “In Need Of” (curated by FormaFantasma) was a smashing success with a record 46, 000 visitors.
From 22nd to 30th October 2016 we welcomed guests from across the world – curators, gallerists, museums, brands, academics, producers, designers, the media and of course the general public.
It is always fascinating for us as at the academy to see how graduation projects take on a life of their own when confronted with a critical audience. It is this engagement with users that ignites design’s social relevance. It can be a beautiful thing to see.
This year we presented 197 projects and were a Dutch Design Week “Public Favourite”.
The Dutch Design Week scouts also named graduates Anastasia Kubrak, Jing He, Naomi Jansen and Tamara Orjola as the best upcoming talents presented at Dutch Design Week.
From the best of Dutch Design Week ambassadors Maarten Baas and Bas van Abel offered an encouragement award to Tamara Orjola including a € 2, 500 anonymous and private grant plus a special spot for her to exhibit during Dutch Design Week 2017.
Juliette Pépin was awarded Social Design Talent by the municipality of Eindhoven for her project M.O.T.S.. Inge van Vliet, who created the health-app HEN, came in third place.
We want to extend a warm congratulations to all our alumni – too many to mention – who did so well throughout the week. Christien Meindertsma won the main Dutch Design Award for her FLAX Chair. Information Design department head, Joost Grootens won top honors in the communication category for his new design of the Dutch dictionary Dikke van Dale. And alumnus Tom van Soest won the prestigious Young Designer Award.
Design Academy Eindhoven’s presentation in the Van Abbemuseum “Broken White” curated by Mathieu Meijers, Jurgen Bey, Bas van Tol and recently departed Design Academy Eindhoven creative director Thomas Widdershoven, was also mentioned by Dutch Design Week as one of the highlight exhibitions of the week.