At the Design Biennale Rotterdam 2025: Exploring the Rise of the Holland Design Powerhouse
Rotterdam Design Biennale Showcases Progressive Design
The Rotterdam Design Biennale, co-founded by Liv Vaisberg and Sarah Schulten, is currently in its inaugural year and is running until 2 March 2025 at various locations across the city. This not-for-profit grassroots event is bringing out work that is often behind closed doors, showcasing a diverse range of design from furniture and sculpture to hand-crafted work.
One of the key contributors to Rotterdam's progressive design culture after World War 2 was the work of OMA and MVRDV. Notable works by these practices include the De Rotterdam three-tower complex and the Depot Boijmans van Beuningen.
The Rotterdam Design Biennale takes place in various disused buildings around the city, including Baanhof and W70. At W70, Pepe Valenti has transformed former phone booths and conference rooms into installations under thematic umbrellas. Aric Chen, the general and artistic director of the Nieuwe Instituut, is also involved in the Biennale.
Liv Vaisberg, the founder of Office for Art and Design, issued an open call for designers and received hundreds of applicants. One of the exhibited artists is Giles Tettey Nartey, who creates stools and headrests that draw from the vernacular of portable wooden headrests commonly used in West Africa.
Jonas Woolf explores the traditions and patterns of Delft ceramics in his 3D plaster-printed vessels, while Laurids Gallee installs his linear lighting sculptures in gradated shades of amber in a former immigration office. Some of the makers at the Rotterdam Design Biennale work with waste materials, such as steel scraps and wood architrave offcuts.
The Nieuwe Instituut is hosting a series of talks and symposiums during the Rotterdam Design Biennale. The institute has a policy role working on national and international projects, including in Dakar, Senegal, Indonesia, and New York. 'Garden Futures' is currently on display at the Nieuwe Instituut, exploring climate adaptation and biodiversity through gardens.
The Rotterdam Design Biennale helps bring out work that is often behind closed doors, such as work happening in studios or by the old port. The artists and designers who participated in the exhibition at the Huidenclub include local contemporary artists and emerging designers from the region, but specific names are not publicly detailed.
The new Portlantis, a visitor and exhibition centre in the port, is set to open in March 2025. The Rotterdam Design Biennale is a celebration of the city's rich design history and a look into its future. Don't miss out on this exciting event!
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