Dutch Design Week 2023; Vij5 tips top prepare

Dutch Design is what's in the spotlight in Eindhoven from Saturday, October 21st, to Sunday, October 29th, 2023, as the city once again becomes the stage for Dutch Design Week. Spread across no less than ten areas and various locations, you can immerse yourself in the work of Dutch and international designers. Getting to see everything and being everywhere is impossible, but with good preparation, you can make the most of your visit. Have you already purchased tickets for DDW or are you planning to do so? Then check out our blog. It's packed with useful tips and insights to help you prepare for your visit:

Text: Daniëlle van de Haterd(Staaldraad Tekstschrijver) & Anieke Branderhorst.
Photography: Vij5, Max Kneefel, Jella Lena van Eck, Britt Roelse, Nick Bookelaar, Tommy Köhlbrugge and Blickfänger.

Picture This

The theme for DDW 2023 is 'Picture This'. It appeals to our imagination and celebrates the imagination of designers. The theme invites us to consider where our society and planet are headed and how we can embrace change. It emphasizes the power of aesthetics and beauty as a means to create meaning and move people. Designers play a crucial role in this by visualizing new perspectives and stimulating change. Dutch Design Week 2023 aims to spark a movement and showcase inspiring change, where 'Picture This' provides space for wonder.

Get ready for Dutch Design Week 2023 and take advantage of these Vij5 tips.

Arjan & Anieke, founders of Vij5

#1: Make a plan

#2: DDW is big, arrange transportation

#3: Reserve at least two days

#4: Make a reservation at a restaurant

#5: Do NOT start in a large location

#1 Check the DDW program and make a plan

When you visit Dutch Design Week, of course you want to get as much out of your day as possible. Find out in advance what there is to see and experience, make a plan. You can find the entire program at DDW's website . You can search for example by location or discipline. If you create an account and give your favorites a heart, they will appear in a handy list in your 'My DDW account'. Find it hard to choose? It's also fun to follow a DDW route. You'll experience a bit of everything, from the work of talented young designers to the latest technical innovations.

#2 DDW is big; arrange transportation

DDW has grown into a large event and takes place throughout Eindhoven, the venues are not all within walking distance of each other. If you want to visit exhibitions in more than one place, make sure you think about how to get from A to B in advance.

• If the weather is cooperating, a bike is a great option. If you can't bring your own, you can rent one at Ketelhuisplein or at the Fuutlaan location. Just keep in mind that if you choose to rent, it's a good idea to arrive early because availability tends to be limited later in the day.

• During DDW, Renault Design Rides will drive through the city. These are cabs that take you to various DDW locations in style. To use them, you must have a DDW ticket. Upon showing your wristband, you can then ride for free. There are fixed stops at the Trudo Tower (Strijp-S), Piet Hein Eek, Stadhuisplein, Fuutlaan, and Sectie-C. But you can also order a Renault Design Ride from smaller locations such as Hallenweg by calling 0031 40 218 00 00.

• Finally, of course, you can also opt for the city bus. This year there is no DDW hop on - hop off bus available, so please check the site of Hermes or 9292 to see how to arrange your transportation by bus. On the DDW site you can find which bus lines go to which Area/location.

DDW bikes can be rented at Ketelhuisplein or at Design Perron on Fuutlaan.

If you have an OV-chipcard, you can also rent a bike from the NS. Visit the NS' website for more information on renting an OV bike.

Preferably reserve at least one extra day in your calendar!

#3 Reserve at least two days for your visit to DDW 2023

The previous two points have already made it clear; the program of Dutch Design Week is so extensive and diverse that you can't really contain it all in one day. So reserve at least one extra day in your calendar. This way you can make sure you can take your time for the exhibitions and activities of your choice. The idea is not for you to become overwhelmed by DDW, but rather enriched and inspired. Create a sense of calm to pause and feel the underlying thought.

DDW is visited by people from all over the Netherlands and beyond. If you don't live nearby, stay a night! In Eindhoven you can find several nice hotels and other accommodation options. Book in time, because before you know it everything is fully booked.

If you'd like to stay in the design atmosphere, check availability at:

Design Hotel Kazerne

Hotel Piet Hein Eek

Hotel Marienhage

#4 Reserve a restaurant

The fact is that you are going to fill the whole day during DDW 2023. You have made a wonderful schedule that takes you past all the exhibitions of your preference and at the end of the ride you are tired, fulfilled and....hungry. So many impressions, so much food for thought. Ideally, you want to sit down somewhere and have a bite to eat. You're not alone in that because Dutch Design Week attracts an estimated 350,000 visitors. So reserving a spot at a restaurant in Eindhoven is no superfluous luxury.

All the fun of course is to hold on to the DDW atmosphere for a while while you grab a fork. At restaurant/bar 'De Kazerne', you can be assured of that!

Reserving a spot at a restaurant is no superfluous luxury.

#5 Do NOT start DDW 2023 at a large venue

Your tickets for Dutch Design Week are in the pocket and you have placed hearts at the exhibits you want to visit, arranged transportation, booked a restaurant and possibly an overnight stay. In any case, you want to see and experience as much as possible, so it's obvious to start at a big location.

And exactly for this... we want to warn you. Don't do it!

Before you know it, a significant part of the day has passed, and you've only seen a limited portion of DDW, while there is so much more to discover... Start your day at an off-site location like Hallenweg, for example. Enjoy in peace, keep your ears and eyes open, and you'll naturally come across the real gems.

TIP: There are a number of DDW locations that will take up a lot of your time anyway, so it's better not to plan them all in one day. We mention a few, so you can take this into account in your day planning: van Abbemuseum, Design Academy Graduation Show, Sectie-C and Stijp-S.

Vij5 and Dutch Design Week 2023

Of course, we at Vij5 are also DDW participants. With our exhibition 'Why product design matters', we connect to 'Picture This', the general theme of Dutch Design Week.

In our expo, we take you through several exciting themes. We not only present new products, but Share also the in-depth story and vision of the designers behind these creations. This will give you a deeper insight into the added value of product designers and understand how they play an important role in various ways anno 2023 and broaden our perspectives with their Design. During DDW, we specifically show three new acquisitions in the Vij5 collection, namely the OER Servies Eindhoven by Lotte de Raadt & Kirstie van Noort, the Stainless Steel Mirror by Theodóra Alfreðsdóttir and the Foarme porcelain by Idwert Pettert. This expo is a tribute to the craft of the product designer and offers a unique insight into their world.

Are you curious what the future of interior design looks like and what impact designers will have in 2023? Then visit us during DDW 2023 and discover how our new collection explores the boundaries of creativity and functionality! You'll kill many birds with one stone because in addition to the new Design you'll also see work by, for example David Derksen, Floris Hovers, Gustav Rosèn and Maarten Baptist.

On display during DDW, but available now!