Dutch Design Week 2024; Vij5 tips to get you prepared

Dutch Design Week (DDW) is the annual event where innovation and creativity come together. During this week you can fully immerse yourself in the world of Dutch Design, with the work of promising and established Designers. From October 19 to 27, 2024, Eindhoven transforms into a city full of inspiring exhibitions, lectures and events. Seeing everything is actually impossible, but with good preparation you can get the most out of your visit. Read this blog, as it is packed with useful tips and facts.

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.

Theme Dutch Design Week 2024: Real Unreal

The theme of 2024, "Real Unreal", responds to the question of what we consider reality and how Designers offer new perspectives by questioning these realities. Through imagination and collective knowledge, Designers help us to imagine the impossible. DDW 2024 celebrates the power of Design and challenges visitors to look beyond what they think they know. From smart innovations to bizarre, beautiful and hopeful creations—the future becomes tangible here. Step into a world full of new possibilities, where change is real, and discover how Design can shape the future.

What can you expect from Vij5?

The theme of Dutch Design Week fits perfectly with Vij5's philosophy: Design that excites, surprises and connects. During the week, Vij5 will once again open its doors for an exclusive preview of new products. The exhibition 'Introducing Tomorrow: Preview of new Vij5' can be found in our workshop at the Hallenweg in Eindhoven, and this year we introduce visitors to six new and four renewed Design, which will soon be part of our collection. These Design are the result of experiments with colored linseed oil on different types of wood, yielding surprising finishes and textures. Each piece tells its own story and combines craftsmanship with contemporary design elements.

Your feedback can help us make the final touches before the products are officially launched. Get inspired by our new designs and share your thoughts with us during DDW! This is the chance to experience the future of interior design before the products are officially launched.

Get ready for Dutch Design Week 2024 and take advantage of our Vij5 tips.

Arjan & Anieke, founders of Vij5

Handy tips for planning your visit to Dutch Design Week 2024

To make your Dutch Design Week visit as smooth as possible this year, we have collected a few practical tips for you. These will not only help you get the most out of your visit, but also ensure that you don't miss us! From planning your route to the best transport options, below you will find everything you need to immerse yourself in the world of Design.

#1: Make a plan

#2: DDW is big, arrange transport

#3: Reserve at least two days

#4: Make a reservation at a restaurant

#5: Do NOT start at a large location

#1 Check the DDW program and make a plan

When you visit Dutch Design Week, you naturally want to get the most out of your day. Find out in advance what there is to see and do, and make a plan. You can find the entire program on the DDW Website. For example, you can search by location or discipline. If you CREATE an account and give your favorites a heart, they will be in a handy list in your 'My DDW account'. Do you find it difficult to choose? It is also fun to follow a DDW route. You will experience a bit of everything, from the work of talented young Designers to the latest technical innovations.

Pro tip: Are you looking for an unfiltered overview of the Dutch Design Week? Then visit www.designweekmap.com! This platform helps you to explore the Design Week easily in a clear and effortless way, so you can choose where you want to go and what you want to discover yourself.

#2 DDW is big; arrange transport

DDW has grown into a major event and is spread by Eindhoven, the locations 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 cooperates, a bike is a great option. If you can't bring your own, rent one at Ketelhuisplein or Fuutlaan. Keep in mind that you should arrive early, as they often run out of bikes later in the day.

• With a DDW wristband you can use the XPENG Design Rides, a handy service that takes you to and from all official DDW locations. These electric cars run daily between 11:00 and 18:00 and have fixed stops at, among others, Ketelhuisplein, Piet Hein Eek, and Sectie-C. But also from smaller locations such as the Hallenweg you can order an XPENG Design Ride by calling 040 218 00 00. Please note: without a DDW wristband you can unfortunately no longer ride.

• Finally, of course, you can also opt for the city bus. Most Dutch Design Week locations can be easily reached by the Eindhoven city buses. Check the site of Hermes or 9292 to see how to arrange your transportation by bus.

DDW bikes are available for rent at Adams Fietsverhuur on Ketelhuisplein or Fuutlaan, daily between 10:30 AM and 6:00 PM.

OV bikes can be rented from the guarded bike racks on the north and south sides at Eindhoven Central Station and from a pop-up in the station itself.

Please note: you need a free OV-fiets (public transport bike) subscription to rent an OV-fiets. Check the NS Website for more information about renting an OV-fiets.

Ideally, reserve at least one extra day in your schedule!

#3 Book at least two days before your visit to DDW 2024

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 abroad. If you don't live nearby, stay a night! In Eindhoven you can find several nice hotels and other accommodation options. Make your reservations 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 Mariënhage

#4 Reserve a restaurant

The fact is that you are going to fill the whole day during DDW 2024. 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.

A nice meal is the perfect end to a full DDW day, and a great way to recover from all those impressions. It's even more fun to keep the DDW atmosphere going while you grab a bite. You're guaranteed to do just that at restaurant/bar ‘De Kazerne’!

Pro tip: Are you looking for a truly unique and intimate dining experience? During DDW'24, Vaderland will serve full-length dinners in the church of Atelier NL. This dinner invites you to taste the essence of the fertile soil on which Fatherland thrives. Each dish is a work of art and tells the story of nature's cycle. The menu is prepared by Chef Joep with homegrown ingredients.

#5 DON'T start DDW 2024 at a large location

Your Dutch Design Week can start and you have placed hearts at the expo's you want to visit, arranged transport, reserved a restaurant and possibly booked an overnight stay. Anyway, you want to see and experience as much as possible, so it makes sense to start at a large location.

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

Before you know it, a large part of the day is over and you only have a very limited view of the DDW, while there is so much more to see... Instead, start your day at an off-site location such as the Hallenweg, after which you can visit the larger, busier locations later without having to rush. Enjoy the peace and quiet, keep your ears and eyes open and you will automatically come across the real gems.

TIP: There are a number of DDW locations that you will need a lot of time for anyway, so it is better not to plan them all on one day. We will name a few so that you can take this into account in your daily schedule: Abbemuseum, Design Academy Graduation Show, Sectie-C and Stijp-S.

Visit Vij5 during DDW 2024

Hopefully after reading this blog you are all set for an inspiring week full of design. Don't forget to visit our exhibition Introducing Tomorrow: Preview of New Vij5 Products for an exclusive preview of our new designs!

We think it's important to showcase our products early so we can take your feedback. Stop by, share your thoughts and be surprised by innovative designs by various designers, including Isabel Quiroga, Studio Thier & van Daalen, Jeroen Wand, Tjalko Lokhorst, KellerFreyschmidt, Hanne Willmann, Marc Th. van der Voorn, Daphna Laurens and Floris Hovers. We look forward to welcoming you to our workshop at Hallenweg during Dutch Design Week 2024! Will we see you there?

On display during DDW, but already available now!