Author: @droog

Exhibition ‘The Early Years of Droog Design’ at Centraal Museum, Utrecht (until 3 December 2017)

Centraal Museum bought its first Droog Design items exactly twenty years ago. Today Central Museum owns the world’s largest museum collection of Droog Design. At the same time, the year 2017 marks 100 years of De Stijl, celebrated across the country with the theme From Mondriaan to Dutch Design. So those are two good reasons for the exhibition Vroeg Droog: the early years of Droog Design.

This autumn, Centraal Museum presents fifty top pieces from its own collection. Swing away at the exhibition on Marcel Wanders’ Swing with the plants . Slide across Nina Farkache’s Come a litte bit closer marbles bench. Admire the collective’s early designs by Tejo Remy, Hella Jongerius, Richard Hutten and others. Or visit Droge Donderdag (Droog Thursday) on 5 October and 2 November: two evenings offering a special introduction to Droog Design.

Vroeg Droog: the early years of Droog Design is on display in Expo 7 from 22 September to 3 December 2017 in Centraal Museum Utrecht, Agnietenstraat 1, 3512 XA Utrecht.


Photo: Centraal Museum, Utrecht/Ernst Moritz

Droge Donderdag 5 oktober, Centraal Museum Utrecht (19-21 uur)

Op 5 oktober vindt de eerste Droge Donderdag plaats, een gezellige avond waarbij iedereen welkom is de tentoonstelling Vroeg Droog te bezichtigen. Bovendien kun je conservator Natalie Dubois en conservator in opleiding Nadine Gouders ontmoeten in Expo 7 of in Museumcafé Centraal.

Bezoek de tentoonstelling Vroeg Droog en bewonder circa vijftig hoogtepunten van Droog Design uit de collectie van het Centraal Museum. Na een bezoek aan de tentoonstelling zijn bezoekers van harte welkom in Museumcafé Centraal. Wij trakteren je op een prosecco, tonic, sauvignon blanc of een ander droog drankje, zodat je kunt proosten op de nieuwe tentoonstelling Vroeg Droog: de beginjaren van Droog Design.

Je kunt tijdens deze Droge Donderdag tevens een lezing bijwonen over de definitie van Dutch Design. Joana Meroz (PhD candidate Design Cultures) vertelt over de radicale verandering die Droog Design betekende voor de betekenis van ‘Dutch Design’. De lezing vindt plaats van 19.15 uur tot 19.45 uur. Let op: de lezing zal in het Engels worden gegeven. Aanmelden hiervoor is verplicht, dat kan via dit inschrijfformulier.

Praktische informatie

Data: Donderdag 5 oktober, 19.00-21.00 uur
Locatie: Expo 7 & Museumcafé Centraal
Entree volgens reguliere prijzen. Voor actueel overzicht, klik hier

Open Monumentendag/ Urban Monk at Hôtel Droog

Open Monumentendag
Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 September, 11 am

Join us in the courtyard of Hôtel Droog for a moment of silence and reflection with Casper Stubbé from Urban Monk.

The city is a constant hive of activity, however throughout summer, the Urban Monk will lead a series of sessions at Hôtel Droog’s Courtyard that offer a moment of relief and calm with 30 minutes of silence. Inspired by his travels from Japan, the Urban Monk makes the quality of silence and ritual just as accessible as drinking a cup of coffee. This session will be followed by a discussion and reflection period.

Reserveren via [email protected]

Economia Festival / April 28-30

Share your money habits via our poll which will be online in April and receive a voucher to spend at the Economia Festival (April 28-30th) at NatLab Eindhoven. While using the voucher, you will be confronted with the difference between your initial abstract values you left in the poll and the transactions you make in real life. An overview of the various transactions will be projected on screens at the festival. Droog is partner of the Economia project initiated by Mark van der Net (OSCity/Design+Desires) and Wiepko Oosterhuis. Get your tickets here!

Urban Green Instagram Contest / Feb 21 – March 9

Grab your camera and post your Instagram interpretation of what urban ‘green’ looks like according to you. You can win (1) a ticket for an exclusive Instagram Meet-Up organized by Senns_Less, and (2) a very delicious lunch platter for two (worth 33,- euro) at Hôtel Droog.

Three fun steps to win:

1. Be utmost creative with the theme of Urban Green
2. Post your Instagram photo with #droogurbangreencontest
3. Tag your Instagram photo with @droogdesign

Curious who will be the lucky shot? The award ceremony for the winner will be held during the public event ‘Urban Green, What Do You Mean?!’ on Thursday March 9, 2017, 8PM. 

The wonder of weaving…Cacau

Photography by Dario Pequeno Paraiso

[acx_slideshow name=”weaving” width=”724px” height=”583px”]
The wonder of weaving. Separating white and blue threads is tedious work but makes it possible for the weavers of Cacau to develop the detailed patterns into a cohesive design. Droog designer Nikkie Wester is dedicated to helping the weavers work wonders.

Continuing with Cacau…

Photography by Dario Pequeno Paraiso

After Droog’s weaving workshop in July in Sao Tome, a group of passionate locals continue to use their newly acquired skills to weave a 90m long curtain. The curtain will offer their local cultural center, Cacau the possibility to divide and open the space according to their needs.
[acx_slideshow name=”Weavers 1″ width=”724px” height=”483px”]

For the Cacau project textile designer Nikkie Wester translated the traditional Gobrlin technique into a contemporary weaving method. Only weaving the outlines of the pattern.


Meet the weavers of Cacau.
From left to right: Engrácia Isabel, Gualter Martinho Henrique, Alzira Medeiros, Sonia Mendes, Luisa Monteiro, Guimarley Oliveira, Angelina Cabral Cuba, Silania Pascoal Domingas, Etelvina Monteiro, Fernanda Mendes Vaz da Silva, Nilza Piedade, Eusébio Dias Fernandes, Alaize Martins Vincente, Seli Soares Martins, Nilsa Elvira, Eula Fonseco Sousa Pontes, Irodina Almeida, Marlene Soares, Cremilda Vaz da Conceição Santana, Manuel do Espírito Santo Santana

 

[acx_slideshow name=”Weavers 2 olivia garden” width=”724px” height=”483px”]

This magical botanical garden belongs to São Tomé local, Olivia. Weavers of the 90m long curtain designed by Droog have been utilizing Olivia’s plants as natural dyes for the curtain’s fibers. We can’t wait to see the results!

[acx_slideshow name=”weavers 3 indige” width=”724px” height=”483px”]

The indigo plant is native to São Tomé however there were no current applications of indigo use as dying material on the island. The curtain will be made from local non-toxic dyes and materials found on the island of São Tomé such as banana fiber and pigments from plants and minerals.<Br><br>
[acx_slideshow name=”weavers 4 meet the weavers” width=”724px” height=”483px”]

The weavers brought their first visit to the cultural center, where eventually the curtain will hang and construction on the building’s interior will begin this winter.

 

The Youth of Amsterdam want to work for themselves!

Young people would rather be self-employed than work for a boss under fixed employment.

This is In sharp contrast with Dutch government policy that is aimed at creating more fixed employment.

This is just one of the many results Droog/OSCity uncovered in its’ research on youth in the Dapperbuurt (a neighborhood in Amsterdam). The report was commissioned by the City of Amsterdam.

In an effort to identify the aspirations, needs and desires of the Dapperbuurt youth, Droog/OSCity developed a playful online survey that spoke to young people in a similar way they express themselves online. For this, 800 Instagram profiles of youth were scanned. Our campaign on Facebook and Instagram to fill in the survey, reached 11,500 people.

The most important question posed in the survey was: “Do you want to turn your passion into your job?” No less than 366 young people from Dapperbuurt took the survey. The majority of respondents reported valuing freedom and independence in their careers over working for a boss under fixed employment. Most surveyed prefer to work independently in the creative and care sectors in particular.

Remarkable to note, although these young people are mainly occupied with their own identity (especially online), they also feel very connected to their local neighborhood. Many respondents expressed they would like to actively help and collaborate with others in their community.

While the Dapperbuurt youth aspire to work for themselves, they often lack the necessary tools and feel insecure when it comes to setting things into motion. Many lack financial resources, contacts and basic knowledge of regulations and commercial experience along with a physical workplace.

Droog/OSCity’s advice is to create a neighborhood “Hub” as a launch platform, a space where personal growth, work ambitions and leisure time intertwine. The Hub would take center stage to coach youth on nurturing the aforementioned tools they lack to realize their dreams. The model of the high-tech start-up accelerators – such as RockStart and Startupbootcamp can also be applied to other sectors. Our aim is to connect the notion of start-ups to the core values of the city of Amsterdam: creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. In this way, new opportunities for new generations of self-aware youth will follow: from smart city to smart societies.

The survey in the Dapperbuurt is part of the Design+Desires program by Droog/OSCIty. Click to find the full report “Me, Myself & My Job. Space for starters”.

 

House of furniture exhibition in the Serre

 

 

 

Make sure to come and check out the House of Furniture. On display for the first time in The Netherlands at Hôtel Droog.

House of furniture by Studio Makkink & Bey

Architecture, furniture and storage all in one. Studio Makkink & Bey took standard sheets of ply with CNC cutting, and created a miniature house to stand within larger interiors of offices, studios and lofts.
With walls of stool, bench and table parts that easily come out and assemble, the functionality and character of the house can be changed as more or less furniture is used. This custom designed house offers endless possibilities as furniture parts suit different functions. Easily adapting to the surroundings. Designed in 2009, and presented in Milan, the House of furniture has proven its relevance thought out the years. Efficiently produced while re-using materials.

 

 

From Screw to the City! The Droog spirit over 23 years.

At the 4th Mercado Arte Design (MADE) in São Paulo (Brazil), Droog presents ‘From Screw to City’. The exhibition captures Droog’s story that lives through more than 23 years, a design company that has explored all dimensions of human life, from the smallest detail to the bigger picture – from screw to city!

At MADE 2016 Droog is awarded ‘Designer do Ano’ (Designer of the Year).

From Screw to City:

The spirit of Droog is human-centered and people-driven, aiming to  develop new tools, scenarios, and business models for the future of design and society at large.

Through three key projects (Construct Me, Open House, and Social City), the exhibition ‘From Screw to City’ demonstrates that this mentality can transform the smallest details in life, such as a screw – to the largest, such as a sprawling city.

 

The screws, hinges, nuts, nails, brackets and other hardware, from our ‘Construct Me‘ (2015) project, are super functional – in some cases we even extended their function – but they also add value, character and a richer narrative. In our collection you will find nails that reduce the risk of hitting your finger, two way tie wraps, fancy hinges and screws that smile at you. They give flavour to simple DIY work, revive existing furniture and challenge the designer.

 

With the same mentality that we approached hardware with, we also look at the bigger picture – the beautiful urban diversity of a city. In collaboration with Diller Scofidio+Renfro, we developed the project ‘Open House‘ (2011) in the New York suburb Levittown. The project was expressed as a movement, where suburban homeowners supplement their income to develop a new vocation by offering home-made services and facilities to the public. The project encourages self-inventiveness, offers ideas, and proposes new models for suburban housing which struck a new balance between the private and public realm. Starting with an economic argument for the struggling middle class, the proposal also addresses the challenges posed by urban sprawl and single–owner consumption. The new residential marketplace not only brings more capital and density to the neighborhood, it also increases social cohesion through service exchange.

 

In continuation of ‘Open House‘ we explore citizens’ dreams , with our ‘Design+Desires’ program (2015-onwards), in order to create their ideal city. We see our city being shaped by the current network society in which people are connected on a various levels, online as well as offline. The result is an ever changing multi-layered city diversity that poses new challenges and urges for innovative solutions. To keep pace with this, we initiate design projects, educational projects, academic research, citizen surveys, exhibitions, expert meetings, debates and lectures.

 

At the exhibition people are invited to play the Social City poll, which is part of the Design+Desires program. ‘Social City’ is a virtual city to be created around the diversity of dreams and desires of city dwellers all over the world. By taking the poll , people create an avatar and will see the virtual city grow. By becoming a Social Citizen, they can can be part of a continuous dialogue on the future of the city and city life and be part of the design of a speculative city model; the first exercise will be presented at the exhibition.

 

About Droog:

Co-founded and directed by curator and author Renny Ramakers, Droog is a design company with a mindset that sparks cutting edge products, projects and events globally in collaboration with designers, clients, partners and dreamers.

Droog has been pioneering new perspectives for design and design-thinking since the early nineties. Through critically redefining international notions of luxury, Droog has initiated projects worldwide that twist the status-quo.

From re-dreaming cities; to revolutionary hospitality concepts; Droog is a warm rebel and curious urban change-agent triggering social innovation and new perspectives.

 

Situated in the heart of Amsterdam, Droog is also a place to visit. In the form of a multi-faceted design emporium called Hôtel Droog, visitors can shop iconic Dutch design and fashion; or sit, eat, drink and think at the restaurant; enjoy carefully-crafted spaces for exhibitions and meetings at the Library, The Grand Space and Courtyard; as well as soak up nature’s wisdom in the Fairytale Garden.

 

Droog is not only a hubbub of activity during the day (open to the public from 9am to 7pm Mon-Sun) but at night, there is a changing series of events and lectures on offer – each unpacking the topical topics and mattering matters of current affairs, sustainability, fashion and design.

 

Exhibition details:

The exhibition installation ‘From Screw to City’ (2016) combines the Droog projects Construct Me (2015), Open House (2011), and Social City (2015-now).

At Salone del Mobile in Milan, Construct Me has won the Milano Design Award for Best Tech 2015.

At Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture (UABB) in Shenzhen, Social City has won the Peoples’ Choice Award 2015.

At MADE 2016 Droog is awarded ‘Designer do Ano’ (Designer of the Year

 

Mercado Arte Design (MADE) in São Paulo (Brazil) 9-14 August 2016 details:

– Opening hours: Tuesday – Friday 13h – 21h | Saturday 12h – 21h | Sunday 12h – 20h

– Location: Jockey Club de São Paulo – Av. Lineu de Paula Machado, 1.173 (vallet no numero 1.263) – Cidade Jardim, São Paulo, Brazil

– Tuesday to Thursday Free entrance

– Friday to Sunday: R$ 20

– For the elderly and students: R$ 10

At MADE 2016 Droog is awarded ‘Designer do Ano’ (Designer of the Year)

From Screw to City

At the 4th Mercado Arte Design (MADE) in São Paulo (Brazil), Droog presents ‘From Screw to City’, showcasing that Droog explores for more than 23 years all dimensions of human life – from the smallest detail to the bigger picture – from screw to city!

At MADE 2016 Droog is awarded ‘Designer do Ano’ (Designer of the Year)

Mercado Arte Design (MADE) in São Paulo (Brazil)

Opening hours: Tuesday – Friday 13h – 21h
Saturday 12h – 21h
Sunday 12h – 20h

Location: Jockey Club de São Paulo – Av. Lineu de Paula Machado, 1.173 (vallet no numero 1.263) – Cidade Jardim, São Paulo, Brazil

Tuesday to Thursday
Free entrance

Friday to Sunday: R$ 20

For the elderly and students: R$ 10

Keeping up with CACAU

Droog has been commissioned to redesign the CACAU cultural center in São Tomé. The aim is to contribute to a sustainable socio-economic infrastructure for the island’s cultural center that celebrates art, music, fashion, film and food.

Throughout the project, Droog encourages the local community to participate in the project to further forge a community home. In the coming months, construction for the redesign of the interior of CACAU will take place. Droog is currently holding a workshop on the island to realise an important element for the new interior, a 90-meter long curtain designed specifically for the center’s new look.

Under guidance of textile designer Nikkie Wester, a community of around 25 men and women living on the island are being trained to weave the substantial textile. The newly learned skills and techniques hope to inject fresh economic activities into the community, as well as support the existing island-artisan activities.

The curtain offers CACAU the possibility to divide and/or open the space according to the needs of the center. It will ultimately represent the collective identity of the community, through the stitch of each individual.  The artwork is rich in personality and identity and combines visual references of São Tomé’s flora and fauna, made from local non-toxic dyes and materials found on the island (such as banana fiber and pigments from plants and minerals). A poem dear to São Tomé, written by Alda Espírito Santo will lace the bottom edge of the artwork, uniting the piece. The fundamental idea of the collaboration was to recycle and use as many local materials and waste items as possible to realize the project.

The process involves locally handmade tools and looms, with one-on-one weaving guidance by Nikkie. The men and women began with smaller looms for training, and will eventually move to 5 larger looms (working with 3 people per loom) in order to realise the full design.

The training period also involves comprehensive dying techniques, mainly using an ancient tint called indigovera tincture (Indigo). The indigo plant is native to São Tomé however there were no current applications of indigo use as a dying material. The group who will assist in dying process is made up of 5 people, from a small cooperative called Uê Tela based in São Tomé. Other colours used in the CACAU project are a very dark grey/green, green, light green, yellow and pink, which are already being produced by Uê Tela from all natural materials.

The mission of the CACAU center is to enhance and develop cultural enterprise in the community, where even the redesign intertwines this mission in the minutiae of its development. Though the completion of the build is a few months away yet, the spirit of the Center is still very much awake.

Our local man on the scene, Dário Pequeno Paraíso is providing his talents to document the process.  Keep up with Droog on social media to follow the process!

all images by Dário Pequeno Paraíso