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Dutch Design Foundation has put a lot of effort in inviting the technological universities to the Dutch Design Week, which will be held in October. In an interview with Dezeen, DDW-CEO Martijn Paulen explains why the mixture of Tech and Design is so important for shaping the future. “We want the Technological Universities to be here because we honestly feel that in the overlap between technology and creativity, the answers for the future are being made. When you see this technological innovation in the hands of creative people, then the really interesting stuff starts to happen.”

Paulen wants the people from the engineering side to bring new materials and ideas to creatives to play with, and the other way around. “The dialogue between the design academy, the creatives, and the technological university, the engineers, has always been tried but has always been difficult as well. They are really two different worlds. I think we’re really taking a big step by bringing these two worlds together.”

Paulen doesn’t claim all this is only working in Eindhoven. “I think this is happening in other places as well, but I also think we’re on the pioneering side. We’re a city of builders, we’re a city of creators, so we’re making it work here and there are not so many places in the world where you find these ingredients. At least, not in my opinion.”

“When you see this technological innovation in the hands of creative people, then the really interesting stuff starts to happen.”Martijn Paulen, Dutch Design Week CEO

Dutch Design Foundation has put a lot of effort in inviting the technological universities to the Dutch Design Week, which will be held in October. In an interview with Dezeen, DDW-CEO Martijn Paulen explains why the mixture of Tech and Design is so important for shaping the future. “We want the Technological Universities to be here because we honestly feel that in the overlap between technology and creativity, the answers for the future are being made. When you see this technological innovation in the hands of creative people, then the really interesting stuff starts to happen.”

Paulen wants the people from the engineering side to bring new materials and ideas to creatives to play with, and the other way around. “The dialogue between the design academy, the creatives, and the technological university, the engineers, has always been tried but has always been difficult as well. They are really two different worlds. I think we’re really taking a big step by bringing these two worlds together.”

Paulen doesn’t claim all this is only working in Eindhoven. “I think this is happening in other places as well, but I also think we’re on the pioneering side. We’re a city of builders, we’re a city of creators, so we’re making it work here and there are not so many places in the world where you find these ingredients. At least, not in my opinion.”

“When you see this technological innovation in the hands of creative people, then the really interesting stuff starts to happen.”Martijn Paulen, Dutch Design Week CEO