SPECIAL

THEME

Daring Benelux Designers Innovative, practical, original, creative and daring – these are some of the key terms that spring to mind when mentioning design from the Benelux. Characteristic for the designers is their wish to inspire through their creations, while improving functionality and surprising the beholder with their original use of form and materials. TEXT: MYRIAM GWYNNED DIJCK | PRESS PHOTOS

While the quality of Benelux design is top class many creations are often surprisingly accessible. This does not only express itself in attractive prices, objects are also often still fully functional, if not even better equipped at performing their tasks than their standard counterparts. With a lot of talent emerging from the Netherlands and Flanders, the Benelux is a hot-bed for new and upcoming designers and certainly a space to follow closely. Kicking off this theme is Dutch designer Jan Gunneweg who has raked up some fame for designing a (surprisingly comfortable) bike made out of wood. Next, we feature several

innovative companies and designers who each have something special to add to the world of form and function. Bringing up the rear is an inspiring story on how design and art collide to create a wonderful work of infrastructure ingenuity: a road that lights up at night in the style of a Van Gogh painting.

are made to not just meet expectations of functionality and form, but completely surpass them and absolutely overwhelm the beholder.

Following this Special Theme: Daring Benelux designers are a number of impressive architects, each of which has contributed to improving a skyline in the Benelux and abroad in one way or another. From inventive buildings to energy-neutral structures – the same design mentality is clearly visible in the breath-taking constructions, all

Issue 12 |  December 2014 |  35