Dutch Design Week 2023 Daily Recap: Envisioning Equilibrium Cities

The Netherlands - On day three of Dutch Design Week 2023, artists presented their forward-thinking visions for a planet that was more sustainable, equitable and livable.

Transnatural’s Radical City Inc exhibition challenged traditional urban concepts and introduced speculative cities that could withstand climate challenges while integrating nature into their design. Liquid Roots by Rollo Bryant proposed an innovative approach to street lighting that not only reduces artificial light pollution in urban environments but also creates a habitat for local flora and fauna. This project, scheduled for realisation in late 2023, aims to enhance safety for residents while preserving the local wildlife.

Elsewhere, various projects explored the loss of biodiversity in the urban environment and proposed solutions for the reintroduction of animals such as otters and birds. Otterdam is a floating allotment garden designed to support otters and inspired by similar floating gardens seen in Asia and South America. Theun Karelse explains how the reintroduction of otters can boost the local ecosystem: ‘If otters thrive here, it indicates a flourishing biome with healthy fish, aquatic plants, frogs and other interconnected creatures.’

Two noteworthy projects, Totems of Life from Radical City Inc and Omlab, a winner of the 2023 Dutch Design Awards, proposed habitat solutions for urban wildlife, including sparrows, swallows and starlings. While Totems of Life - a sculpture-like feature - serves as functional city decor, Omlab is more of a versatile, temporary solution for large-scale developments where nature management is just getting underway.

Conscious mobility futures were also on creatives’ minds this year. The Embassy of Mobility aims to make the transition from car dependency tangible and understandable. The show covered a wide range of topics, such as the increased demand for improved bicycle infrastructure as a result of the heightened interest during the pandemic and robotic transport as cities require more seamless and efficient systems.

Looking further ahead to the future of cars, Eindhoven University of Technology presented a concept for the world’s first off-road solar car and another vehicle designed to last a lifetime.

For more on these subjects, check out our Future Spaces and Mobility Topics.