"Experiment is the engine of progress.”
Miriam van der Lubbe, Creative Head of DDW
A living lab for experimentation
“Dutch Design Week isn’t your typical design exhibition; it’s a vivid laboratory for experimentation,” says Miriam van der Lubbe, Creative Head of DDW. “It’s where audiences, professionals, businesses, and students come together to test ideas, question assumptions, and imagine new futures.
This 25th edition is grounded in the belief that design is never finished—and that’s exactly the point. Past. Present. Possible. is more than just a theme,” she adds. “It’s a mindset—one that encourages us to think in terms of possibilities rather than fixed solutions. To make space for the unfinished, the unknown, the not-yet. That is where design truly flourishes.”
From community stage to international platform
What began in 2001 as Designers Present has since evolved into an internationally renowned platform connecting design with technology, ethics, ecology, economics, and health. A grassroots movement driven by a passionate community of designers who built their own stage from the ground up.
The 25th edition stays true to this spirit: organised from the bottom up and rooted in the belief that design plays an active role in shaping tomorrow. Expect large-scale installations, interactive works, circular prototypes, and exploratory concepts.
The full programme will be available from 1 September. Company tours can now be booked via ddw.nl/tours.