The Netherlands continues strong partnership with Beijing Design Week in 2016

At this year’s key creative industry event in China’s capital, the Beijing Design Week (23 Sept. – 7 Oct.), a broad range of art and design disciplines from the Netherlands will be featured, ranging from lighting to photography to ceramics to architecture and urban planning.

The key goal of these various initiatives is to explore a more holistic approach to design, connecting important issues such as quality of life and human needs. The Netherlands attaches great importance to creativity and innovation in general and to the creative industries in particular. It is therefore also our goal to foster more collaboration with China in this field by means of solid partnerships.

The cooperation between the Netherlands and the Beijing Design Week (BJDW) is an example of such a solid partnership. Since 2011 the Netherlands has participated annually in the BJDW. Over the years the Dutch partnership with the Design Week has seen many highlights. In 2013 the Dutch capital, Amsterdam, was Guest City and in 2015 the King of the Netherlands, King Willem Alexander, visited the Dutch Beijing Design Week pavilion, and toured the Chinese-Dutch collaborative projects within it.

This year sees new highlights and a prominent return of the city of Amsterdam in the form of a collaboration with Taikooli Sanlitun Light Festival “Shan” which is set up in partnership with the Amsterdam Light Festival together with MU/STRP from Eindhoven. At the same time Dutch artist and designer, Daan Roosegaarde, will present his Smog Free Project in 751.

In Dashilar craftsmanship plays a role and Dutch ceramic artists and designers present their designs and some of their work-in-progress from an ongoing residency in ceramic town Jingdezhen. Furthermore, in Baitasi Dutch architecture and urban planning academics have been invited to participate and think along in the creation of a Global School for urban learning.

But this is not all; Dutch designers are generally active throughout Beijing. Renowned Dutch design masters Jurgen Bey and Richard Hutten have been invited to collaborate with major Chinese furniture brands. And nearly 35 Dutch graphic designers are represented in the annual graphic design event of the Netherlands, the Best Dutch Book Designs, shown as part of Baitasi Print Club in Baitasi.

These are just a few of many examples of cooperation between Dutch and Chinese initiatives. The variety of Dutch initiatives and Sino-Dutch projects is an example of a solid partnership. Of crucial importance in all these projects is collaboration – collaboration between China and the Netherlands – in order to jointly shape our dynamic future.

Since 2014 the Dutch participation also falls under the title “HLN at BJDW” which indicates an additional BJDW district, a fluid district of Dutch design that spreads throughout the city, setting up partnerships and alliances along the way. Allowing all to explore the richness of Sino-Dutch design collaboration in a comprehensive programme.

> For the detailed programme, please visit the website of Dutch Embassy in China.