Li Edelkoort and designers discuss space and intimacy during the pandemic at DDW 2020
Trend forecaster Li Edelkoort and designers Sabine Marcelis, Giorgio Gascia and Gianmaria Della Ratta took part in the final live discussion for the Dezeen x Dutch Design Week 2020 collaboration.
Dutch Design Week (DDW) head of program Jorn Konjin presented the sub-theme "Spaces/The Intimacy of the Workspace", which was moderated by Dezeen founder and editor-in-chief Marcus Fairs.
The discussion focused on how the coronavirus pandemic has made it more difficult to physically showcase projects and the impact it is having on the workspaces that designers are creating.
DDW ambassador Edelkoort spoke about her work on The New Melancholy, an exhibition created in collaboration with the Kazerne Foundation and Van Abbemuseum that combines artworks from the museum with design objects collected by Edelkoort.
The New Melancholy is a reflection on the current emotional state of the world, as defined by the coronavirus pandemic as well as a general state of uncertainty.
Rotterdam-based Marcelis, who is also a DDW ambassador, discussed how we can translate physical and material tactility into a digital experience.
One of the designer's projects for DDW was Rise, which showed at a digital gallery and lets visitors control a remote high-resolution mobile camera enabling them to visit the exhibition anytime, anywhere from any possible angle.
She has also collaborated with Dimenco on Virtual Tactility, a project that explores how we can create an intimate material experience in a pandemic world.
Edelkoort and Marcelis was joined by designers Giorgio Gasco and Gianmaria Della Ratta.
Their project Digital Muses looks at the virtual phenomenon of camgirls – women who pose for live webcam streams – and how private spaces have evolved into virtual realms.
The Digital Muses projects is on show at DDW
As well as hearing from the creatives in our daily live talks, some of the designers' work can be visited in our Dezeen-curated virtual tour of Dutch Design Week 2020.
The full programme for the Dezeen x Dutch Design Week 2020 collaboration can be found here.