They are full of heart this year: with projects that appeal to the emotions and do not only stimulate heightened awareness but actual change. The winners were announced and celebrated on 27 October at the DDA Award Night during Dutch Design Week 2022 in Eindhoven.

It is not an easy time to be a designer; there are so many things to consider. But this does not stand in the way of designers taking responsibility for design as a discipline and probably even increases the need for collaboration. Designers and their clients are clearly focusing on social impact and designing layered experiences to achieve their goals. This year, the younger designers in particular present strikingly clear perspectives on a variety of urgent social themes.

On the one hand, design is becoming more accessible again, and on the other, designers are stretching the boundaries of what we have come to see as normal. With this year’s winners, the Dutch Design Awards 2022 has a rich, distinctive harvest that represents these developments at all levels.

These are all the winners of Dutch Design Awards 2022

PRODUCT

REX (HET TWEEDE LEVEN VAN REX, DE EERSTE NEDERLANDSE STATIEGELDSTOEL) I STUDIO INEKE HANS X CIRCUFORM

‘REX does away with furniture as disposable items: with great dedication and decisiveness, Ineke Hans and Circuform have created an ecosystem that gives value to exchangeable furniture’

HABITAT

DEPOT BOIJMANS VAN BEUNINGEN | MVRDV

‘Together with Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, MVRDV has designed an iconic building and a new typology for what a museum depot can be’

COMMUNICATION

CAPS LOCK I Ruben Pater

‘With CAPS LOCK, Ruben Pater instantly made a standard piece; in the paperback published by Valiz he clearly and thoroughly deals with the stranglehold in which capitalism confines the design world’

FASHION

THE UTOPIA BALL X FASHION SHOW I YAMUNA FORZANI

‘With Utopia Ball, Yamuna Forzani celebrates the freedom of a super gender fluid collection; a guiding example of what fashion can and should be now’

DESIGN RESEARCH

IABR-DOWN TO EARTH: WATERSCHOOL M4H+ | STUDIO MAKKINK & BEY

‘Waterschool M4H+ stands head and shoulders above the rest: Studio Makkink & Bey presents a textbook example of how design research can play an educational role’

DATA & INTERACTION

BUYCLOUD I STUDIO NOA JANSMA
‘Buycloud is light-footed and at the same time razor sharp: with one seemingly simple metaphor, Noa Jansma manages to touch upon a whole spectrum of themes, all of which are urgent’

BEST COMMISSIONING

WTFFF!? I FONDS SLACHTOFFERHULP X MORROW (+ HACK THE PLANET + Q42 + JONAS DEVACHT + JOEP LE BLANC)

‘Incredibly clever how Fonds Slachtofferhulp and Morrow’s WTFFF!? opens up a loaded theme within a context and visual language that hit the mark’

YOUNG DESIGNER

CREAM ON CHROME (MARTINA HUYNH X JONAS ALTHAUS)

‘For each design, Martina Huynh and Jonas Althaus develop an approach that makes complex ideas and concepts understandable; we will be seeing Cream on Chrome for years to come’

PUBLIC AWARD

During the Award Night, the winner of the Public Award was also announced:
KLEINKIJKACADEMIE I SJAAK LANGENBERG & ROSÉ DE BEER

PARTNER AWARDS

Dutch Design Awards is able to present four additional awards this year thanks to collaboration with our partners:

DDA x Keep an Eye Foundation
Keep an Eye Foundation keeps its eyes open for young, promising talents. The collaboration with DDA makes it possible to financially support Young Designer again this year. Winner Cream on Chrome (Martina Huynh & Jonas Althaus) received a Keep an Eye Young Designer Grant of 12,000 euros from Keep an Eye Foundation, nominees Irene Ha and Leo Maher received 9,000 euros each.

DDA x MINI
For the DDA x MINI Award, MINI chose Buro Belén as the winner from all 24 nominees: they get to drive a special edition electric MINI for a year. Danielle Dieben presented the award to Buro Belén on behalf of MINI: ‘Design and sustainability go hand in hand. Buro Belén uses very innovative materials and just like MINI their aim is protecting both the people and the planet.’

DDA x EY
The DDA x EY Award consists of a coaching program based on EY’s services, from creating a business plan together to financial advice. After the presentation, EY will map out a customized trajectory together with winner Cream on Chrome, chosen from all nominees. Maton Sonnemans presented the award to Martina Huynh and Jonas Althaus on behalf of EY: ‘EY is very inspired by the way Cream on Chrome works. We are looking forward to helping them grow their business. Let’s work together on our mission to build a better world.’

DDA x Catawiki
This year, for the first time, the DDA x Catawiki Award will be presented to one of the 24 nominees. In addition to a cash prize and professional photo shoot, winner Buro Belén will be extensively featured on Catawiki.nl. Eléonore Floret presented the award to Buro Belén on behalf of Catawiki: “This new award is a great experience; at Catawiki we want to support designers that are creating a brighter future through innovation.’

Throughout DDW all projects of the nominees and winners can be visited in the nine-day overview exhibition of DDA22 at Microlab Hall.