The Eindhoven City Council has appointed a special official, a so-called “kwartiermaker”. They are to investigate whether a design museum could be a reality for the city.
In the first quarter of 2019, the kwartiermaker is to determine the feasibility, strategic positioning, and the content of this kind of museum. This museum should be a ‘future lab’ too; a place where design and technology’s influence on social themes such as health and mobility can be clearly shown.
This kwartiermaker will, initially, focus on the concept of a new design museum/future lab; not on a specific building. Philips has just sold Evoluon to project developers, Hurks, Foolen & Reijs. They have indicated that they are open to the idea of housing a design museum in this iconic building. The kwartiermaker will, therefore, include this in their research, reads a press statement released by the Municipality.
The assignment also includes a study into the relationship to and with existing regional and national players in the cultural sector. These include institutions such as the Den Bosch Design Museum, Tilburg Textile Museum, Kazerne, and the Design Academy in Eindhoven.
Set to go
Never before has there been so much support for such an institution. An international, trend-setting design museum/future lab is on Government and region’s Brainport National Action Agenda.
The government has also reserved money for the Brainport Eindhoven Regional Deal. In addition, the five cities in Brabant and the province of North Brabant (BrabantStad) have the goal of a design museum in Eindhoven on their BrabantStad Regional Profile.
Eindhoven’s Councillor for Culture and Design, Monique List, sees the design museum/future lab as an international institution that can address all the groups in the city’s community. “The museum should become an interactive exhibition and work area with room for education and experiment”, she said in the statement.
Source: Gemeente Eindhoven
Translator: Melinda Walraven
