Archives at Risk: Seeking Shelter

With the campaign ‘Archives at Risk: Seeking Shelter,’ the Network Archives Design and Digital Culture (NADD) raises awareness for design archives.

This project is now archived and was part of DDW24

Video still Christophe Coppens

Luc Schraauwers

Dutch design and digital culture are renowned worldwide, yet the archives of designers receive little attention. However, these archives contain essential knowledge about materials, techniques, and the creative process. It is important that this valuable information is preserved for the future.

Vulnerable archives

The campaign 'Archives at Risk: Seeking Shelter' brings vulnerable design archives to life through unboxing videos, offering viewers an exclusive glimpse into the creator's archive. In an interview, the designer shares personal methods and anecdotes about the creation process of their work. During Dutch Design Week, the first nine videos will be showcased, including the archives of Hella Jongerius (Textile Museum Tilburg), Hans Appenzeller (Design Museum Den Bosch), and Doors of Perception (Nieuwe Instituut). This presentation at DDW24 is not only a fascinating time capsule but also a call to action. By preserving and making designers’ and creators’ archives accessible, NADD emphasizes the importance of this information for Dutch culture and economy. We aim to raise awareness about the necessity of archive preservation while highlighting its cultural value. The Network Archives Design and Digital Culture (NADD), founded in 2021, brings together around fifty partners from heritage institutions, museums, designers, and experts to protect and make design archives accessible.

Video still Hans Appenzeller

Luc Schraauwers

Video still Carlien Macnack

Luc Schraauwers

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About Nieuwe Instituut

Nieuwe Instituut focuses on major developments in society, such as the housing shortage, the climate crisis, and the emergence of artificial intelligence. Designers, including architects and digital creatives, make an important contribution to these developments. Nieuwe Instituut shows the work of designers, brings people together, and collects, develops and shares knowledge.