In the fall of 2007 the city of eindhoven was presented with another icon; a perma- nent space to exhibit design, discuss design and promote design in the netherlands and abroad. An educational space for the public at large, the creative community and the students of the design academy in particular.

Situated in a beautiful building which is a prime example of 60’s architecture, the designhuis activities started with Bold, exhibiting the young body of work of studio job from their humble beginnings in chubby cardboard furniture to the monumental bronzes of today.

To formulate a dialogue with the international public, the designhuis is now taking place in milan and will consequently present its vision in several cities around the world during major design events where we hope to meet with colleagues, friends, press and sister institutions to collaborate and exchange so as to become a nomadic brand organising guerilla activities whenever it is needed or for fun.

As an extension of its beginnings the designhuis is proud to present ’Farm’, the most recent work of studio job as part of this year’s salone internazionale del mobile. This seminal show marks a return to the rural elements in design and society and pictures humble stable tools, a spade and fork, milk pitchers and pails, cooking pots and a frying pan that also doubles as a mirror. Now that the farmers of the world will clothe, feed and fuel us, a farreaching movement will trigger designers to revisit folk and farm mentalities to blend rural and urban style. Perfectly in tune with our times, the young couple has been designing an ode to their country roots in stark contrast with the opulent and monumental ‘robber baron’ series designed for the Americans.

In an amazing barn-like space in the centre of milan, twenty-four bronze works and six pieces of pallissander furniture  evoked the archetypal artefacts of the low lands including germany, flandres and the netherlands. Shown in an almost calvanistic setting, this rigourous and strong collection was counterbalanced by a folding fresco screen depicting the ideal of life on the farm in bright and naive colours.

This installation is courtesy of the zuiderzee museum in the netherlands and will be unveiled in its permanent contemporary barn there on the 5th of june 2008. A country kitchen with dutch regional food will be at the visitors disposal; a space to meet li edelkoort and the designers nynke tynagel and job smeets.

photos of the exhibitions by Claus Lehmann