Art & Design
Think of Eindhoven and you can't help thinking of the internationally renowned Van Abbe Museum. Or what about the Design Academy, a ‘greenhouse' for designers who migrate to places all over the world. This ‘Eindhoven school' has already won numerous prizes. And there's still a lot more to achieve. In the last twenty years Eindhoven has built (or rebuilt) a number of cultural institutions: the Plaza Futura cinema/theater, the Frits Philips Music Center, the ‘Middenzaal' of the Stadsschouwburg theater, the Van Abbe Museum, the Effenaar and the Witte Dame. And there's more to come...
Eindhoven close to World Design Capital
The municipality of Eindhoven is now facing only the Finnish capital Helsinki in the race for the title of World Design Capital 2012.
Lidewij Edelkoort
Chair of the Board of Governors, Design Academy Eindhoven
Representative
"Eindhoven has the best design course in the world"
For Lidewij Edelkoort, Eindhoven most of all means her ‘own' Design Academy. "Eindhoven is the best place in the world to follow a good design course. Even better than Milan. Our students come from all over Europe, from Asia and from North and South America. That's because of our special curriculum, which places a great deal of emphasis on learning to think conceptually. It gives students the ability to make their own choices."
Edelkoort lives and works in Amsterdam, Paris, New York and Eindhoven. One week a month she lives near the Dommel and works in the White Lady building, where the academy is located. "Lots of people aren't aware of the fantastic facilities that Eindhoven has in the fields of art and culture. Just look at the Van Abbe Museum, which is recognized around the world for its outstanding collection. Or the Frits Philips Music Center with its excellent acoustics, and the Stadsschouwburg theater with its beautiful new hall."
More ambitious
In Edelkoort's view Eindhoven has a great deal of potential thanks to its favorable geographical location, its history and its strong position in the fields of industry, technology and design. "I sometimes think the city underestimates its own strengths. Eindhoven could well be more ambitious in its own modest way!"
