Age of Wonderland presents: Big data. Big DADA?

Cross-border cooperation in the run-up to Dutch Design Week

Once again this year Hivos, Baltan Laboratories and Dutch Design Foundation are organising the incubator programme Age of Wonderland for Dutch Design Week (DDW). This third edition embraces the theme big and open data. The fellows – designers and other creative thinkers and makers from Chilli, Guatemala, Indonesia, Iran and Tanzania – share their insights regarding this theme. What are the possibilities, limitations and pitfalls of the digital data available today? The fellows started a residency in Eindhoven in Eindhoven at the end of September, seeking collaboration with Dutch creatives, scientists and commerce, including the Design Academy Eindhoven, designers Joris de Groot and Isis Boot. During DDW, these residencies will manifest in an elaborate programme of exhibitions, work in progress, workshops and a seminar.

Age of Wonderland

Age of Wonderland is a multi-year programme by Hivos, Baltan Laboratories and Dutch Design Foundation that wishes to stimulate global social innovation through the exchange of knowledge and co-creation between European designers, researchers and artists and those from Africa, South America and Asia. Each year six international fellows visit the Netherlands for two intensive residencies with as a highpoint a public presentation of their projects and experience and exchange of ideas and knowledge during Dutch Design Week. Ageofwonderland.nl

Martijn Paulen, director Dutch Design Foundation, about the collaboration: "With the 'Age of Wonderland' project we want to stimulate transnational knowledge-sharing to develop new perspectives for global social and ecological challenges. Through the meeting of the various cultures, surprising and innovative solutions occur each year. It is worthwhile for our design community to see how scarcity and creativity go hand in hand in some countries.”

2016: empathy, natural (disasters), infrastructure and social cohesion

In this edition of Age of Wonderland, cooperation and the exchange of knowledge will take place between social geographers, artists, courses, academies, scientists, writers, engineers and programmers. They ponder over issues like: How can virtual reality help to create empathy? Can a mobile radio station function as a databank for anticipating natural disasters? Is big data an effective tool for improving the infrastructure and social cohesion in a city? How can ancient Maya knowledge be unlocked digitally? Students from the master’s Information Design at the Design Academy Eindhoven are involved in these challenges. They reflect on the projects and integrate them where possible in their own research projects. Read more about the cooperation in the appendix.

Age of Wonderland & Ja Ja Ja Nee Nee Nee radio

This year, Age of Wonderland will launch an online and live radio station in cooperation with Ja Ja Ja Nee Nee Nee radio. Arif Kornweitz and Michiel van Iersel will produce various live shows with interviews, presentations and reviews during Dutch Design Week, dedicated to the fellows’ projects. www.jajajaneeneenee.com.

Dutch Design Foundation

Dutch Design Foundation (DDF) is optimistic and believes in the problem-solving abilities of designers for advancing the world. Which is DDF offers designers opportunities, support, publicity and a platform. DDF organises Dutch Design Week and Dutch Design Awards, but is active far beyond the Netherlands. Throughout the year they organise debates, lectures, exhibitions and meet-ups. Putting the best and most promising designers in the spotlights, and introducing their ideas and designs to the world. www.dutchdesignfoundation.com.