How Ingrid van der Wacht crafted her second career at Dutch Design Week

Before Ingrid started her Communication Sciences studies, she was already much involved with marketing activities. The French Teaching Bachelor’s diploma she already had, came in handy in her international work activities, for instance, during negotiations. When her children were born, she decided to cut down on the work abroad and to go back to college: “I wanted to do something that would be useful as well as fun with a view to the future.’ Communication Sciences appealed to me because it had a link with my work experience. Moreover, I was interested in Psychology and persuasive communication and wanted to know more about these subjects.”

‘The second part of my career’

“My children were already in primary school, so it was possible for me to study during the day. I never really noticed the age difference with my study mates. Many fellow students were in their mid-20s anyway. My partner and I were also in the process of renovating the house I’m still living in, a former pub. The hall that used to be the venue for wedding parties now provided accommodation for study mates who stayed over after parties. That was always a lot of fun.”

It is important to involve ‘outsiders’ in the design and development phases of all these initiatives, to foster the necessary innovation. This is a way to invite unique input that you wouldn’t get from someone who is already part of the organization.

In at the deep end

Immediately after graduation, Ingrid started her own business, Factor-I, as a self-employed person: “The Eindhoven region wanted to conduct a study to find out how the creative industry was doing, based on the ideas of sociologist and urban studies theorist Richard Florida. At the time, Florida argued that creativity drives urban regeneration. I helped with that study. This brought me into contact with the people of the Eindhoven Design Week (now Dutch Design Week). I was asked to provide input for this relatively new event. I took on some volunteer duties and became involved in the organization.”

“Next, I was asked to help develop a European project for Brainport Eindhoven. I had never done anything like it, but I wanted to take the next step in my career. So I jumped in at the deep end and developed a project on design management. I did have some experience on the subject following my years as a volunteer, so I had some substantive ideas. That became the basis for working for the City of Eindhoven and providing ideas on regeneration in the city.”

The development of Dutch Design Week

The Eindhoven Design Week was renamed Dutch Design Week. “We wanted to clearly market it as a Dutch national event. So we changed the name and called on the people already involved in Design Week to also invite fellow designers to participate. I organized the participant meetings to enable designers to meet each other and seek mutual connections. This brought designers to all sorts of places in the city, which gave a boost to the regeneration of the city.”

“Many people only know Dutch Design Week as an event, but we are busy with projects year round. At a national as well as a European level, we work on the theme of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, for instance by means of the World Design Embassies. Examples include ‘Health as future currency’, ‘Cities for people’ and ‘The farm of the future’. It is important to involve ‘outsiders’ in the design and development phases of all these initiatives, to foster the necessary innovation. This is a way to invite unique input that you wouldn’t get from someone who is already part of the organization.”

A platform for connection and agenda-setting

“We facilitate a platform in which connection can unfold,” Ingrid states about Dutch Design Week. “People can meet and team up, show their designs, or share their stories. In addition, we as Dutch Design Week have agenda-setting and curator roles. We bring attention to topics that most people in the Netherlands have overlooked so far. Communication plays a crucial role here. Over the next three years, we are exploring how to improve communication between designers and government institutions in collaborations.”

That, to me, is the whole purpose of design: making the world a better place and to pleasantly surprise people

Source of inspiration

“Design has potential beyond just making things. From the commercial point of view, the goal is to make and sell as many products as possible, as quickly as possible. However, the manufacture of all those products is incredibly polluting. As a result, many designers feel the responsibility not to do the industry’s dirty work, as it were, but to find better and more sustainable ways. Dave Hakkens’ project, Precious Plastic, is a case in point. He has created a community in which people repurpose plastic to make other valuable products. That, to me, is the whole purpose of design: making the world a better place and to pleasantly surprise people. This will hopefully make them want to take on the challenge of change.”

Advice for students

When asked what advice she would give to students, Ingrid answers that the main thing is that they should not be afraid to embrace a challenge. “I started at Design Week as a volunteer because I was intrigued by the world of design. I initially thought that I would not find work in that industry, because I had not studied for it. But ultimately I did succeed, because I got some experience under my belt as a volunteer. Facing the challenge can inspire you to land that dream job after all.”

Date of publication: 29 February 2024