When we received the request by e-mail, we were very happy, because we are not invited every day as speakers to the EU to Brussels. The EU Design Days are an initiative of the European regional network ERRIN. This Brussels innovation and research network has more than 130 members from different regions, universities and research institutions across Europe, working together in different working groups.
This year’s event was themed “Sustainability and Circular Economy”. The list of other speakers from different EU states sounded promising and we also wanted to get to know the network ERRIN. The evening before the event gave the opportunity to get to know the other speakers at a dinner.
As I started as the first speaker of the day, we had provided an introductory part to explain Circular Design and the role of the designer. Various product examples from the InteriorPark. Portfolio gave an insight into the practice.
Looking back on the day, we noticed that there is still too much talk of recycling and waste recycling in connection with the circular economy. However, what it means to think and design in cycles and what challenges manufacturers have to master was also given little attention on this day.
I already wrote an article for the book of the Design Center Baden-Württemberg, to which I would like to refer at this point: https://interiorpark.com/en/rethink-design
It offered to combine the long train ride with a little sightseeing and there Brussels has a lot to offer! A visit to the Atomium impressed us, especially on the inside, and when visiting the Design Museum, we encountered products from our portfolio such as Dirk van der Kooij and Transnatural