The Glassroom in the Heuvel
The Glassroom, located in the former Björn Borg shop, is a dynamic, inspiring space where creativity is central. Young designers can present their work here, but The Glassroom also functions as a classroom, workshop and showroom for the public.
While students take classes there, organise workshops and collaborate on projects, students, teachers and the public meet and future-oriented collaborations come about. You can walk right in and see prototypes, design becomes very accessible this way.
Text: Uit in Eindhoven, Eindless magazine
Room for growth and experimentation
The opening of The Glassroom not only symbolises a new chapter for the cooperation between DAE and SintLucas, but also a broader vision of the role of design in the Brainport region.
André Gehring, director SintLucas, emphasises the social value of creative thinking: ‘The question is: how can we make creativity in Eindhoven even more visible and address social issues?’ The Glassroom is the first step in a series of creative expeditions that will take place in the coming years, aimed at taking design to a higher level.
Anyone already visiting the Market or Hill Gallery will see The Glassroom in full operation. In the coming weeks, students and designers will work towards a showcase for Dutch Design Week, as evidence of co-creation from which a glimpse of the future of design in Eindhoven will be given.
The contribution of students
Besides showroom and workspace, The Glassroom offers students from both DAE and SintLucas a platform for exploring and reflecting on each other’s work.
Second-year DAE students present material studies and objects made of sheet materials, while students from SintLucas display works from their A6 course, in which they partly shape their own education. This interaction is at the heart of the collaboration between the two institutions.
Rita, a first-year DAE student, shared her experience about the creative process during the opening: ‘I started with paper and origami, and in the end I made a bag that you can carry in many ways.’ The material processing, the thinking about buttons and straps, the multifunctional use - Rita’s process illustrates the freedom and experimental space offered by the collaboration between DAE and SintLucas.
Design as an engine for growth
Eindhoven is known for its thriving design sector, with over 7,000 designers accounting for a combined gross value added of €940 million. It wants to make even better use of this advantage to contribute to the economic, ecological and social challenges of the future.
Mayor Jeroen Dijsselbloem spoke at the opening about the importance of design for Eindhoven, and announced that the municipality has freed up extra budget to further stimulate design initiatives in the region. ‘I am a happy mayor. We have been through an intensive period, but The Glassroom shows that we are growing further with shared ambitions.’
Future-oriented vision
With The Glassroom, DAE and SintLucas are creating a tangible space where experimentation, collaboration and creativity go hand in hand. Both institutions train their students to become creative change agents, who contribute to the social growth and transformation of the region. MBO and HBO students work side by side to offer new insights for tomorrow’s challenges.
The Glassroom is not only a place for students, but also for study-goers and the general public, who can get acquainted with the creative sector and its future opportunities in an accessible way.
