Netherlands China Design Symposium at the DDW
Dutch-Chinese collaboration and the opportunities that arise when two very different creative cultures meet.
When you visit the Nanjing University of the Arts exhibition at Dutch Design Week, you may find yourself wondering: What makes Chinese design distinctly Chinese? How are today’s designers influenced by China’s long history, culture and rapidly changing society? And what happens when Chinese and Dutch designers bring their different perspectives together?
This special symposium takes the exhibition as a starting point to explore Chinese design, Dutch-Chinese collaboration and the opportunities that arise when two very different creative cultures meet.
After a short introduction to Dutch Design Week, three speakers will share their perspectives:
Prof. Wencong Wang, Vice Dean of the School of Industrial Design and Intelligent Innovation at Nanjing University of the Arts, will offer an inside perspective on contemporary Chinese design and its cultural roots.
Robert Barnhoorn, Founding Partner of Spark Innovation and Design, will share his experience of Dutch and Chinese designers working together – and what these collaborations can produce.
Sachi Claringbould, former Deputy Consul General and Head of Economic Affairs at the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Shanghai, will broaden the discussion: what can we learn from Dutch-Chinese cooperation in general?
Moderator: Moderator: Prof. Daan van Eijk, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University.
Together, we will explore not only the differences between Dutch and Chinese approaches to design, but also what becomes possible when these worlds meet.
After the presentations, we invite you to continue the conversation over drinks and snacks. Meet the speakers, designers and other participants, exchange ideas and make new connections.
Who should join?
The symposium is particularly interesting for designers and design companies, businesses working with China, government and public-sector organisations, researchers and university staff, design students, VNC members, and anyone curious about contemporary China and the creative exchange between China and the Netherlands.
Come for the design, stay for the conversation – and discover China from a different perspective.
Sponsor: Association of Chinese Investment Enterprises in The Netherlands (ACIEN)
Join the tour!
A limited number number of VNC members are also welcome to join a tour around the DDW by prof. Daan van Eijk which starts at 13:30. If you are interested in joining the tour, please send a mail to info@vnc-china.nl. Participation is free of charge.
Program:
15:30 – 16:00 Walk-in.
16:00 – 16:05 Welcome by Cindy Shao on behalf of the VNC.
16:05 – 16:10 Representative of ACIEN: “Short speech”.
16:10 – 16:20 Representative of the DDW: “About the DDW and its international scope”.
16:20 – 16:40 Wencong Wang, Vice Dean of the School of Industrial Design and Intelligent Innovation of Nanjing University of the Arts: “Chinese Characteristics in Design”.
16:40 – 17:00 Robert Barnhoorn, Founding Partner Spark Design and Innovation: “Designing with China”.
17:00 – 17:20 Sachi Claringbould, former Deputy Consul General and Head of Economic Affairs of the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Shanghai. “The Netherlands and China working together”.
17:20 – 17:30 Q&A.
17:30 – 18:00 Networking with drinks in Bar Casimir, Nat. Lab Strijp-S.
Language:
The event will be held in English.
19 October 2026 – Netherlands China Design Symposium – Leden VNC Ticket € 0,0
19 October 2026 – Netherlands China Design Symposium – Standard Ticket € 15,00
19 October 2026 – Netherlands China Design Symposium – Student Ticket € 7,50
Tickets are non-refundable but may be transferred to someone else.
Please note that tickets for the symposium don’t give admission to the DDW. If you want to visit the DDW you have to buy tickets separately.
For the tour: if you have received a confirmation, please assemble at 13:15 at the entrance of the Klokgebouw at Strijp-S. Registration does not include the DDW ticket (cost 32,50 €) which should be purchased separately at the DDW ticket office at the entrance of the Klokgebouw.
Location: Auditorium Nat.Lab Strijp-S, Kastanjelaan 500, 5616 LZ Eindhoven
PLEASE REGISTER HERE:
