From October 19th to 27th, Dutch Design Week 2024 invites audiences to explore a world where reality and imagination intertwine. This year’s theme, 'REAL UNREAL', challenges us to question what we perceive as ‘real’, showcasing designs that play with our sense of possibility and push us to rethink the familiar.

Marker Wadden is a modern icon of Dutch hydraulic engineering, showcasing innovation with global appeal. Like Flevoland, which was once built from scratch on the bottom of the former Zuiderzee, Marker Wadden embodies the progressive spirit of the Netherlands, in Nieuw Land National Park. A group of artificial islands built from the lake’s own materials is revitalising a once-dying lake. With its extensive land-water transitions, new habitats emerge, creating vital spaces that support aquatic life and restore the ecological health of the Marker Lake.

Partnering for Green Growth (P4G) is an initiative that drives urgent climate action by fostering public-private partnerships. As a global platform, P4G unites governments, businesses, and civil society to create innovative, scalable solutions for today’s most critical environmental challenges. By accelerating clean growth across the sectors climate-smart agriculture, food loss and waste, water resilience, zero emission mobility, and renewable energy, P4G promotes green and inclusive growth in low- and middle-income countries.

A research project during your studies can plant a seed for creating startups within a chosen field. At least, this was the case for an entrepreneur originally from Turkey - Aytac Yilmaz. After pursuing his PhD at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), Aytac set out to contribute to the energy market by creating Ore Energy.

Aria Samimi came to the Netherlands from Iran with a Dutch startup visa to launch his venture, InsectSense. The startup operates in deep tech with an aim to become a front-runner in developing innovations inspired by insects within the Agri-food and health industries. He was able to utilise one of the world’s leading agri-food environments to create an innovative startup, recruit international talent, and benefit from the leading agri-food research environment in the Netherlands.

The Netherlands is a world-class cycling country. Check out our top tips and locations to discover our cycling culture. If you’re in the Netherlands and in the mood for cycling, these tips may very well steer you in the right direction. 

Floating houses, trees on blocks of flats and walls made of hemp. If the idea has occurred to you, chances are that designers have already drawn it. And this is no fantasy. In recent years, Dutch architecture has received international acclaim for its power of innovation. With developments such as timber construction, reuse of building materials and modular construction, architects are leading the Netherlands to a more sustainable future. And there are already wonderful examples of this for you to visit.