Archiving and Activating – 12 Years of Design Deal Veenhuizen
From 2013 to 2025, KETTER&Co collaborated with the Province of Drenthe, the Municipality of Noordenveld, Design Academy Eindhoven, and PI Veenhuizen on the Design Deal Veenhuizen. Later, the National Prison Museum, Drents Archive, and De Nieuwe Rentmeester joined the partnership. As initiator and curator, KETTER&Co guided the collaboration, using design as a tool to create new connections between heritage, residents, entrepreneurs, and the future.
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Students and alumni of Design Academy Eindhoven spent extended periods in Veenhuizen, working closely with local residents and organizations to explore the history, landscape, and everyday life of this UNESCO World Heritage site. The collaboration resulted in projects such as Collectie Veenhuizen, Pauperhotel, VEEN|HUIS|HOTEL, VEENvertellingen, and LAND&BOUW.
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The outcomes of twelve years of research, design, and experimentation have been preserved in an archive held by the Province of Drenthe, alongside a specially developed physical archive. This exhibition is the first presentation drawn from this living archive, showcasing how design has revealed new stories, perspectives, and possibilities for Veenhuizen. KETTER&Co continues to activate this rich legacy and connect it with new generations of makers and audiences.
Credits
Photo 1, 2, 3, 4 Lukas Wächtler