Dr. David Hamers PhD is a spatial researcher.He was trained as a cultural theorist and economist. In 2003, he obtained his doctorate at Maastricht University’s department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences with a research into representations of the American suburb. Since then, Hamers has been working as a researcher in the field of urbanisation. He is a senior researcher for Urban Areas at PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving) in The Hague.

His publications mainly deal with the development, design, and use of space within and around the city. In addition to his work as a researcher, Hamers works with spatial designers and artists. Since 2009 he has been a reader (lector) for Places and Traces at Design Academy Eindhoven.

David Hamers

Ginette Verstraete is a professor of Comparative Arts and Media at the Vrije Universiteit (VU). Prior to that she held the Simone de Beauvoir Chair in Contemporary Intellectual History at UvA and was Assistant Professor of Literature and Culture at Maastricht University. She holds a BA in English and Dutch from Antwerp University, an MA in Anglo-Irish Studies from UC Dublin, and a PhD in Comparative Literature from SUNY/Buffalo. She was Visiting Prof/Scholar at UC Santa Cruz, UC Berkeley, NYU, CEU Budapest, Open University (GB) and was invited as Jean Monnet Scholar at University of Florida. She sits on the Boards of the Netherlands Institute for Cultural Analysis and of the Research School for Media Studies.

Her current research explores the significance of participatory urbanism in Western Europe, from 1960s to the current moment and focuses on the role that media, art and design have played in this.

Ginette Verstraete

Joost L. Adriaanse MA (Amsterdam, NL) is an artist and researcher who works in the Re-source project as an embedded researcher from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. As a participant observer he investigates method through documentation and reflection. In both his artistic and academic work, he has shown an interested in ecology, powerlines, mountains, cliffs, seas, goats, nomads, rituals and conflict. Adriaanse also works as an editor for Digressions- Amsterdam Journal of Critical Theory, Cultural Analysis, and Creative Writing. He studied Fine Arts at the St. Joost Art Academy in ‘s-Hertogenbosch and the KHiB Royal Academy of Bergen Norway and obtained his MA in Comparative Arts & Media Studies at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

Joost L. Adriaanse

Ester van de Wiel (Rotterdam, NL) works as a designer, curator and researcher of the public space. She investigates, designs and tests the public realm in cooperation with both professionals and amateurs who are involved with or affected by public space (architects, landscapers, farmers, collectors, artists and ecologists). The scales of such projects range from small to large; their scope ranges from research all the way to realization. Examples of projects executed by Van de Wiel (Studio Ester van de Wiel) are NU HIER and the Tuinfabriek.

For Van de Wiel’s nomination for the Rotterdam Design Prize 2011, Sophie Krier wrote the following to characterize Van de Wiel’s studio practice: “(…) she has reenvisioned the designer’s role as that of a project initiator and curator. (…) Van de Wiel’s method is characterised by the use of local knowledge and existing structures and operation on and with the scale of the landscape. Her works are cultural agendas, map legends and designs rolled into one. (…) In this way, she produces a collective, self-propelling form of knowledge that makes a valuable contribution to the way people read and design their living environment (…).”

In the Readership Places and Traces Van de Wiel is a design researcher in the project Re-Source.

Ester van de Wiel

Jos Klarenbeek (1988) is a designer and researcher. He received his degree in mathematics at the University of Amsterdam in 2010, and in 2015 he graduated from the Design Academy Eindhoven, department Man & Public Space, with his project Cowtarium. Since his graduation he has developed his own practice and has been working as a designer for Hella Jongerius / Jongeriuslab at a variety of projects and exhibitions. Driven by his fascination for complex and abstract systems, he works on the border between design and scientific research and tries to expand the field of data visualisation and materialisation. In the Readership Places and Traces Klarenbeek is currently a research associate in the project Re-Source. In this project he focusses on flows of residual materials in the city of Rotterdam.

Jos Klarenbeek

Thom Bindels (1992) graduated Cum Laude from the Design Academy Eindhoven in 2017, in the department Man & Leisure, with his projects ‘Desert Pioneer’ and ‘Digging Conditions’.

He started working as a designer and researcher for Lode Bruins in their R&D lab, developing new building materials and circular concepts. His graduation project ‘Desert Pioneer’ is currently in a feasibility research fase in sub-sahara Africa in partnership with Teun Vogel, a soil and water specialist from ecosystem consultancy company Cambisol.

As a starting point Thom focusses on our relation to the earth and our natural surrounding and finds possibilities through a proces of learning by doing. By looking at the borders between political, social and mechanical disciplines, Thom tries to create a synergy between previously disconnected fields.

In the Readership Places and Traces Bindels is the second alumnus working as a research associate in the project Re-Source. In this project he focusses on flows of the residual material ‘soil’ whitin the vicinity of Rotterdam.

Thom Bindels

Simone Post is a Dutch textile and product designer. She graduated with honours from the Design Academy Eindhoven in 2015 and since then her work has received numerous accolades and been distinguished with several international awards and nominations including ‘Domotex Best Studio Artist Design’, ‘Dutch Design Award Product’. Her work is characterized by material experiments, in-depth research and a love for colour, print and crafts. She strives for her designs to be sustainable, either in terms of material use or with reference to cultural heritage like traditions, storytelling, clothing and traditional skills and technologies.

In addition to running her own design practice, Simone has been one of the initiators of Envisions in 2016. Seeking cooperation with a variety of industries, she has specialised in spotting new innovative possibilities. As an outsider, she can bring a completely new view and concept to existing companies. To Simone, the finished product is not necessarily the most interesting aspect of the design process, but she has a penchant for the research process itself, the potential of materials and techniques, the unexpected outcomes of experiments and the beauty of semi-finished products, making designing into an infinitely intriguing process and business.

Simone is collaborating with companies like Adidas, Kvadrat, Vlisco, Hema, Return to Sender, Eco-oh! and Finsa. Her works have been acquired by several museums including the Utrecht Centraal Museum, Vitra Design Museum and Museum für Völkerkunde Hamburg.

Simone Post

Paul Slot (1993) is a conceptual designer based in Rotterdam. In 2017 he graduated Cum Laude from the Design Academy Eindhoven, department Public Private. His final project, a comprehensive investigation into the Linden tree which integrated varying perspectives, has resulted in a design methodology that Paul applies in his practice nowadays. So far, he has initiated 4 independent characters that work as an extension of himself: Richard Cory, Melle Witteven, Hossie and Peter Müller. Most recent collaboration resulted in Hossie’s Vrij Gieterij project.

By working through different fictional channels Paul explores his own creative core as well as the many dimensions of design and designers. Overall his practice aims to join the rapid pace of modern culture with the invaluable knowledge of the past. His work spectrum stretches from product, through spatial and finally public space design with in-depth, hands-on research being his guider in the process. Testing the boundaries of the field while at the same time experimenting with his own capacities, he strives for mindful innovation. For Paul constant questioning of the existing stereotypes is the fuel for design practice.

Paul Slot

Manon van Hoeckel (1990) is a social designer based in Rotterdam. In 2014 she graduated Cum Laude from the Design Academy Eindhoven. Manon develops tools that encourage strangers to enter into dialogue with each other. The disappearance of conversation in public spaces, in politics and between different groups in our society is a problem that she aims to tackle as a designer. In 2017 she set up Boijmans Wassalon, a fully working launderette which was part of the ‘Change the System’ exhibition in Boijmans Van Beuningen. The laundrette created space for interaction, asked questions about the purpose of the museum and brought together different target groups. With ‘In Limbo Embassy’ – a traveling embassy for refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants – Manon gives refugees the role of ambassadors and sheds a different light on the refugee issue. With her ‘Making Money’ project, she investigates how undocumented refugees can or should contribute to society. With her entire portfolio Manon won the Young Talent Award (Dutch Design Awards) in 2018.

Manon van Hoeckel