What do we still dare to make?

On the eve of election week, designers, thinkers and dreamers gather for the Design Debate in the main hall of the Next Nature Museum, also known as the Evoluon. An afternoon filled with urgent propositions, clashing perspectives and surprising points of agreement, led by two seasoned moderators, who know how to spark a great conversation: Tracy Metz and Wouter van Noort.

Metz, journalist, podcaster and - until recently - director of the John Adams Institute, operates at the intersection of space, climate and culture. Van Noort, head of opinion at NRC Handelsblad and creator of former Future Affairs, explores the influence of technology and our shifting relationship with nature and society.

Together they form the backbone of the debate: curious, engaged and alert. “We want to arrive at sharp and meaningful insights,” says Tracy. “My role is primarily that of content-driven moderator. What can we learn when we truly listen to one another? “We’ll be the signposts throughout the debate,” adds Wouter. “It’s crucial to make the different positions crystal clear, and to actively involve the audience.”

Not a competition
Tracy and Wouter will guide the audience through six bold statements about design, from “Time to make ethical design a requirement” to “Design should serve the market, not the mind” and “The things we design end up designing us.” Behind each statement lies a field of tension: optimism versus realism, idealism versus market forces, humans versus machines.

Their aim is not to harden differences but to open them up. The debate isn’t about winning or losing, it’s about looking further. “We’re bringing some of the energy of the elections into the debate,” explains initiator Mieke Gerritzen. “But not as a fight. It’s a stage for ideas and arguments about what design stands for today, and, more importantly, tomorrow.”

A stage
The Design Debate is anything but a traditional panel. Expect an inspiring line-up of nuanced speakers and respondents, including stars such as Meis Suker, Timo de Rijk, Roosje Klap and Silvio Lorusso, sharing the stage. The audience will receive red and blue voting cards to join the conversation, turning the hall itself into part of the debate, without it becoming a competition.

Cramp and Paralysis
Tracy: “What strikes me is how little is really being made these days. There’s a kind of creative cramp. That’s why I find the word shame so brilliant, it can lead to either constructive reflection or total paralysis. There’s plenty to be ashamed of. But in this debate, we’ll set that shame aside. We’re stepping into the role of curious outsiders who want to look beyond.”

Wouter: “We’re caught in a huge tension. The expectations placed on designers by society can stifle their experimental drive. It’s incredibly constraining, as if nothing is allowed anymore, which makes design more uniform and cautious. At the same time, no one wants to create needless waste, so I completely understand that tension.”

The Design Debate 2025
What does it mean to design in a time of shame, tension and transformation? During the Design Debate 2025, we’ll search for answers and fresh perspectives. Come listen, join the conversation and cast your vote during this special afternoon at the Next Nature Museum in collaboration with Dutch Design Week. More information and reserve your spot.