Material Flexibilities
Buro Belén will work and guide using their holistic philosophy stimulating research, collaborating with materials, working from a multi-dimensional point of view. Belén entices people to make ethical choices while embracing an all-inclusive scenario, from sustainable material development to researching potential production processes.
We will practice experiments focused on sustainable materials and create newness in the existing by reflecting on materials from tactile, aesthetic, and scientific perspectives.
Belén’s vision relates to deeper narratives connected to atavistic artisanal traditions and to the notion that everything is interconnected. We will collaboratively find our subjects in the museum and focus on the versatility of textiles and other (flexible) materials.
Buro Belén (NL)
Belén is a design studio based in Amsterdam, founded by Brecht Duijf and Lenneke Langenhuijsen, centered on material research, material application, and creative direction. In our material research we delve into themes that relate to the interconnectedness we have as humanity and our planet. Our collaborations involve craftspeople, creatives, scientists, institutes, and industry partners. Together, we work towards results that form the beginning of various manifestations such as wearables, products, textiles, and other materialisations.
Belén’s work has been acquired by MoMa New York, Boijmans van Beuningen Rotterdam, Vitra Design Museum. Belén’s projects have been part of exhibitions curated by Paola Antonelli, Jan Boelen, Ilse Crawford, Joseph Grima, Alice Stori Liechtenstein and Lideweij Edelkoort. They have been commissioned by Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Atelier Luma Arles, Schloss Hollenegg for Design and Textiellab Tilburg, amongst others.
Brecht and Lenneke currently lecture at Design Academy Eindhoven with the Bachelor Department of Well Being, Masters of Social Design, and GEO design. They have been named by Formafantasma as one of twenty-five creative leaders of the future in Wallpaper’s 25th Anniversary Issue ‘5x5’ project.