From 10 to 12 February, design fair OBJECT 2023 will take place in the monumental HAKA building in Rotterdam. Spread over no less than five floors, OBJECT will showcase the work of up-and-coming design talent as well as renowned designers and established interior design brands; art galleries will also participate. Already announced participants include young talents such as: Aleksandra Zawistowska, Rink Schelling, Emmie Massias, Ori Orisun Merhav and Phlox van Oppen. Interior design brands such as FEST, Selé, Vij5 and Mokkō also launch new designs in Rotterdam. The interdisciplinary design fair showcases objects in the fields of design, interior design, fashion and art. A striking trend this edition is the focus on craftsmanship and handicrafts. All the exhibited work is for sale.

New sound

OBJECT is known as a place to spot young talent, more than twenty-five recently graduated designers debuting at the design fair in Rotterdam. What is striking is the way this new generation applies craftsmanship in objects made with great attention to materials. English designer Juno Brown creates a series of Tube Lights from broken fluorescent tubes, Julian Gresham presents a refined collection of glassware made in Leerdam. Studio Klumi, also a Design Academy Eindhoven graduate, exhibits a set of robust furniture and Janna Wieringa from ArtEZ shows a series of crafted objects made of precious metal inspired by the human body during OBJECT. Maria Stella Lydaki from the Gerrit Rietveld Academy creates jewellery that explores the boundaries between jewellery and objects and Phlox van Oppen, a KABK graduate, shows recycled textiles inspired by her own household. The young talents are deliberately not in a separate section but are presented throughout the fair.

Stage close to home


For Dutch labels and brands, OBJECT provides an attractive stage close to home. Here, designers reach an interested public in a targeted way without having to make huge investments. Over a long weekend, thousands of professionals and interior lovers visit the fair, which unlike many other design fairs is focused on sales. For that reason, renowned names such as Mae Engelgeer, Floris Hovers, VANHOFFONTWERPEN, Vij5, Ontwerpduo and The Boyscouts participate. For a modest sum, visitors can get their hands on a unique piece of design or a prototype by a budding designer. All proceeds from the sale of the designs will go to the designers themselves.

Between art and design


Increasingly, art galleries such as Rademakers Gallery, GoMulan Gallery and Gallery Untitled are also finding their way to the fair. These galleries operate at the interface between design and art. Thus, artists who make more applied work feel at home at OBJECT and galleries reach new audiences. “We also attract visitors who might not immediately walk into a gallery or art fair, but who like beautiful, innovative and sustainable objects. For this target group, the culture seekers, OBJECT is an accessible platform that offers plenty of inspiration,” said Anne van der Zwaag, director of OBJECT. Known for its interdisciplinary nature, the fair showcases design in the broad sense, from industrial, to graphic, jewellery and more architectural design.

Already announced participants OBJECT 2023


Aleksandra Zawistowska, Andrea Radai, APTUM, Arend Groosman, Athena Gronti, Ayano Koda, BIRNE, bøøt, BrightWhiteStudio, Ellis Holman, Emmie Massias, Eversom, FEST Amsterdam, Floris Hovers | Gallery Untitled, House of Rubber, Iris Lucia | Emma Hoogstede, Iris Toonen, Jan Willem van Elten, Joni Veizaj & Michiel de Jong, joris kuipers, Julian Gresham, Juno Brown, Lisanne Meester Design, Mae Engelgeer | Rademakers Gallery, Malou Weijs | Roy de Regt, Marc de Groot, Maria Stella Lydaki, Maribel Beekman Hetharia, Mokkō, nab. creative, Nadine Pijnacker, NANETTE DE KOOL, Ori Orisun Merhav, OSSO, Paul & Albert, Phlox, Rink Schelling, Sebas Kops, Studio Annebet Philips, Studio Draagvlak, Studio Erwin Zwiers, Studio Georgie Frankel, studio jeroen van veluw, Studio Kars + Boom, studio klumi, Studio Pepe Valenti, Studio Selé, studio Thier & van Daalen, susanna van caldenborgh, The Boyscouts, Tomas Schats, VANHOFFONTWERPEN, Vij5, Weimin Zhu e. a.

OBJECT Rotterdam 2023

HAKA building | Vierhavensstraat 38-42 | Rotterdam
Friday 10 to Sunday 12 February 2023 | 11am-6pm
Tickets are available online and at the door and cost €16.50, children under 16 free