First artwork for the Dutch Design Week design walking route to be unveiled
In the run-up to Dutch Design Week (DDW) 2026, Eindhoven will welcome a major installation on the Markt on Friday 28 August by the renowned international Dutch artist and designer Joep van Lieshout (Atelier van Lieshout). ‘The Consultation Room of the Future’ is a 7-metre-high sculpture of a golden bird perched on an egg and forms part of the collaboration between DDW and Bureau Binnenstad.
During DDW, from 17 to 25 October, further large-scale works will be installed at well-known locations across Eindhoven, including an additional functional sculpture by Atelier Van Lieshout on the Ketelhuisplein. Together, the works form a design walking route through the city centre and Strijp-S, using their design to shed new light on social themes.
The large-scale installations in the city were created following an open call for designers. The selected designs were further developed in collaboration with the Dutch Design Foundation and Bureau Binnenstad Eindhoven.
The Consultation Room of the Future
The Consultation Room of the Future is one of Atelier Van Lieshout’s latest ‘functional sculptures’ and serves as both a work of art and a consultation room. Inside the egg, patients can literally and figuratively ‘get things off their chest’. With this, Van Lieshout poses the critical question of whether all technological innovations, such as AI and robotics, actually improve mental health. Or do we, in fact, need human interaction? The large chicken-like bird forms part of Van Lieshout’s latest project, Sanitas Futurum, which explores the future of human wellbeing and healthcare.
About DDW
Dutch Design Week (DDW) aims to be a premier platform for high-quality design. DDW is about the design of the future and the future of design. During the nine-day event, Eindhoven is entirely dedicated to design, covering every conceivable discipline and aspect of design. The focus is on expertise and talent, experimentation, innovation and cross-disciplinary collaboration. Dutch Design Week is also a platform where design as a profession is put on the agenda and discussed.
