RADAR / Q&A
Linde Freya Tangelder
The founder of experimental studio Destroyers/Builders is Belgian design show Biennale Interieur’s 2020 Designer of the Year. On the eve of a show of her work in Kortrijk, she spoke to Design Anthology UK
Being crowned Designer of the Year comes with its fair share of praise and scrutiny. Are you comfortable in the limelight? To be honest I have to get used to that a bit. For the last five years I have been focusing on letting my collection grow; I have mostly been in the atelier, working on new pieces. So the contrast between working with your hands behind the scenes, and then being in front of cameras and getting more attention from press, is quite extreme. But in a way I like both, since I love talking about what inspires and drives me, as much as working on the pieces. You moved to Belgium after graduating from Design Academy Eindhoven. What drew you to its design scene, and how do you fit in? From the moment I did an internship in Antwerp at design studio Unfold, I knew this would be the place for my own studio. There’s something about the chaotic and charming architecture, the city and the people, that I felt connected to. My interest in architecture has become more activated in recent years, and Belgium is so different to structured Dutch urban planning. About the design scene, in Belgium you can see a large increase in collectible design, which is a very good fit with my work. The aesthetics of Destroyers/Builders are much more connected to Belgium, I think.
Early on you spent time working at Brussels’ Maniera gallery. Did that inform your work in terms of a connection between design and art? At Maniera the connection between sculpture, architecture and design became stronger in my work – more outspoken. It also gave me much more belief in the potential of the field of design-art. To see things from a gallery perspective was important in knowing how I wanted to work in relation to galleries. Do you consider your work to be more rational or emotional? Art or design? Both? I am striving for a balance between design and art; sculptural and architectural elements are the core of my projects. Although my working methods are as intuitive as an artist’s, parts of the process are design based. Since my work is about the senses, I want to create objects that emotionally connect with the user. How do you decide what projects to take on? Where do your ideas sprout from? The projects I take on are also intuitive. I stay very close to my initial idea of design, even for larger-scale productions. The brands should always be a natural fit for my work, like [Antwerp design label] valerie_objects, who give me freedom and will not force me in a commercial direction. My ideas sprout from
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As told to Elizabeth Choppin
