Fresh Dutch Views Magazine - issue 4 - spring '09

Francine Houben Making the world a better place Jon Standing Setting a new standard Marlies Dekkers DARE TO BE! Inspiring Cities And more...

Richard Hutten Designing possibilities

Domoor - Richard Hutten

i s sue 4 | s p ri ng ’09

A MAGAZINE WITH A FRESH VIEW ON HOLLAND

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Get a taste of Holland!

Holland Showcases 2009 Come experience a Fresh Dutch View during the Holland Showcases 2009.

4 & 5 September and 4 & 5 December For more information and registration visit www.holland.com/showcases

Let’s have a drink!

A Fresh Dutch View on conceptual design Richard Hutten is internationally renowned for his conceptual, optimistic and playful designs. ‘My designs start from the use and functionality of the product, but in the end I want to make people happy with it.’

Domoor | 2002 - www.richardhutten.com

Issue 4, spring 2009

CONTENT EDITORIAL

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HO ARE WE, W WHAT CAN WE DO FOR YOU?

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MAASTRICHT

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NEWS

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Production, Art Direction & Design Tot en met ontwerpen www.totenmetontwerpen.nl

ROTTERDAM

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Editors Mart Kuperij & Martijn Boot

RICHARD HUTTEN Designing possibilities

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AMSTERDAM

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MARLIES DEKKERS

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the hague

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JON STANDING

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GRONINGEN

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Frank van der Zande

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NOORDWIJK

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Francine Houben

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UTRECHT

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T O DO Fresh Dutch Events

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10 REASONS

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Fresh Dutch Views is a publication of: Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions P.O. Box 458 2260 MG Leidschendam The Netherlands Tel.: +31 (0)70 370 5705 Fax: +31 (0)70 320 1654 Email: info@holland.com www.holland.com/meetings Project Coordination NBTC Noortje Teurlings

Contributors Amsterdam Tourism & Convention Board Groningen Convention Board Maastricht Convention Bureau Noordwijk Region Convention Board Rotterdam Marketing The Hague Convention Bureau Utrecht Convention Bureau Photography Anna van Kooij, Bugaboo, Caroline Grijsen, Christian Richters, Cruise Terminal, Dutchtub, Eddy Kaijser, Edo Kuipers, Fietsfabriek, Fokker Terminal, Gerard van Daalen, Hans Roggen, Indoor Golf Arena, Jaap Rozema, Jeroen Swolfs, Kenneth Tan Fotografie, Kim Zwarts, Koppert Cress, Maarten Huisman, Marc Ruygrok, marlies|dekkers, Maurice Boyer, NAM, NBTC and partners, Norfolk, Opera aan Zee, Oscar Langerak, Pam Feijtes, Paul Mellaart, Paul Tolenaar, Pierre Borasci, RAC Halls, Ragbag, Ronald Knapp, Rotterdam Racing, Scheepvaart en Transport College, Simon-Pierre Gingras, Spido, Spoorwegmuseum, SS Rotterdam, Tot en met ontwerpen Print Thieme GrafiMedia Groep www.thiemegroep.nl

Business without boundaries

Fresh Dutch Shorts

World port, world city

A world all its own

Dare to be!

City of many faces

Setting a new standard

Get a taste of the north

Feel-good food

Holland’s Finest Beach

Making the world a better place

Experience the heart of Holland

Copyright © 2009 NBTC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of NBTC.

to choose Holland as the destination for your next event

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COLOFON

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REFRESHING, INSPIRING Fresh Dutch Views

Making things is a simple matter. Making them attractive, unusual and inspiring is a different prospect altogether. When it comes to applying this principle to the field of design, the Dutch take pride in their booming international position.

In this fourth edition of Fresh Dutch Views, we are happy to introduce a few striking examples of Dutch ‘feel good’ design in fashion, furniture and… sports! Allow yourself to be impressed by Marlies Dekkers, Holland’s most famous lingerie designer whose productions can be recognised by a strikingly unique style that make women feel good about themselves. The fact that function and beauty can dovetail perfectly is proven by Francine Houben. As a director of renowned Dutch architecture firm Mecanoo Architecten, she is one of the few woman architects to have reached a position of eminence in the field. Find out how she tries to make the world a better place with her work. And who could have thought a designer can be actually ‘allergic’ to design?

Well, meet Richard Hutten, creative director of NgispeN. This industrial designer wants to create possibilities with his work. He is not satisfied just to solve problems, like he feels

happens already with the majority of everyday products.

Making people happy is his natural mission. Or read about the first climate-neutral, organic, fair trade restaurant: Umoja.

And about its unrelentingly optimistic owner, Frank van der Zande, who was named Amsterdam’s most outstanding entrepreneur in the hospitality sector for 2008. His restaurant lets people enjoy good food in a sustainable way. Get excited

by Jon Standing’s dream project: the first Indoor Golf Arena in the world. A completely new approach to an originally conventional and traditional sport.

In addition, we would like to give you a Fresh Dutch Overview on seven sparkling Dutch cities. Thought you were already familiar with these cities? Get ready to be surprised by new facts and highlights.

We hope you enjoy this edition of the magazine. And we welcome you to visit and enjoy Holland during one of our showcases and events in 2009. Visit www.holland.com/ showcases for more information. We assure you that you will have a truly ‘feel good’ experience!

Jos Vranken Managing Director of the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions

• Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions (NBTC) is the leading marketing organisation for the promotion of leisure and business travel to and within Holland.

• Founded in 1968, NBTC has many years of experience and extensive knowledge of the Dutch conference & convention industry.

• We are a professional and international team of conference & convention specialists, based in 9 countries worldwide.

• The NBTC can give you impartial and independent advice, free of charge.

• We can help you find the locations and service providers best able to meet your needs and preferences and put you in touch with these organisations.

• w ww.holland.com/meetings offers extensive information on Holland as a destination for your next meeting.

You can send a Request for Proposal directly to the Dutch suppliers.

• We can give you tips on how to conduct business with the Dutch, as well as useful information on the national culture, infrastructure and economy.

• We provide information on the Dutch convention industry’s Pre-finance & Guarantee fund and explain in detail about VAT refunds in the Netherlands.

• We will be pleased to answer your questions on any subject – about small or large meetings and conventions, guest speakers and multimedia facilities.

• We organise a range of activities abroad so you can get to know us and form an initial impression of the Netherlands.

• We are represented at major international trade fairs.

Contact your local NBTC office and see what we can do for your next event Let’s meet in Holland!

THE NETHERLANDS Nederlands Bureau voor Toerisme & Congressen P.O. Box 458 2260 MG Leidschendam Tel.: (+31) (0) 70 370 5705 Fax: (+31) (0) 70 370 5368 Contact: Eric Bakermans ebakermans@holland.com BELGIUM Nederlands Bureau voor Toerisme & Congressen/Office Néerlandais du Tourisme et des Congres Louizalaan 89, Avenue Louise 1050 Brussels Tel.: (+32) (0) 2 543 0815 Fax: (+32) (0) 2 534 2194 Contact: An van de Steen avandesteen@holland.com FRANCE Office Néerlandais du Tourisme et des Congrès 26 rue du Quatre Septembre 75002 Paris Tél.: (+33) (0) 1 4312 3422 Fax: (+33) (0) 1 4312 3421 Contact: Marin Stoffer mstoffer@holland.com

GERMANY Niederländisches Büro für Tourismus & Convention P.O. Box 270580 50511 Cologne Germany Tel.: (+49) (0) 221 9257 1721 Fax: (+49) (0) 221 9257 1737 Contact: Anja Schubert aschubert@holland.com ITALY Ente Nazionale Olandese per Turismo e Congressi Via Cappuccini 14 20122 Milano Tel.: (+39) (0) 2 7602 2115 Fax: (+39) (0) 2 7602 0296 Contact: Anette Bruno abruno@holland.com SCANDINAVIA & FINLAND Holländska Kongress & Turistbyrån Box 15021 SE-104 65 Stockholm Sweden Tel.: (+46) (0) 8556 00 750 Fax: (+46) (0) 8714 84 34 Contact: Harma Alma halma@holland.com

SPAIN Oficina de Turismo y Congresos de Holanda Plaza Callao 1, 3º 1 28013 Madrid Tel.: (+34) (0) 91 3605042 Fax: (+34) (0) 91 5325074 Contact: Raymond den Haan rdenhaan@holland.com UNITED KINGDOM Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions P.O. Box 30783 WC2B 6DH London Tel.: (+44) (0) 207 539 7959 Fax: (+44) (0) 207 539 7953 Contact: Danielle Tap dtap@holland.com UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions 355 Lexington Avenue 19th floor New York, NY 10017 Tel.: (+1) 917 720 1282 Fax: (+1) 212 370 9507 Contact: Thirza Tielbaard ttielbaard@holland.com

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WHO ARE WE? WHAT CAN WE DO FOR YOU?

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THE CITY OF

MAASTRICHT

ON MAASTRICHT

Business without boundaries

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aastricht is situated on both borders of the river Maas in the south-eastern corner of the Netherlands. Thanks to its strategic geography, practically bordering both Belgium and Germany, Maastricht is a central point in Western Europe. Maastricht has a rich history which is reflected in the old city centre with its many Roman-style buildings and squares, giving the city a sense of charm and tradition. The capital of the Dutch province of Limburg is home to just under 120,000 inhabitants, of which 5,000 are students. The quality of life is important to its inhabitants, a fact which is clearly reflected in the city’s distinct character, reminiscent of the exuberant South.

Preuvenemint This emphasis on the quality of life is ever so present during the annual Preuvenemint, the biggest gastronomic festival in the Netherlands. The word Preuvenemint is a contraction of the Maastricht words ‘preuve’ (to taste) and ‘evenemint’ (event). The four-day culinary event will be hosted on the Vrijthof Square in the city centre. During the event the square will be transformed into the largest, cosiest open air restaurant in the world. Over thirty stands act as impromptu restaurants where visitors get the chance to taste all sorts of products, both local and exotic. Every ‘restaurant’ has a wide selection of wine on offer as well as (lo-

cal) beers and soft drinks. A permanent open-air stage will host a variety of live music throughout the event. There is no entrance fee for the Preuvenemint; the live music can be enjoyed for free while food and drinks can be paid for with special Preuvenemint bills (known as the preuvene-lappe). The event, which donates its proceeds to charity, attracts over 100,000 visitors each year. If there is ever a moment to experience the true spirit of Maastricht and taste all the good things in life, it is during the Preuvenemint. The event is held yearly in the last full weekend of August. Maastricht is happy to welcome you to experience this year’s 28th edition from 27-30 August 2009.

TIPS

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FRESH DUTCH

In 2009 the Bonnefantenmuseum will be celebrating its 125th anniversary. The museum will host a number of special exhibitions to commemorate the occasion. ‘Exile on Main St.’ (17 February - 16 August 2009) displays humour, exaggerations and anti-authoritarianism in American art. ‘Palazzo’ (7 March 2008 - 31 December 2011) shows early Italian art in the Netherlands (1900-1940). ‘Jordaens - The Making of a Masterpiece’ (13 March - 14 June 2009) gives the visitor a unique picture of the great Antwerp painter Jacob Jordaens around the year 1625.

‘Queen and huntress chaste and fair’ (13 March - 13 September 2009) displays a series of tapestries with themes from Ovid’s Metamorphoses.

The tapestries, designed by Karel van Mander, show the passion for mythology that was displayed at the time. All these exhibitions and more can be seen at the Bonnefantenmuseum during the 2009 anniversary celebrations. www.bonnefanten.nl

Ideal setting Maastricht is easily accessible.

Maastricht-Aachen Airport offers direct access for charter flights, but the city is also situated close to the international airports of Brussels, Düsseldorf, Cologne and Amsterdam.

In addition, the Maastricht-Brussels Express connects the city to the European high-speed rail network.

This express train will bring you from Brussels to Maastricht in less than an hour and a half. Maastricht is an ideal setting for your business trip. The greater Maastricht area features beautiful countryside, providing many luxurious castles equipped with modern facilities, while the compact

city centre offers many cafés, hotels, shops and restaurants within easy walking distance. A visit to Maastricht will surely make any business trip a success.

Facts & Figures Total amount of rooms in ★★★hotels 591 Total amount of rooms in ★★★★hotels 2,476 Total amount of rooms in ★★★★★hotels 313 Maastricht - Amsterdam Airport Schiphol 195 km

(153 min. by train) Maastricht - Maastricht - Aachen Airport 9 km Maastricht - Brussels Airport (BE) 100 km Maastricht - Düsseldorf Airport (GE) 100 km Largest venue MECC Maastricht Capacity largest auditorium 1,650 pax www.maastrichtconventionbureau.com

Selexyz Dominicanen The Selexyz Dominicanen bookshop is housed in an old church in the centre of Maastricht. A beautiful listed building, this former Dominican church was transformed into a bookstore by architects Merkx+Girod, resulting in an extraordinary combination of bookselling complex and church interior, preserving the unique landmark setting. It was praised by British newspaper The Guardian as ‘possibly the world’s finest bookshop’. Earlier, Selexyz Dominicanen had already received the prestigious Lensvelt Architecture Interior Award 2007 for the décor of the store. www.selexyz.nl

ON MAASTRICHT

125 years Bonnefantenmuseum

008 10 years Bugaboo

Ragbag wins 2009 ‘Brands with a Conscience Award’

A pushchair that can be used both in the city and recreationally, maintaining a focus on the parent. A pushchair that appeals not only to mothers, but also to fathers. This was the thesis project for designer Max Barenbrug, for which he graduated with honours from the Design Academy in Eindhoven in 1994. Collaborating with physician and brother-in-law Eduard Zanen, he tried to sell the design, but no pushchair manufacturer thought the design would be viable; it was considered far too revolutionary. The duo continued believing in the innovative concept and decided to manufacture the pushchair themselves. In 1999 the first Bugaboo pushchair made its debut appearance on the streets in Holland; now, 10 years later, Bugaboo strollers can be found in streets all around the world. The company website shares highlights of its 10-year existence with Bugaboo Stories.

Find out more at www.bugaboo.com

Ephicas Ephicas is a spin-off company of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at the Technical University of Delft. The company creates innovative aerodynamic solutions for trailers, trucks and buses, all of which have an enormous impact on fuel economy and contribute to a better environment. Aerodynamic research in Delft

Bugaboo Cameleon Tailored Fabric - Paul Frank Special Edition

reveals that the underside of a trailer creates a huge aerodynamic drag, resulting in high fuel consumption.

The engineers at Ephicas have applied their aerospace knowledge to existing side skirts in order to develop the Ephicas SideWing. The result: a solution for tractor-trailer combinations that maximises economy and safety while minimising

environmental impact. The Ephicas SideWing captures the airflow at the lower end of the tractor and guides it all the way towards the tail end of the trailer along the rotating wheels.

By equipping trailers with Ephicas SideWings, drivers will save 5 to 10% on fuel expenses when travelling at highway speeds. Annual savings on fuel will be € 2,000 to € 6,000 per trailer, depending on mileage, fuel prices and other factors. The company has received several European awards for its unique patented technology and ambitious business plan. It focuses on the development and commercialisation of innovative aerodynamic products that have been thoroughly tested and can make a huge difference to the global transport industry, both economically and environmentally. www.ephicas.eu

The Medinge Group, a think tank of internationally respected brand experts, has rewarded Ragbag with the 2009 Brands with a Conscience Award. This prize was first awarded in 2004 to companies and organisations that show it is possible to simultaneously be successful and make a difference in society. According to the jury, Ragbag (a company featured in the second issue of Fresh Dutch Views) sets an example by focusing not only on the brand itself, but also on social and economic sustainability. Rag-pickers on the streets of India earn a fair wage collecting rags, which Ragbag uses to produce new products, generating employment opportunities and contributing to a better environment. www.ragbag.eu

Fresh Dutch Shorts

Fietsfabriek USA

The dutchtub has landed

Fietsfabriek is taking on the USA. The Dutch family business, literally named ‘the bike factory’, recently opened its first store in Chicago. Store owner Jon Lind made the acquaintance of Fietsfabriek designer and entrepreneur Yalcin Cihangir back in 2007. After getting the chance to meet partner Dave Deutsch and test-ride their unique creations, the seed was planted for Lind to start up the first Fietsfabriek in North America. Established in 2003 in the Pijp district of Amsterdam, Fietsfabriek designs and builds bikes for everyday transportation needs, incorporating all the luxurious, comfortable finishing touches you need to be at home on a bicycle. Supported early on by trend-setting customers, Lind has managed to jump-start the Fietsfabriek USA movement; by now there’s about 50 carrier bikes riding around in Chicago. Now that Lind has opened his own Fietsfabriek store, it’s time to get the rest of the American population on a bike. Projects are currently underway to design a carrier bike for President Obama; the next ports of call for Fietsfabriek are New York and Los Angeles. www.defietsfabriek.nl / www.defietsfabriek-usa.com

393 years after Dirk Hartog first set foot in Western Australia, the Dutch are back - and this time, they’ve brought the dutchtub with them!

The dutchtub is an elegant, portable, eco-friendly hot tub, designed by leading European designer Floris Schoonderbeek, who featured in the previous issue of Fresh Dutch Views. Following Europe and the United States, it is now time for the Land Down Under to experience the culture of ‘boundless bathing’.

The dutchtub is now also available with a gas burner, enabling it to be used at locations that do not allow open fires, although it can still be heated using wood-fuelled fire as

Entrepreneur prize for Koppert Cress Rob Baan, president of Koppert Cress, has won the prestigious OndernemersPrijs Haaglanden 2009, awarded to prominent entrepreneurs in and around The Hague. Koppert Cress specialises in cresses: seedlings from unique plants, each of which has its own specific effect on the senses. Baan

featured in the second issue of Fresh Dutch Views and has recently announced the expansion of the Koppert Cress facilities, so even more of their products will find their way all over the world.

Find out more at www.koppertcress.com

well. Working with three other parties, dutchtub will be launching their concept on the market through a network of distributors and dealers.

The dutchtub will also be available for hire, and used for promotional events and festivals. This Easter, the dutchtub was at display at the famous RipCurl Bells Beach surfing contest, after which it went on to ‘designEX’ in Melbourne, Australia’s most comprehensive interior architecture and design event, celebrating the very best in design innovation. Expect to see more from dutchtub in the future! www.dutchtub.com

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NEWS

010 ON ROTTERDAM

SS Rotterdam

THE CITY OF

ROTTERDAM World port, world city

TIPS

Maritime roots The river plays a vital role in the city of Rotterdam, enabling the metropolis to become a world port as well as a world city. The maritime roots are ever present within the city. Rotterdam offers you a wide range of venues that let you experience these roots. The Scheepvaart en Transport College (Navigation and Transport College) for instance, situated on the Lloydpier, offers congress locations with a stunning view of the port of Rotterdam. One of the most striking examples of a location that is reminiscent of the city’s maritime history has to be the Cruise Terminal Rotterdam.

Once the arrival and departure hall of the famous Holland America Line, the building has been designated part of Holland’s industrial heritage. Situated on the riverbanks, the Cruise Terminal offers a breathtaking panorama of the Maas River as well as the skyline of Rotterdam. Another great way of experiencing Rotterdam and its port is to hold your meeting on one of the many ships of Spido. Events held in a sailing ship always have a very special atmosphere. The highly modern and

versatile fleet operated by Spido has the best to offer as far as atmosphere and comfort are concerned, including the full range of facilities for meetings and business presentations. A tour through one of the world’s biggest ports while conducting business makes for an unforgettable experience. The SS Rotterdam, once one of the flagships of the Holland America Line, is currently being renovated and will be available for all your meetings this summer. Built in the late 1950s, the SS Rotterdam is the biggest passenger ship ever built in the Netherlands. After many years of service the ship will now find its final destination in the heart of Rotterdam. The cruise ship with its extensive range of boardrooms, hotel accommodations and catering facilities certainly is a remarkable venue to host your meetings.

Rotterdam has it all Rotterdam caters to both tourists and business travellers, boasting many hotels, excellent facilities and an abundance of bars, clubs and cultural activities. The combination of historical features, modern architecture and creative dynamics guarantee a great visit.

No matter what you are looking for, Rotterdam has it all.

Facts & Figures Total amount of rooms in ★★★hotels 820 Total amount of rooms in ★★★★hotels 3,150 Total amount of rooms in ★★★★★hotels 231 Rotterdam - Rotterdam Airport 10 km Rotterdam - Amsterdam Airport Schiphol 60 km

(47 min. by train) Distance Rotterdam - Brussels Airport 148 km Biggest venue Ahoy Capacity largest auditorium 10,500 pax www.rotterdam.info

Shipping and Transport College The Scheepvaart en Transport College (STC) offers event locations with a panoramic view of the Rotterdam port buzzing with activity.

Locations vary in capacity, accommodating up to 700 people, and are equipped with the latest in conference facilities. STC has both a bar and a restaurant on the premises. www.stc-event.nl

Cruise Terminal Rotterdam Cruise Terminal Rotterdam, the former arrival and departure hall of the famous Holland-America Line, offers a truly unique congress location boasting a wealth of maritime history. The bar, restaurant and state-of-the-art conference technology at this venue facilitates meetings and events for groups of 40 to 2,500. www.cruiseterminalrotterdam.nl

Spido Shipping company Spido steers a clear course, characterised by quality and services tailored to its clients’ preferences. Whether it involves a reception, business meeting, office party or product presentation, the luxurious passenger ships in this versatile fleet will suit any occasion perfectly. Spido allows you to conduct your business while enjoying a tour of Rotterdam’s famous port, offering a special atmosphere for every event. www.spido.nl

ON ROTTERDAM

R

otterdam is a dynamic cosmopolitan city with a contemporary feel and international allure.

Situated on the banks of the river Maas near the west coast of the Netherlands, Rotterdam has gained international recognition for being one of the world’s biggest ports. Today, even in the face of growing competition, Rotterdam remains the gateway to Europe. Its wide roads and big modern buildings gave Rotterdam the nickname ‘Manhattan on the Maas’.

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FRESH DUTCH

012 RICHARD HUTTEN

RICHARD

HUTTEN Designing possibilities

Over the last two decades, Rotterdam-based designer Richard Hutten (42) has gained international renown for his conceptual designs. He is regarded as one of the most successful Dutch designers and is a key exponent of Dutch designers alliance ‘Droog Design’, in which he has been involved since its formation in 1993. Optimism and positivity characterise Hutten’s work, which is sold all over the world.

‘I don’t want to make the next chair or cup. I want my designs to become part of everyday life, something that people can touch and use. The real goal for me is to brighten people’s lives with my work.’

RICHARD HUTTEN

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014 RICHARD HUTTEN

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fter graduating from the Academy for Industrial Design Eindhoven in 1991, Hutten started his own design studio, working on a variety of projects in such areas as furniture, product, interior and exhibition design. Hutten’s work is part of the permanent collections of Centraal Museum Utrecht, Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art Amsterdam and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, among others, and has been exhibited all over the world. In some Asian countries he can hardly walk the streets without getting noticed. His fans include the likes of Karl Lagerfeld, Philippe Stark and Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.

You once said you don’t have much affinity with design.

What is ‘a Richard Hutten’?

You want to design something timeless?

‘My designs are conceptual, optimistic and playful. I have been working like that for as long as I can remember. Over the years it has developed into what I do today, but the basic philosophy is still the same. I am a frantic optimist; I believe in the good of the people and the world, I want to move forward. That is something I show in my work. My work is about optimism, positivity; I want to put a smile on people’s faces. My designs start from the use and functionality of the product, but in the end I want to make people happy with it.’

‘My designs are definitely of this time, and in fifty years people will be able to tell that it is from this period. I don’t mind that, but I do want my products to still be around then. My designs are sustainable; when people don’t want my product anymore, it doesn’t end up at the junkyard. I make sure my products are rock solid. If people don’t throw away your products but instead pass them on, collect and cherish them, you don’t have to think about recycling, because it doesn’t need to be recycled. Another reason why people don’t throw away my products is that they retain their value. I sold chairs at the beginning of my career that are now worth more second-hand than what people initially paid for them!’

Is functionality a real design condition for you?

‘How my work is actually used is very important to me; it’s why I became a designer. Design is one of the arts, but the practical and the utilitarian side of it is what interests me most. Design is traditionally about solving problems, but that’s not what I do.

I prefer to create possibilities. It is up to the user to see those possibilities and utilise them. I am not a functionalist, but function obviously is one of the characteristics of a utensil. I want to add something to what is already there. I don’t want to make the next chair or cup; I want my designs to become part of everyday lives, something people can touch and use. The real goal for me is to brighten people’s lives with my work.’

‘I am allergic to design, which I know sounds a bit strange since design is my bread and butter. I see myself as a cultural designer. Everything people come up with is design, but all this stuff, all this consuming doesn’t really make me happy. I hope people start to think about what they really need, instead of just buying things. I try to make sustainable products, products people cherish, products that last. I want people to pass on my designs to the next generation.’

You are regarded as one of the figureheads of Dutch Design. Do you feel there is an essence of ‘Dutch’ in your design?

‘Dutch Design has become a brand, a very broad brand. I am one of the figureheads, but all the other top designers are as successful as they are because they have their own vision and leave their own mark on design. Of course there are similarities, but what makes these designers interesting is most of all the differences. It is hard to say whether my designs are specifically Dutch. I don’t

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‘I want to brighten people’s lives with my work’ Richard Hutten

Your furniture collection is now part of the new label NgispeN from Dutch design icon Gispen; how did that come about?

‘When the company I worked for merged with Gispen, the director put me forward as the chief external designer. I proposed they go back to their roots, designing furniture for use at home, for everybody. We then started the sub-brand NgispeN, for which Gispen took over my furniture collection as its solid base.’

How do you feel working for such an iconic design company?

‘Gispen is a beautiful company, one of the oldest furniture companies in the Netherlands. They have a great tradition and they have made great furniture, with fantastic designers. Mister Gispen himself, Wim Rietveld, Gerrit Rietveld: the list is long. It is part of our cultural heritage; the company has strong cultural roots, which I find very attractive.’

What is your exact role in NgispeN? ‘I work as creative director and art director. We don’t want it to be the Richard Hutten show; the idea is to get a lot of other designers involved as well. Next year at the Salone del Mobile in Milan, we want to present NgispeN with an international group of designers that will design for the collection. I work in col-

laboration with Hans Lensvelt on the art direction to ensure it is a coherent ensemble with a clear story behind it.’

How do you feel about the business end of things?

‘When I started in 1991, there was no demand for “the designer Richard Hutten”. There was, however, demand for a couple of things that I designed, and demand just kept growing and growing. At a certain point I had a complete furniture factory with a lot of people working there, producing a big collection that was distributed to thirty countries worldwide. But my heart lies in design, not in producing and selling products. The move to Gispen allowed me to create room for what I like best. I became a designer because I like to design. I have never liked the distribution part; I have never really paid much attention to it either. I see it as a weed: it grows, even if you don’t want it to. This is how my collection grew as well: organically, without us having a real strategy, vision or marketing plan behind it. I think that now we have Gispen behind it, it can be structured and expanded much better.’

Do you still have room to do your own projects?

‘Yes, that is what this is all about. I will keep working for my current and future clients. I am not incorporated as a person by Gispen. I am still my own boss; I can do whatever I want.’

What does the future hold for Richard Hutten?

‘I have never been as busy as I am now. In a way I have the current recession to thank for that: people are starting to become more conscious about the things they want to be surrounded by, they are not just buying stuff anymore. I will be doing my own thing for NgispeN as well as other clients. I enjoy a lot of freedom. Freedom to design whatever makes me happy. I don’t just design products, I design my life.’

www.richardhutten.nl / www.richardhutten.com

RICHARD HUTTEN

like to generalise, but I feel design was invented in Holland by Gerrit Rietveld, a very conceptual designer, and I think I fit in that tradition. Designers in Holland enjoy a lot of freedom; they are given a lot of room to do their own thing. The country is very liberal; people are open to new things. I mean: our whole country has been designed! We live at the bottom of the sea, we built this country from nothing, so I think design is in the Dutch roots. The conceptualism, the fact that design is in our roots, the freedom we get, I think all of this is reflected in my designs.’

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THE CITY OF

AMSTERDAM A world all its own

A

msterdam is the capital of the Netherlands. The city is famous for its compact city centre with its many canals, old warehouses turned into apartments and offices, and stateof-the-art buildings. Brimming with people from 174 different nationalities, this multicultural metropolis is constantly expanding and so is its inner city.

ON AMSTERDAM

New inner city area Amsterdam is situated on the banks of the IJ River. Due to extremely limited space in the historic city centre, the city council is constantly looking for new ways to accommodate its inhabitants and businesses. With the development of the six islands along the South Bank of the IJ, Amsterdam is acquiring a new inner city area. Each island will have a unique character. Scheduled for completion in 2012, this entirely new area will be a lively mix of housing, offices, culture, transport and trade, and a range of other activities. The first contours of the end result are already clearly visible and by 2012 the new and improved South Bank will boast a total of more than 2,400 residences and some 400,000 square metres of office and business space.

line was the principal reason for reexamining the position of Station Island as a whole. It seemed a large-scale upgrade was necessary to ensure that the interchange would continue to run smoothly.

The true challenge is to coordinate the various tasks set to take place on the island while guaranteeing accessibility throughout the period of construction.

In order to meet this challenge, the Amsterdam City Council teamed up with NS Dutch Rail and ProRail on behalf of the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management.

Exciting city In the vibrant expansion of its inner city, Amsterdam solidifies its reputation as one of Europe’s most exciting cities.

Whether it is business or pleasure you are after, in Amsterdam you will surely find something to your liking. The city offers easy accessibility via nearby Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and a wide range of cultural festivities and prominent museums. And with its hundreds of restaurants, bars, clubs, hotels and convention facilities the city truly is a world all its own.

Station Island One of the big challenges of the South Bank project is logistics. Smack in the middle of the ambitious project lies Station Island: Amsterdam’s central hub for railway, metro, bus, tram and ferry, not to mention countless cyclists. At present, Station Island already plays host to around a quarter of a million passengers a day. In a few years, this will have increased to 300,000. The decision to build the North/South metro

Facts & Figures Total amount of rooms in ★★★hotels 5,770 Total amount of rooms in ★★★★hotels 3,854 Total amount of rooms in ★★★★★hotels 4,268 Amsterdam - Amsterdam Airport Schiphol 20 km

(14 min. by train) Biggest venue RAI Elicium Capacity largest auditorium 2,500 pax www.amsterdamcongress.nl

TIPS

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FRESH DUTCH

Inaugural Exhibition ‘At the Russian Court’ Following significant expansion, the Hermitage Amsterdam will be reopening on 20 June 2009, welcoming visitors to its elegantly restored 17th-century building in the historic heart of Amsterdam. Founded to bring the richness and grandeur of Russia’s artistic heritage to the Dutch capital, this independent cultural institution will inaugurate its spacious new home - ten times the size of the previous building - with an exhibition entitled ‘At the Russian Court’, a dazzling display of more than 1,800 treasures from the Russian National Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg.

The grand opening on 20 June will be celebrated with a White Nights festival, presenting 31 consecutive hours of festivities, gala events and concerts along the Amstel River. www.hermitage.nl/en

Rijksmuseum The Rijksmuseum, designed by architect P.J.H. Cuypers and completed in 1876, is the largest museum in the Netherlands. The museum houses a world-renowned collection of works by Vermeer, Frans Hals and Rembrandt, including the famous Night Watch. In addition to a rich collection of paintings, the museum also displays Delft Blue porcelain, sculpture, Asian art and prints. While the main building is undergoing major renovations, premier works of art by world-famous artists have been brought together in a single wing of the Rijksmuseum. The ‘Masterpieces’ exhibit shows the very best paintings, sculptures and applied art of the Netherlands, as well as the history of the Golden Age. www.rijksmuseum.nl

ON AMSTERDAM

Hermitage Amsterdam

MARLIES DEKKERS

018

019

Dare to be!

Marlies Dekkers (43) first grabbed the world’s attention at her graduation in 1991 from the Saint Joost Academy for Art and Design. The famous ‘bare-buttock dress’ in her graduation show got have rarely been quiet again since. In 1993 Dekkers created her first lingerie collection Undressed, with which she caused a small revolution by designing from a new approach, aiming to make women feel beautiful and seductive, and at the same time powerful and independent. Fifteen years later, Dekkers has stores in Rotterdam, Amsterdam, The Hague, Maastricht, Utrecht, Antwerp, Cologne, Paris and even Bangkok. And the end is not yet in sight: ‘I will not rest until all women all over the world are proud of their bodies, self-aware and seductive!’

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hat is your vision; what can the brand’s success be attributed to?

‘One of my personal mottoes is dare to be. I am convinced that what I have achieved so far has come from the steps that I dared to take. Life is just so beautiful when you dare to live. I’ve always had a clear grasp of what I want, but that on its own is not enough to get you where you want to be. Every so often, as a company, you need to take a big step in a new direction, accepting the risks that it entails. I believe that you only truly achieve growth when you dare to grow. This life lesson applies to me personally and to my company. I’ve already had quite a few sleepless nights, but the amount of energy you derive from seeing a new step succeed is indescribably vast! My basic assumption is the beauty and strength of every woman and I will not rest until all women all over the world are proud of their bodies, self-aware and seductive! If I can help them reach that with my designs, I will be a very happy woman.’

Where do you find inspiration for a collection?

‘I am inspired by very ordinary things. Inspiration can come from anything: art, philosophers, films, nature. From Stanley

Kubrick’s cinematic achievements, Grimm’s fairy tales and paintings by Gustav Klimt to modern architecture and the Victorian etiquette of flowers.’

How does one of your creations come into being?

‘People often refer to me as a storyteller; my designs are like a diary for me. My life determines my designs. I give women a piece of myself in my designs. I do not cling to trends at any given moment; I’d say my work incorporates whatever inspires me. I design what I think is beautiful and love to share it with the rest of the world. It all starts with a blank sheet of paper, and in the end a whole collection hangs in the stores. The process in between consists of drawing and trying things out until you have a design that looks good. Then it gets translated into 3D. After that it goes to the production department, where they sit down with my team to see if the design can actually be made. And then you have to see if it is possible to make multiple copies of a complex design. A design is often so incredibly complicated; the strap has to be attached in exactly the same way every time, and the print has to be positioned in the same way. It’s a lot like higher maths! All the lingerie is

MARLIES DEKKERS

her a full-page article in the NRC daily newspaper; events around the designer and businesswoman

020 tested not just by me and my female employees, but dozens of other women as well. A month before the lingerie heads out to the stores, it comes in here so I can test it again myself before it hits the shelves.’

What makes a marlies|dekkers creation unique?

‘What makes my lingerie distinctive is its excellent fit combined with innovative, wearable, comfortable design. The upper segment of the market often takes it all too far, in my opinion. Imagine an expensive hotel where you have to clap twice and jump up and down three times to turn on the light! I want to make lingerie that is very accessible, very wearable. My aim is to surprise and spoil every woman. I want to make the most comfortable bra you’ve ever worn.’

MARLIES DEKKERS

Who are the clients; who wears marlies|dekkers?

‘My lingerie is for everyone; all women are beautiful and exceptional. I operate on the basis of the beauty and strength of every woman. I want to clear the way for all the fantasies and dreams, to ignite that passionate fire in the women. It doesn’t matter what you look like, the point is what you feel or want to feel inside.’

Does the fact that you’re Dutch have any bearing on what you do and how, and on your success?

‘I come from a working-class family in the province of Brabant, and we always had to fight for everything. If my father was finally able to buy a car, it broke down. If he had mounted a TV antenna on the roof, a windstorm blew the thing right off. My parents saved up to renovate our house one little bit at a time.

Something like that shapes you. Many people think that life is easy; that makes everything a disappointment. I assume that everything in life will be difficult, and then the problems are usually a pleasant surprise. I think that attitude is the basis of my success.’

Are you more of a businesswoman or more of a designer?

‘I don’t consider one to be more fun than the other. The businesswoman in me takes very good care of my creative side. Design isn’t work for me; it’s a passion. My designs come straight from the heart. I can still get very enthusiastic about a certain shoe or a painting. The business end is very hard work. But if I have my business in order, I also have the financial means to use better techniques and design even more beautiful stores.

I do have to make sure that I find enough room to relax or my creativity drops. I’ve fortunately been able to assemble a good team of people around me. They share my passion for the

brand and give the best of themselves every day. That’s how we maintain standards and why we win prizes so often.’

You have received various awards, both for your products and for being an entrepreneur.

Which award appealed to you most?

‘All the awards were given to me at different times in my career, so they are each equally important to me. The diversity of the awards is also important to me. I’ve gained recognition from the business community on the one hand and the creative sector on the other.

Many creative people consider the hard aspects of an organisation boring, but not me. Doing business exercises your mind. The mental journey is the main thing that keeps it fascinating.’

Various product lines have now appeared under your name. Are there still new projects or products in the making?

‘My girlfriends sometimes compare me to the Very Hungry Caterpillar, from the children’s book; he is always hungry for more and more, without satisfying his appetite entirely. I have to laugh at the description, because I simply won’t rest until women all over the world are proud of their bodies, self-aware and seductive. I can’t wait to open my own stores all over the world and make my lingerie accessible. But I’ll still always take it one step at a time. Milan, London, Dubai, Tokyo, St. Petersburg, Rome, Moscow, Shanghai and Los Angeles are coming closer and closer, but when I do something, I want to do it right; that takes time. The most important thing, in my opinion, is that I can convey my vision of womanhood. My creations come straight from the heart. Whether I’m selling it in France, Bangkok or Friesland, my message is the same. Other than that, I once started my story in black and dreamed of being dazzling in full colour. These days we come up with the most fabulous prints and embroidery for every new collection. I see those fantastic colours and prints as a symbol of the future: world-wide, innovative, unique, and entirely our own.’

And Marlies Dekkers, the person?

‘The person and the brand are very closely interlinked. There is a story and an actual woman behind the marlies|dekkers brand. Clients and retailers in other countries are sometimes quite surprised to discover that I actually exist. I walk in and say, hi, I’m Marlies Dekkers, and their amazed response is: you’re real? I am real, and as long as I can help women with my designs and fan the flame that burns inside them, I’m a happy woman. Dare to be!’

www.marliesdekkers.com

021 MARLIES DEKKERS

‘My lingerie is for everyone; all women are beautiful and exceptional’ Marlies Dekkers

022 ON The Hague

Caballero Factory

THE CITY OF

THE HAGUE City of many faces

TIPS

Industrial heritage The Hague’s rich history makes for an array of buildings that are now considered part of its industrial heritage.

The city council has found new ways of putting these old buildings to good use while respecting their heritage status. The Caballero Factory, for instance, was built in 1921 by Egyptian cigarette company Laurens. It now functions as a creative hotbed for innovative entrepreneurs working in ICT, multimedia, design and architecture. The historical building largely remained intact while it was outfitted with the latest in technology and business facilities. Another fine example is the RAC Halls. Once used to store state vehicles, these halls were designed by famous Dutch architect H.A. Maaskant in the late 1950s. In 2000 the city council purchased the halls, turning them into a location for creative and cultural events. When Danish shipping company Norfolkline moved their business from The Hague’s port of Scheveningen, the city council immediately stepped up

to transform part of the immense terrain into an event location. Now Norfolk offers 22,000 square metres to host all sorts of events and meetings.

Recently Norfolk, Ketelhuis (part of Caballero Factory), RAC Halls, Fokker Terminal and Remise (The Hague’s former electric train depot) joined forces under the name ‘The Industrials’. This alliance, an initiative of the city council, enables The Hague to better utilize its former industrial locations as well as to meet growing demand for event locations.

Fokker Terminal The former hangar of Dutch airplane manufacturer Fokker is a vast location with a no-nonsense charm. The venue is divided into three multifunctional spaces. The smooth curves and straight lines of the building’s design offer an authentic terminal feeling. No matter what the occasion, Fokker Terminal is the perfect launch site for your meeting or event.

Cultural diversity With the city council making a concerted effort to stimulate creative initiatives and cultural events, it’s no wonder The Hague is well known for its cultural diversity. The many annual festivals, museums and theatres cater to a broad audience.

The Hague offers excellent accessibility: located less than half an hour’s drive from two major international airports, The Hague has several train stations and an outstanding public transport system.

Easy access combined with a vast range of hotels, convention facilities, restaurants and shops ensures a successful event.

The city’s charisma, beautiful surroundings and a broad spectrum of cultural activities guarantee a memorable stay.

Facts & Figures Total amount of rooms in ★★★hotels 1,558 Total amount of rooms in ★★★★hotels 3,556 Total amount of rooms in ★★★★★hotels 441 The Hague - Amsterdam Airport Schiphol 35 km

(22 min. by train) The Hague - Rotterdam Airport 20 km (20 min. by taxi) Biggest venue World Forum Capacity largest auditorium 2,160 pax www.thehaguecongress.com

RAC Halls The RAC Halls offer two big halls for hosting your meeting or event. In the 20th century, these halls were used to store vehicles that were in use by the Dutch government. Since the city council bought the property in 2000, it has been redesigned to serve as a location for creative and cultural events. www.stichtingrac.nl

Norfolk The former terrain of Danish shipping company Norfolkline, now simply called Norfolk, offers 22,000 square metres for hosting all sorts of events and meetings. The area is divided into different zones that are designated to function as parking space, event location and storage space, while a small part is still a functioning dock. www.norfolkdenhaag.nl

ON The Hague

T

he Hague is an international metropolis with the stunning natural surroundings and intriguing features of a seaside resort. Internationally renowned as the City of Peace and Justice, The Hague hosts many international organisations such as the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration, both situated in the Peace Palace. The city has a central role in the Netherlands as the seat of the Dutch national government as well as the Dutch royal family. With the international allure of a modern city and the natural beauty of its beaches, The Hague truly is a city of many faces.

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FRESH DUTCH

024 JON STANDING

JON

STANDING Setting a new standard

025 Jon Standing (48) was working for the European Space Agency in Noordwijk, managing their spacecraft test centre, when he came in contact with golf, a sport he grew to love. A few years and a lot of drawings, calculations and meetings later, Standing is now at the point of starting up a joint venture named Indoor Golf Solutions International to market his dream project: Indoor Golf Arena (IGA). This massive hall is the size of a football stadium, featuring 14,000 square metres of synthetic grass practice facilities, twenty state-of-theart golf simulators and 28 hitting bays, a top quality restaurant, 4-star hotel, wellness centre ... even a rooftop driving range with 34 bays. Over the top? ‘You know that famous ‘gap in the market’? I definitely think I’ve found it!’

So you wrote a plan?

‘I wanted something with indoor golf, initially for kids, but over time it grew into this mega project. Parallel to my work at the European Space Agency, I wrote a business plan and drew the first designs for the arena. In my free time, I presented my plan to a number of stakeholders in the world of golf; everybody I spoke to was raving about the idea. The Dutch Golf Federation, the Dutch Olympic Committee, the Dutch and European PGA, they were all very positive. That was when I knew I was on to something. About 1.5 years ago, I quit my job to focus entirely on the development of IGA. I didn’t really know what I was getting into, a bit like jumping off a cliff without a parachute, figuring out on my way down how to land safely.’

So what is Indoor Golf Arena exactly?

‘Indoor Golf Arena has three main cornerstones. It aims to be the first top sport centre for golf in the Netherlands, or even in Europe. It aims to be a popular sport centre, accessible for

JON STANDING

W

hy indoor golf?

‘In the last couple of years, the development of golf in the Netherlands has shown impressive growth and the end is not yet in sight. At the moment there are about 330,000 people playing golf in this country, a number that is increasing by about 11% yearly. Golf is a real hype in Holland. There is a need for additional facilities to stimulate growth as well as meet demand.

Until now the sport of golf has always been rather conventional, traditional. Golf as a product has been the same for many years.

I thought: why not do it differently? There’s more than one road that leads to Rome. This led to the idea to approach golf from a totally different angle, a totally different way when compared to the traditionally outdoor game we all know.’

026

people from 8 to 88 years old, to create a platform for all the golfers that are out there. And last but not least it wants to accommodate the business market. Golf and business have traditionally been fairly interlinked, but I think this link has been weakening in the last few years. Golf is quite time-consuming and the current popularity of the sport is putting more pressure on the golf courses. For the average businessman, this is not a good thing. What you see in the business market is the need to combine golf and business in a more compact way, more fun in less time. Those were all considerations that made me think golf could also be addressed differently.’

erally went sky high. We attracted a lot of media attention from the start. The idea and vision has always been to create an allDutch export product, but because of all the media attention, we have also received serious attention for the project from abroad.

I am absolutely convinced that the IGA will be developed both in Holland as well as abroad, with plans to have the first project realised by 2011. In the Netherlands, we have now narrowed it down to two potential locations, Zoetermeer and Amersfoort, with whom we are seriously negotiating at the moment. I feel that Indoor Golf Arena would fit well in both cities. It is a way for them to distinguish themselves, to stand out. Indoor Golf Arena isn’t just a golf centre, it’s a landmark facility.’

JON STANDING

By doing it indoors.

‘Yes! There are some obvious reasons why golf can be enjoyed indoors, one of them of course being the weather. In the winter, the sport of golf comes to a standstill for a number of months. The sport literally is in hibernation, which is a shame.

Looking at long-term weather forecasts, it doesn’t look like it is going to get better: the summers will be shorter and hotter, the springs and autumns longer and wetter; those are all components that threaten outdoor golf to some extent. Another thing is that golf as a sport takes up a lot of room and time.

All these restrictions are not things you want to have holding you back. This is why I went looking for alternative ways to address golf in a totally different way.

‘When you see it as an all-Dutch export product, I think there are even more chances of making this a success abroad. Looking at the Middle East for instance, they have temperatures of 40 degrees and up for nine months of the year. Golf isn’t a fun game in those conditions. I feel indoor golf has a big chance of succeeding there. The project applies artificial grass widely.

The fact that this grass doesn’t need to be watered is a big advantage for countries in the Middle East where clean drinking water is scarce. A golf facility which takes the environmental restrictions into account is a good thing.’

There are a couple other indoor golf centres in the Netherlands. Do you feel they cut the ground from under your feet?

‘No, on the contrary. I think they have their own place in the market and that they prove that indoor golf is on the rise. But my angle has always been that if we go ahead with this, I want to set the trend. I want to raise the bar with the Indoor Golf Arena and set the norm for indoor golf. The project is much talked about. When you look at the parameters of the project, the scale, it is unsurpassed in all respects. The idea is to make a concept that truly contributes to the development of golf in the Netherlands and the world.’

Do you want to realise this in the Netherlands or no matter where?

‘Originally the plan was to develop this project in the Netherlands. I am Dutch; I live here. In March 2008 we launched our website and sent out the first press release, and the project lit-

But there will be a foreign centre first?

‘The media attention led to serious interest from the Middle East to develop this project there. The region is developing as a tourist destination and golf plays an important part in that concept. Dubai, for instance, wants to become the ultimate place to be when it comes to golf in the Middle East. They are willing to invest a lot of money in order to achieve this goal. The European Golf Tour ends in Dubai this year! Nothing European about Dubai, but it shows how serious they are about their plans. There’s ambition, space and money. I will travel to Dubai and Abu Dhabi soon to discuss the plans with potential investors.’

Where does this end?

‘The higher ambition of Indoor Golf Arena is to build ten to twenty centres worldwide, and present the project as an allDutch export product.’

How Dutch is IGA? ‘Obviously I am Dutch, but besides that the primary parties that are involved in the development are Dutch as well. The development company is Ballast Nedam, the architects are Zwarts & Jansma, and then there’s ProTee United, Southwest Greens Europe... I think the idea in general is quite Dutch. It has already been compared to little Hans Brinker sticking his finger in the dyke. “There the crazy Dutch go again!” The roots of golf lie in England and the US, but it is the crazy Dutch that come up with this idea...’

Are you experiencing any problems due to the current crisis?

‘From my work in aeronautics, I am used to thinking in anticyclical terms. In the famous words of world-renowned Dutch football player Johan Cruijff: “every disadvantage has its advantage”. I think the golf market is absolutely ready for it. There is money in Holland, maybe not with the banks, but I believe that there are still people who are willing to invest. I am trying to send out a signal: there’s still hope! I feel the chance for success of this project is enhanced by people who share my vision.’

www. indoorgolfarena.eu

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‘Indoor Golf Arena isn’t just a golf centre, it’s a landmark facility’

JON STANDING

Jon Standing

028

THE CITY OF

GRONINGEN

ON GRONINGEN

Get a taste of the north

TIPS

and a special exhibition on the Fraeylemaborg estate in Slochteren. During the two-day international G50 conference in the Groningen Martiniplaza, top speakers from Royal Dutch Shell and ExxonMobil International Limited and others will present their vision on the future of energy supply. The spectacular opening of an attractive threemonth cultural programme for the public will be held on 20 June. At the same time a special educational programme will be launched for primary and secondary schools in the region.

Celebrating 50 years of gas

A taste of the north

The economic importance the Netherlands is due largely to the vast gas field in the municipality of Slochteren nearby Groningen. Its discovery in 1959 marked the beginning of the Dutch and European gas markets. Researchers only discovered the sheer size of the field after a few years. With its 900 square kilometres of natural gas, it is expected that the Groningen gas field will continue its prominent role in the Dutch economy and energy supply for many decades to come.

This year’s anniversary celebrations will guarantee lots of activities in a city that is already well known for its festive vibe. The Groningen nightlife is second to none. Bars are not subject to externally imposed closing times, so there’s always something going on in the city.

The greater Groningen area offers both peace and quiet as well as buzzing inner city life. The city is easily accessible via Groningen Airport Eelde and boasts a wide range of hotels and facilities.

Groningen welcomes you to experience a taste of the north; there is no place like Groningen.

This year Groningen will see the 50th anniversary of the gas field. Under the auspices of G50, a joint initiative of Dutch gas companies NAM, Gasunie, GasTerra, in cooperation with the municipality of Slochteren and the Province of Groningen, this anniversary will be celebrated exuberantly. A special programme has been put together for the general public and for experts in the field. The grand opening will take place on 16 June 2009, when celebrators will come together to unveil a landmark work of art and to open a picture trail

G50 cultural programme On 20 June, an extensive cultural programme will be launched to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Slochteren gas field.

More than 15,000 visitors will be treated to a combined open-air show by the French theatre and firework groups ‘Plasticiens Volants et Ephémère’. The festivities will continue for three months, offering free activities in the areas of cultural heritage, pop and classical music, theatre, multimedia and cross-over theatre. The programme, which comprises more than fifteen activities, is being coordinated by the Open Cultureel Werk (OCW) foundation in Slochteren and will close on 12 September with musical festivities, involving as many local musical talents, residents, schools and associations as possible.

G50 landmark To commemorate the first gas well and to symbolise the past, present and future significance of Groningen gas, an eye-catching landmark

Facts & Figures Total amount of rooms in ★★★hotels 2,318 Total amount of rooms in ★★★★hotels 1,495 Total amount of rooms in ★★★★★hotels 136 Groningen - Amsterdam Airport Schiphol 200 km

(135 min. by train) Biggest venue Martiniplaza Capacity largest auditorium 2,500 pax www.groningencongresbureau.nl

will be placed near Slochteren, close to the site where natural gas was first discovered in the area. The sculpture, designed by Marc Ruygrok, will be placed near the A7 motorway, a unique location which will put it on display for thousands of motorists every day. www.groningengas50.nl/en

ON GRONINGEN

G

roningen is the largest city in the northern part of the Netherlands. The city of Groningen has had a rich history. Many architectural highlights from the past can still be seen in the centre, such as the old city walls, the Gold Weigh house and the ancient harbours surrounded by historic warehouses and authentic freight ships. Nowadays these historical remnants blend effortless with contemporary Italian architecture. As the largest city of the north, Groningen plays a pivotal role in the region.

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FRESH DUTCH

030 FRANK VAN DER ZANDE

Frank van der Zande (42), who won the 2008 award for being Amsterdam’s most outstanding entrepreneur in the hospitality sector, is a man with a vision. The self-taught chef has a passion for sustainability; his quest to achieve the first truly ‘fair trade’ restaurant made him an expert in the field of sustainable entrepreneurship. He now owns the successful ‘Umoja’ restaurant in Amsterdam, provides sustainable catering and educates future kitchen staff. His newfound expertise has led him to take up consultancy as well, sharing his knowledge and vision.

‘Sustainability as a business concept only succeeds when you back it up with quality. My aim is to have a top-quality restaurant, where people go to enjoy good food and leave feeling good as well.’

031

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hat exactly is Umoja?

‘Umoja Restaurant is Holland’s first climate-neutral, organic, fair trade restaurant. It started with organic products. Quality was and still is my primary motive.

I want to offer quality, and in my quest for quality and good products I ended up at organic ingredients. These products are just much tastier! When I became a father I started to become more conscious of the environment my son Jamie was growing up in. Since the cuisine was already organic, I started to apply this sustainable philosophy to the rest of the business as well.

By now my cleaning products are organic as well, our work clothing is made of organic cotton and we are the first restaurant in the Netherlands that is completely climate-neutral. All CO2 emissions my company produces are compensated for by planting trees or contributing to wind energy projects.’

Umoja needs to be at least as good as any other quality restaurant in Amsterdam, and be able to compete with them. The choices I’ve made focus on sustainability, but I don’t want my customers to experience any discomfort from me going sustainable and organic. My wine list needs to be just as good, with just as wide a range of choices as in other restaurants, and the same goes for the food. We now have three different kinds of fish that are all certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). We also have more organic vegetables, a wider selection in general. Another thing we do is ask our guests to pay an extra one euro as a contribution to the Umoja Fund. I started this fund together with Bløf; the band donates part of their ticket sales with the aim of setting up small-scale projects around Nepal and Tibet. We wanted to have our own fund, so the money isn’t fragmented and we know it’s put to good use.’

How did Umoja come about?

Are you still working as a chef now?

‘My brother-in-law plays in famous Dutch band Bløf. They made an album called Umoja, which means unity and solidarity in Swahili. The album took them around the world to places such as Kenya, Nigeria, India and Russia, where they collaborated with local musicians. During their extensive travels the band members became aware of local social and political situations in many parts of the world, as well as problems with the environment, fresh water supply and poor labour conditions. I was inspired by their stories and decided I wanted to go in a more sustainable direction. The restaurant I had at the time wasn’t suitable for the concept; it was more mainstream. Convinced this was the way to go, I launched Umoja Restaurant, keeping both the design and vision of the band’s album in mind. But my quest really started in the kitchen, trying to present the best products.’

‘When I started Umoja I decided not to be in the kitchen. Sustainable entrepreneurship is so much work; it takes a lot of time because you really need to go for it 100%. My job is to safeguard the concept. I look at things from a sustainable point of view and decide what we can and cannot do. People need to be educated and that goes for my staff as well. I set this up, but my employees need to think the same way. Fortunately, I have two incredible chefs who run my kitchen with passion and flair, and also have a keen eye for sustainability.’

How does the concept translate to the customers?

‘Most importantly, the concept translates into a good restaurant.

Good food, rich taste, nice wines... I explain in our menu where our products are from; flat screen TVs on the walls run clips to illustrate this. But again: quality is key. In order to be successful,

So it’s about sharing your vision?

‘I feel it is very important to try and get other chefs and entrepreneurs to see what I see. It is a way of thinking; we need a solid foundation to make it work. When you can remove the stigma from sustainability, and at the same time show that organic is much nicer, you can really make a difference. I feel Umoja does just that. It used to be ‘sustainable, and delicious as well’; now I think we’re at ‘delicious food, and sustainable as well!’

www.umojarestaurant.nl

FRANK VAN DER ZANDE

Feel-good food

032

THE CITY OF

NOORDWIJK

ON NOORDWIJK

Holland’s Finest Beach

N

oordwijk graces the shores of the North Sea at the heart of Holland’s economic zone. Situated between the swathes of colour that mark the famous flower fields, the North Sea dunes and the beach, this charming coastal town is also known as the ‘flower seaside resort’. With Amsterdam at less than a 30-minute drive away and both The Hague and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol at less than 20 minutes, Noordwijk is easily accessible. Once a small fishing village, Noordwijk now is one of Holland’s top congress locations.

Finest Beach Noordwijk truly is Holland’s finest beach. Stretching over thirteen kilometres, the beach at Noordwijk

offers peace and quiet as well as a host of outdoor pursuits, ranging from cycling the dunes to all sorts of water sports. A nice stroll down the beach or through the dunes and woods makes for a great break in between meetings.

Sculpture Boulevard There are special events in Noordwijk throughout the year. In winter Noordwijk transforms itself into a Christmas seaside town. In springtime you can savour the splendid colours and smells of the Flower Pageant, or find your own garden inspiration at the Garden Days. During summertime there are numerous beach parties and several culture festivals. The Beelden

Boulevard (Sculpture Boulevard) event for example transforms the seashores of Noordwijk into an open-air art gallery. Hidden between the dune grasses or placed majestically along the Koningin Wilhelmina Boulevard, dozens of monumental sculptures and installations loom large. The theme of this year’s Sculpture Boulevard is ‘9 meter plus’. The nine meters refer to the minimum required height of the sand dunes. The climate is changing and sea levels are rising due to global warming. The Netherlands have always battled the sea, but nowadays the pressure to protect the land against the rising sea is increasingly present.

The ‘plus’ refers to the extra safety that is added and symbolises the artistic

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FRESH DUTCH

From 15 to 21 June 2009, Noordwijk aan Zee will host the 11th Noordwijk Painting Festival. The festival aims to provide an ideal working location and ambiance for professional painters, reviving an old tradition, selling art as if it were fresh fish (direct sale, auction, art market), providing master classes and workshops for professionals and amateurs and involving the public directly in the art of painting. The theme of this year’s festival is ‘Outside-Inside-Outside’. Artists view the outside world, from outside to inside, subsequently showing their interpretation to the outside world by adding their personal signature. www.schilderfestival.nl

freedom for the sculptors to translate the evolving coastal landscape into a work of art. The free six-week exhibition will be formally opened on 6 June by Ronald Plasterk, the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science, and will run until 19 July.

Best of both worlds Noordwijk and its surroundings have a great deal to offer. The impressive historic city centre hosts a wide range of restaurants and theaters.

The area around Noordwijk offers access to the historically acclaimed city of Leiden, the lake district around de Kagerplassen, and of course the world-famous flowers of the Keukenhof. Visit in spring to

experience the full impact of the Keukenhof, the world’s biggest and most impressive flower gardens. With great hotels, professional congress facilities, a coastal setting with natural abundance and a wide selection of recreational options, Noordwijk offers the best of both worlds and will surely make your stay a fruitful one.

Facts & Figures Total amount of rooms in ★★★hotels 494 Total amount of rooms in ★★★★hotels 1,104 Total amount of rooms in ★★★★★hotels 662 Noordwijk - Amsterdam Airport Schiphol 25 km Noordwijk - Rotterdam Airport 40 km Biggest venue NH Leeuwenhorst Capacity largest auditorium 1,100 pax www.noordwijk.info

Opera aan Zee 20 May – 1 June 2009 Opera aan Zee (Opera by the Sea) is a summer festival aimed at giving young vocalists, conductors and musicians a performance venue.

The festival was first held in 1997 and is now in its 13th edition. At the festival, musicians have the chance to perform smaller, lesser known operas against the beautiful backdrop of Noordwijk, with the beach, the sea and the dunes as stunning natural scenery. The festival takes place from 20 May until 1 June and consists of several open-air concerts and opera dinners as well as a surprising programme on the theme of ‘the making of opera’. www.operaaanzee.nl

ON NOORDWIJK

The Noordwijk Painting Festival

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‘It is an enthusiasm to change things’

FRANCINE HOUBEN

Francine Houben

035 Francine Houben (53) is one of the few women to have reached a position of prominence in the field of architecture. In 26 years she built the renowned Dutch architecture firm Mecanoo; she also lectures all over the world and sits on the jury of many prestigious competitions.

Houben has many widely discussed projects to her name, including the library at the Technical University of Delft (1998), St Mary of the Angels Chapel in Rotterdam (2001), Montevideo in Rotterdam (2006) and FiftyTwoDegrees in Nijmegen (2007). La Llotja Theatre and Congress Centre in Llerida, Spain and Foxhill Residential development in Sheffield, UK, are scheduled for completion in the coming two years. The Wei-Wu-Ying Center for the Performing Arts in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, is currently under design development and should be completed in 2013.

M

ecanoo’s oeuvre is extremely broad in scope, ranging from houses, schools and complete residential areas to theatres, libraries and skyscrapers, parks, squares and highways, cities, rural landscapes reclaimed from the sea and urban masterpieces, hotels, museums and even a chapel. Houben enjoys interweaving social, technical, playful and humane aspects together to form a unique solution to each situation. She combines the disciplines of architecture, urban planning and landscape architecture in an unconventional way, maintaining a keen sensitivity for light and beauty. Her use of material is expressive. Houben: ‘To me, architecture is not a purely intellectual or conceptual game. In the end the result should affect all the senses.’

In 1999 Houben introduced the concept of the aesthetics of mobility as a new instrument for town and country planning. As professor of Aesthetics of Mobility at the Technical University of Delft in the Netherlands, she became director of the First In-

ternational Architecture Biennale Rotterdam from 2002-2003 on the theme of ‘Mobility, a room with a view’. In this biannual event, she brought mobility as it plays a part of our daily lives, to the attention of a large international audience. ‘The beauty of this profession is combining social, technical, humane and innovative visions. You are working for the future, investing in social solidarity. Simply put, it’s trying to make the world a better place.’

Houben’s work has always focused on the social aspects. ‘I think the social aspect has been the leitmotiv in my work. The social subjects I have tackled differ in each period of my career.

I started as an architect in the 1980s, when I felt it was important to take on social housing and city planning as a serious project and an architectural problem. Back then, few architects were interested in that aspect of architecture, which I think is evident in the houses that were built in that period. I advocated educational architecture, bringing the design of public space into my agency.’

FRANCINE HOUBEN

Making the world a better place

036 FRANCINE HOUBEN

Open Air Museum, Arnhem

Are your personal quests influencing Mecanoo?

‘Yes, they are. Often my team initially think: “what’s on her mind this time, what is preoccupying her?” But after a while they see the vision, and then we can try to do something with it. To me, the fact that I want to figure out these things by myself is a form of investing them with meaning, significance. I don’t do it from a commercial point of view; sometimes it comes from a sort of anger about what I see. Sometimes I don’t like the way things look, or the way things are being handled. It is an enthusiasm to change things. It can be tiring sometimes. When somebody asks me something, “imagine this or that, what if?” I immediately start dreaming about it, contemplating it.’

scape and natural light. This is different for each project. We are now designing a new library at the most important location in Birmingham, England. This West Midlands metropolis has so much history, but its master plan has been changed time and time again. I see it as a responsibility to combine all the historic periods of Birmingham in this library, to try to give it coherence instead of looking for an individual solution.’

Putting the sense back into the city?

‘Yes, I want my designs to convey coherence, to satisfy the demands of that specific venue. You need to find the best approach to suit the venue. Sometimes you need to be very exuberant, sometimes your designs need to be quieter.’

What’s occupying your mind at the moment?

‘I am currently involved in libraries as the new social heart of the city. That field is experiencing enormous development.

With the number of books steadily decreasing, other forms of communication will emerge, which demands a different approach in architecture. Besides that I still do housing, theatres and musea, aesthetics of mobility, etcetera, but there’s always some new thing that fascinates me, that I haven’t yet found the answer to, and I go and try to work that out. And luckily for me, I often then get assignments in that direction.’

Is Mecanoo typically Dutch?

‘Yes. Partly because I am Dutch, and at the same time, because we have seventeen nationalities working at our company. I think this reflects the openness of this country. Other countries often see us as blunt, but I think it’s a desire to communicate. In Mecanoo I want to try to bring the best of the world together, making it one big family. Many of the Mecanoo employees don’t have their family here, so the company becomes their family. Operating internationally gives you new insights. Everybody at Mecanoo brings new perspectives and opinions into the company.’

How would you describe the Mecanoo style?

‘I think it’s warm, human, playful with beautiful light, strong colour and strong materials and, most of all: designed with both feet firmly on the ground. We really try to use the land-

Despite working all over the world, you still feel Holland is your home?

‘Yes, I do. When you travel as much as I do, it is very nice to be

037 in Holland. I really love the changing of the seasons here. There are countries where the scenery never changes, especially in the tropics. In Holland we can have four seasons in one day, an ever-changing backdrop that inspires me as an architect. Bad weather, beautiful skies, sun, rain, I love Holland for that.’

In 2008 you received the Prix Veuve Clicquot, a Dutch award for best businesswoman of the year. Did that title come as a surprise?

‘At the office everybody laughed when I was awarded this title. I am an architect and an entrepreneur; I never call myself a businesswoman. To be able to practice the profession of architect the way I wanted, I needed to start up my own firm. For me, that was a completely logical way to do it, something that came naturally. But it was always about the profession of architect, about being artistic. Having a business never was a goal in itself.’

Where does the balance between the two lie?

‘The business aspect has always been something I just did on the side. This title focused a lot of attention on this aspect of my work, but it is not like being a businesswoman was my aim. I have learned by doing. To me, being a businesswoman has more to do with leadership. I really am a designer; creating things, having a vision, that is what I love. The other part I just do as well, and it combines effectively so far!’

Montevideo, Rotterdam

‘I never call myself a businesswoman’ Francine Houben ally outdated and unbelievable to think that making a profit and being sustainable should interfere with one another. The award highlighted the business aspect of my work, and I am quite proud of doing business in a sustainable way. The continuity of the agency, how you treat your employees, corporate social responsibility as an entrepreneur... I think these are all issues you have to deal with sustainably.’

Does the way you work reflect the current crisis?

‘In our whole style of social involvement in our work, we have always taken a back-to-basics approach. Countries such as Dubai and Russia have seen a major trend in which the sky was the limit.

With the current recession I feel society will be forced to go back to basics, which is not a bad thing. We as Mecanoo were never part of that megalomaniac culture; we have always been about sustainability. I think it is a social responsibility, really just thinking about your children’s children. But of course we are alert; it all has to do with leadership and responsibility. We built Mecanoo during the crisis of the 1980s and grew from there. We have faith in what we do and how we work: a good vision will always be in demand.

Are business and sustainability a good mix?

‘We have always practiced sustainable design. I think it is re-

www.mecanoo.com

FRANCINE HOUBEN

Library Technical University of Delft

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THE CITY OF

UTRECHT Experience the heart of Holland

ON UTRECHT

U

trecht boasts a tradition of business and pleasure dating back more than 1,200 years, making it one of the oldest and most charming cities in the Netherlands. Situated in the heart of Holland, Utrecht has a rich and layered history that is clearly reflected in its structure and architecture. Utrecht is the country’s fourth biggest city, yet it has still managed to preserve its local and authentic character. Utrecht’s many canals, characteristic waterside restaurants and numerous parks give this international centre of culture, education and industry its village-like feel.

Locations The energy and enthusiasm so characteristic of Utrecht can be attributed at least in part to the 64,000-plus students from all over the world who live in the city. Internationally renowned for the quality of its teaching and research, Utrecht University is the largest university in the Netherlands. Many international congresses are organised here, as the university has a fully equipped auditorium and congress centre in the city centre, as well as a campus on the east side of town to accommodate visitors.

Utrecht offers many special and inspiring locations for hosting congresses, such as the Media Plaza which primarily targets the IT sector, the Railway Museum which has its own congress centre, the Rietveld Schröder House and many other historic locations. The city lies at the heart of the country’s road and rail infrastructure, making Utrecht a logical base of operations for many major companies and multinationals. The NS Dutch Railway, DaimlerChrysler and Compaq/ HP are just a few of the businesses that are based in Utrecht, with many major

multinationals in nearby towns in the greater Utrecht area.

Festivals and museums Utrecht is a true festival city, offering a range of events throughout the year, including music, theatre, dance, film, sports and various other artistic activities. The lovely buildings of the Museumkwartier house such treasures as Utrecht’s Centraal Museum, presenting a large and varied collection of art divided into five departments: old masters, modern art, design, fashion and local history, as well as the Aboriginal Art Museum, Museum Catharijneconvent and the Sonnenborgh museum & observatory, the oldest dome observatory in the Netherlands. Utrecht’s compact city centre accommodates many fine restaurants, intimate cafés and trendy clubs, all within easy strolling distance, where you can enjoy a delicious dinner and dance the night away.

Heart of Holland Utrecht offers a unique blend of urban excitement in a small-town atmosphere. It boasts beautiful surroundings, historical features and a vibrant, international inner city, but it is first and foremost the tolerance and hospitality of Utrecht’s welcoming inhabitants that will surely get you in touch with the heart of Holland.

Facts & Figures Total amount of rooms in ★★★hotels 207 Total amount of rooms in ★★★★hotels 1,350 Total amount of rooms in ★★★★★hotels 91 Utrecht - Amsterdam Airport Schiphol 40 km

(32 min. by train) Biggest venue Jaarbeurs Utrecht Capacity largest auditorium 1,533 pax www.utrechtyourway.nl

Railway Museum

Dick Bruna House Dick Bruna, born 23 August 1927 in Utrecht, is a world-famous writer, artist and graphic designer. His best-known creation is without a doubt ‘Miffy’, a little rabbit drawn in the fewest possible lines and colours. Since Bruna created Miffy in 1955, the little rabbit has gained worldwide fame. Miffy books have been published in over 40 languages, selling nearly 85 million copies worldwide. The work of Dick Bruna is on permanent display at the Dick Bruna House, opposite the Central Museum in Utrecht. www.dickbrunahuis.nl

Aboriginal Art Museum The best place in Europe to experience contemporary Aboriginal visual arts from Australia is AAMU, the Aboriginal Art Museum in Utrecht. Every year AAMU presents two to three exhibitions that offer opportunities to explore the versatility, power and individuality of Aboriginal art.

In assembling its exhibitions, the museum draws on a growing network of artists, curators, museums, galleries and private collectors in the Netherlands, Europe and Australia. Visitors can learn about the similarities and differences between Aboriginal and Western visual arts and develop their own perspective on Aboriginal art. www.aamu.nl

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ON UTRECHT

FRESH DUTCH

040 BeeldenBoulevard Noordwijk

In the summer of 2009, approximately twenty monumental statues and installations created by top sculptors will arise along the Noordwijk seashore. Hidden between waving dune grass, lining a charming dune path or featured more prominently on the Koningin Wilhemina Boulevard, the special exhibition, called BeeldenBoulevard, will offer world-class art in one of the prettiest places of the Netherlands: the Noordwijk Boulevard.

The third edition of this biannual event will be on display from the beginning of June until 19 July 2009 and focuses on the theme of ‘9 Meter Plus’, referring to the changing climate and the rising sea level. www.beeldenboulevard.nl

Holland Festival Amsterdam Since 1947, the Holland Festival has been the biggest international performing arts festival in the Netherlands. The festival has had an illustrious history, with every artistic director taking it in new directions that have repeatedly made the festival the talk of the town for over sixty years. Since 2005, artistic director Pierre Audi has taken the Holland Festival back to its roots: a mix of all the performing arts, featuring big names and daring ex-

periments. Music theatre and music are at the heart of the programme, with Western and non-Western art forms going hand in hand. Besides the performing arts (theatre, music theatre, dance, opera and music) the event offers plenty of room for the visual arts, literature and architecture.

This year’s festival takes place from 4 to 28 June 2009. www.hollandfestival.nl

Festival Classique The Hague Festival Classique is a three-day festival offering classical music in a surprising, entertaining and accessible manner.

The historical city centre of The Hague, with its many special locations, sets the stage for celebrated artists and promising young talent. Festival Classique aims to offer a complete experience at the highest possible level for young and old, novices and connoisseurs alike. The 2009 edition takes place from 12 to 14 June 2009. www.festivalclassique.nl

Gas in Glass Groningen This year Groningen will see the 50th anniversary of the gas field in the nearby municipality of Slochteren.

Under the auspices of G50, a joint initiative by Dutch gas companies NAM,

Gasunie, GasTerra, in cooperation with the municipality of Slochteren and the province of Groningen, this anniversary will be celebrated exuberantly.

From 17 June to 1 November 2009, the Gas in Glass exposition will be on display on the Fraeylemaborg estate in Slochteren. The dynamic exposition will feature seven glass artworks inspired by the legislative history of gas. www.fraeylemaborg.nl

Parkpop The Hague

For years The Hague has been the Netherlands’ number one pop city: every reason for this to be the venue for one of our country’s oldest and largest pop festivals. Parkpop has a rich history, including star performances by a range of big names from the national and international pop world. The festival has grown from a single stage and a few thousand visitors to become a mega event with three stages, hundreds of thousands of visitors and a variety of activities in the centre of The Hague. Parkpop will be held in the Zuiderpark on 28 June 2009. www.parkpop.nl

André Rieu at the Vrijthof Maastricht This summer André Rieu, the worldfamous Dutch violin player from Maastricht, will be performing in the Vrijthof square. In honour of the occasion, the square in front of the Sint Jans church and Sint Servaas basilica, normally occupied by the patrons

from the adjoining bars, restaurants and terraces, will be transformed into an open-air stage. André Rieu and the Johan Strauss Orchestra will be performing at the Vrijthof on 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 July 2009.

North Sea Jazz Rotterdam

North Sea Jazz is the biggest jazz festival in the world. Just about every genre is represented – from traditional New Orleans jazz, swing, bop and free jazz to fusion, avant-garde jazz and electronic jazz. And it doesn’t stop at jazz; blues, gospel, funk, soul, hip hop, R&B, world beat and Latin enthusiasts revel in the musical extravaganza as well.

The 34th edition of the festival takes place from Friday 10 to Sunday 12 July 2009 in Rotterdam Ahoy. www.northseajazz.nl

Grachtenfestival Amsterdam The Grachtenfestival is an annual festival showcasing classical music and other concerts at special locations in the centre of Amsterdam and on the banks of the River IJ. New locations are added every year. These locations stand

Fresh Dutch Events

Noorderzon Performing Arts Festival Groningen

culinary highlights, take master classes from critically acclaimed chefs, as well as sample all sorts of food and drinks. A new feature added this year is the ‘Chef by the sea’ competition, where amateur chefs get a chance to show off their best work and vie for the winning title. www.culinairaanzee.nl

Preuvenemint Maastricht out because of special or monumental architecture and cultural and historical value: concerts on pontoons on the Amsterdam canals, in people’s houses and in monuments such as the Anne Frank House. Traditionally marking the kick-off of the classical music season, the Grachtenfestival takes place from 15 to 23 August 2009. www.grachtenfestival.nl

Bavaria City Racing Rotterdam

Formula 1 is out of reach for many people. The circus of glitter and glamour travels the world; during Grand Prix, it is almost impossible to get close to the action. Bavaria City Racing brings Formula 1 to the people!

On Sunday August 16 2009, Rotterdam will be all about car racing.

The inner city will provide the venue for the biggest event in the Netherlands: Bavaria City Racing. Roaring engines and burning rubber in the streets of Rotterdam! www.bavariacityracing.nl

In 2009, the Noorderzon Foundation will be organising the 19th edition of the Noorderzon Festival in Groningen from 21-31 August. The Noorderzon has grown from a small-scale music festival into an internationally renowned cultural event, spanning eleven days and receiving upwards of 135,000 visitors. The Noorderzon presents cutting-edge international cross-over theatre to a diverse audience. The festival sets out to provide a unique addition not only to the local cultural climate in the northern provinces of Holland, but also to the national and European cultural scene. www.noorderzon.nl

Culinair aan Zee Noordwijk During the Culinair aan Zee (Culinary by the Sea) event in Noordwijk, twelve top restaurants from the region will present their dazzling cuisine to the general public. On 21, 22 and 23 August 2009, visitors can feast on

world premieres, and a selection of the cinematic productions compete for the Grand Prize of Dutch Film, the Golden Calf for Best Film. During the festival, each film genre is allotted its own special day; retrospectives and special programmes offer a chance to review films from previous years. Talk shows, workshops, parties and exhibitions make the festival complete, a unique platform that highlights the very best of Dutch cinema. The 29th edition of The Netherlands Film Festival takes place in Utrecht from 23 September to 2 October 2009. www.filmfestival.nl

Yo! Opera Festival Utrecht

The Preuvenemint is a four-day culinary event on the Vrijthof square, held annually in the last full weekend of August, starting Thursday. As an event where you can taste all the good things of life, it functions as a giant open-air restaurant. Forty stands serve delicious food and wine, and visitors can enjoy a wide variety of live music. There is no entrance fee, and the proceeds go entirely to charitable causes. The 2009 edition of Preuvenemint will be held from August 27 to 30. www.preuvenemint.nl

The Netherlands Film Festival Utrecht Every autumn, The Netherlands Film Festival presents the latest crop of Dutch feature films, documentaries, short films and telefilms to the Dutch public as well as an audience of international and Dutch-based professionals. Many of these productions are

From Wednesday 4 to Saturday 8 November 2009, Utrecht will host the fifth edition of the Yo! Opera Festival. At this festival, the best international youth opera will be presented to the public in the local theatres as well as at special locations all over town.

The festival offers a great opportunity to enjoy the wonderful sound of opera, also enabling visitors to discover some of the beautiful theatres that Utrecht has to offer. Since it is the jubilee edition, special activities will be organised, such as workshops for teenagers with DJ aspirations and the Opera Flat: 25 mini operas performed on 25 doorsteps of a flat. Create your own opera simply by ringing the doorbell! www.yo-opera.nl

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reasons to choose Holland as the destination for your next event

1. Easily accessible

4. International outlook

8. Culture and entertainment

One of the reasons for the country’s

Holland has always been known as a

The Dutch cities offer a wide selec-

accessibility is Amsterdam Airport

tolerant country with an international

tion of concerts, museums, theatre

Schiphol. This airport offers excellent

outlook. This is a great advantage for

shows and dance performances, as

connections to local, regional and in-

an international convention. In addi-

well as other types of entertainment.

ternational airports. In addition, public

tion, the majority of the Dutch speak

There is more than enough to choose

transport is well organised and offers

excellent English and often can com-

from, ensuring an enjoyable social

a good alternative to travelling by car

municate effectively in another for-

programme.

within the Netherlands. The European

eign language.

high-speed train network will make

9. Price/quality ratio

Holland even more accessible in the

5. Professional organisers

The price/quality ratio of products and

near future.

Thanks to their ample experience in

services is excellent. Moreover, for-

organising conventions, you may rely

eign visitors may be refunded the 19%

2. Compact

fully on our professionals for the or-

VAT they have paid for certain services

A small country like the Netherlands fa-

ganisation of your international con-

and products.

cilitates quick and easy access to wher-

vention. The Dutch organisers are

ever you want to go. You will not lose

friendly, pragmatic and decisive.

any valuable convention time on travelling long distances. What’s more, Holland’s public transport system and road networks are reliable and efficient.

The Dutch welcome their foreign 6. Stable economic and political climate Holland enjoys a very stable economic and political climate. This allows you to

3. Convention infrastructure

organise a convention without any risks.

The Netherlands offers a wide range of restaurants and hotel accommodations, from pleasant budget hotels to five-star

10. Service and hospitality

7. State-of-the-art ICT infrastructure

accommodations. As a small country

Holland boasts efficient, multifunc-

with centuries of experience in interna-

tional convention centres equipped

tional relations, the Netherlands boasts

with state-of-the-art communication

an excellent convention infrastructure.

and audio-visual facilities.

Let’s meet in Holland! WWW.HOLLAND.COM/MEETINGS

guests with open arms. We are known for our enthusiasm to ensure that international visitors enjoy their stay.

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