Contents

Cover Feature

40 Towards the future of furniture

Dutch designers have managed to secure worldwide recognition and put the Netherlands on the map with their fascinating work. In recent years, these talented creatives have also been looking towards the future and seeking new ways of merging design with sustainability. An exclusive interview with renowned Dutch designer and winner of the 2022 Dutch Design Awards, Ineke Hans.

Themes

12 Top design

Benelux has brought forth its share of influential designers and design movements. Known for applying their forward-thinking approach to everything from architecture to interior design, the region’s talented creatives have a knack for making art out of the ordinary.

18 Highlights from Alsace

Looking to sip earthy Pinot Noirs and zesty Rieslings with dedicated ‘vignerons’? Eager to step back in time while strolling through pristinely-preserved medieval cities and villages? Want to cycle through the region’s 2,500 kilometres of specially marked routes and greenways? Craving a (culinary) city trip? Alsace happens to be just the place. The top three things to do when visiting the region, plus a museum that will delight even the youngest visitors.

Business

22 Column, regulars and more

We take a look at the month ahead in Benelux business, as well as profiling the companies you need to know about.

Features

46 Plastic fishing for a clean future

Beneath the beauty of our waters lies an unfortunate reality: a growing tide of plastic waste. This pollution crisis endangers marine life, disrupts ecosystems and contaminates vital water resources. Luckily, it’s being met with a wave of bold and diverse initiatives targeting this global challenge – and they certainly don’t lack ingenuity!

50 Uncovering the Ghent Altarpiece

For more than 500 years, the Ghent Altarpiece has been the subject of mystery, a holder of secrets and a pivotal work in the history of art. It also holds the dubious honour of being the most stolen work of art, with everyone from Napoleon to the Nazis claiming it for themselves.

56 Welcome to Brussels!

If you’re planning a trip to the Belgian capital, this special will provide valuable information on everything from when to go and how to get there to practicing proper etiquette when dealing with the Bruxellois. We’ve also listed interesting places to visit and some of the city’s must-try culinary delights (because there’s more to Brussels than waffles and chocolate)! Plus, you’ll get to meet two of the city’s biggest icons – Jacques Brel and Manneken Pis. On y va!

80 Giethoorn – Slowing down in a water-laced Dutch village

Travel writers often describe Giethoorn, a mostly car-free medieval hamlet in the Netherlands’ northeastern Overijssel province, as a “fairytale village”. It’s an apt characterisation of a drowsy town of just 2,800 residents that seems plucked from a Grimm’s fable – a sleeping beauty who wakes up to let down her wavy hair for visitors from around the globe to admire.

84 Van Gogh and his food paintings

Though most of us associate Van Gogh with his Sunflowers, Wheatfield with Crows, Starry Night and numerous self-portraits, the artist also produced a variety of food-related paintings. These artworks give us a glimpse into the life of one of the Netherlands’ most renowned artists.