Turn The Page #83 Light

Every student has a reason to love their faculty. For an Architecture student, it is probably the character of the building. For an Aerospace student, it must be the plane at the entrance. Each his own. For us , it is the square outside.

Our square is the place where we make and maintain friendships. Where we can catch our breath together. It cannot be a coincidence that such an open space entails the same open atmosphere. On days when the weather is nice, this feeling is enhanced. The herd of students then moves along in the direction of the sun. In between study sessions, starting on the stairs with a cup of coffee. Or after studying, ending on the hill with a beer. We tend to follow the light.

There are few places where I appreciate the sun as much as on our square. As soon as it shines, a blanket of peace and satisfaction covers us. It makes the greatest exam stress manageable, the most difficult subjects negotiable and the simplest moments precious.

This summer, I might be looking back on the past year with melancholy. Yearning for those happy moments on a sun-drenched square. Also reassured, knowing that there will be plenty like these to follow.

Chair of ID

While I’m writing this final editorial for you, the Sun shows itself a bit more during the day . It is funny to see what it does to people. Everyone is transformed into a little sunflower, following the sun with their face. It is like they are charging again, getting ready for the next challenge. I get it, not to be dramatic or anything, but sitting in the sun for thirty minutes can make me feel like I can take on the world again. It calms me down. There is a saying that goes ‘Every cloud had a silver lining’, which means no matter how bad a situation might seem, there is always a good aspect about it. I like to keep this in mind, it makes heavy situations seem a bit lighter. I mean, the glass is half full right?

While the last issue was about the dark, this one will be all about light. Our cover was even made with light! We made a cyanotype, which is a printing process that uses chemicals that are sensitive - and thus react to – ultraviolet lighting. Want to try this yourself? Lucky for you, you can buy your own cyanotype kit. Sietje already talked about our amazing square. Well, we had a talk with the designers of it! And guess what, our square has a much bigger meaning for the entire campus than you think. And that is not all, do you remember KAPLA? Those tiny wooden planks that you used to build bridges and towers when you were small? We had the chance to speak to the big man behind the small planks, you can read about him on page 18.

For this issue, we also collaborated with and spoke to students. This issue’s Podium shows the beautiful artwork of Sven van Leeuwen and you can read about the sustainable festival Festable or the creative workspace Oma Collective, created by three bachelor students. Feel like treating yourself to a nice gift? Head over to page 56, which shows different products made by IDE students.

So, find yourself a nice spot in the sun, lay down a blanket or sit back in a chair (one that you will not come out of for the next three hours), grab an ice-cold drink and enjoy this Turn The Page. Do not forget to put on some sun screen!

Isis Verhaag Chair

Isis Verhaag Chair

Emma Heilig Secretary

Thijmen de Ruiter Treasurer

Tjerk van der Weij External affairs

Yulan van Es Layout

Sinea van der Vlies Content

Isa Bingley Text Editor

Constantijn Hoctin Boes Publicity

Sietske van Bakel Editor in Chief

Blogs. Apps. Books. Events. +

by Yulan van Es

Every Friday night it is Kunstavond at Witte de Withkwar tier in Rotterdam. Kunstavond is organised by Kunstblock, a collaboration of the art institutions of the neighbourhood, to work together to create a broader reach. This is not only to attract more visitors, but also to have a greater impact within the art and urban environment.

On these Friday evenings, 6-9 pm you can either tour the area yourself for free or join a guided tour. You will be met by a versatility of contemporary art. Find more info on their website and enjoy!

1 dekunstavond.nl

When I get birthday cards from my grandparents, I can immediately tell it is from them, their handwriting giving it away. Our handwriting tells a lot about us, among other things it is influenced by the characteristics of the first language we learn and our (cultural) environment. Differences in these result in differences in the details of our handwriting, like the specifics of the shapes.

With Calligraphr you can create your own font. For example a font of your own unique handwriting! This way you can use this for graphic design or other digital projects, for a literal signature on your work.

1 calligraphr.com

You are listening to Londen frogs. This is what I said to the committee while browsing on aporee.com. Already feeling like you are missing out on this calming experience? On aporee.com you can find a map, not just any map, but a map of sounds. Sounds that are recorded in places all over the world. So you can listen to these London frogs with us, or a cow eating grass in Denmark or the geese from the suburbs of Berlin. Apart from gathering, archiving and sound-mapping, the website is also an investigation of the boundaries between different media and the public space.

1 aporee.org

A P OF SOUNDS

https://dekkie.com/

T U R E.

Developing your film is an exciting process, the outcome always a surprise. It is a process in which the outcome can be defined by little coincidences. The instagram page @f1rstoftheroll is dedicated to the little coincidences of the first frame of a 35 mm roll.

Sometimes, when browsing new places, you accidentally stumble on the perfect range of colours. It would be a shame not to capture it. With the app Adobe capture you just take a picture and it recognizes the colours in the frame, presenting you the RGB/CMYK/LAB/HSB codes and giving you the option to tweak them to your liking. The app can also recognize fonts, make patterns and more.

The best part about it? You can instantly save the colours to your Adobe library, ready to use in Illustrator or any other Adobe program of your choice!

Are you interested in discovering new musical artists and concert locations in Amsterdam? In 2011, Paradiso created the Indiestadpas for its indie brand. With this pass you can visit Indiestad concerts scattered over venues in the city. The pass is valid for a whole calendar year and only 35 euros.

They also have a Ticket to the Tropics-pass to discover dance music from all over the world. Both of them can also be great presents.

1 paradiso.nl/subbrand/indiestad

Another instagram to follow is @itsnicethat. This page features the work of different artists with different styles of different artistic media. This page forms an endless inspiration for colours, compositions, patterns and methods.

The instagram page functions as a gathering of snippets of different artists, up to you in whose work you would like to dive deeper. To top it off, they have a podcast for that! In the It’s Nice That Podcast their editors sit down to talk about building a career out of your creativity together with leading designers, artists, photographers and creative directors.

BITTERSWEET MEMORIES

Whether it is the smell of that lovely dish you always ate at your grandparent’s home, the music that was playing when you met your first love or the view of old photos that were taken in the midst of summer, we experience certain feelings when reliving the past. These ‘times gone by’ flash through our heads and sometimes leaves us with a smile on our face and other times with a feeling of emptiness.

by Thijmen de Ruiter & Isis Verhaag

Illustrating an image of nostalgia

The world we live in is partly driven by this bittersweet feeling of nostalgia. Movie remakes of old favourites such as Indiana Jones or the long-awaited release of Barbie are springing up like mushrooms in cinemas and on streaming services. Not to speak of the music we listen to that is imbued with a sense of ‘nostalgia’ such as the Beatles ‘Yesterday’ or ‘Summer of ‘69’. While nostalgia is firmly interwoven with our way of living, it is our task as designers to understand the concept and try to make the most out of it.

Before we start rattling about nostalgic examples in design, we must assess some common ground about our subject of the day. So, what encapsulates the true meaning of ‘nostalgia’? The old Greeks might have experienced nostalgia already, but they did not have the right word to describe it yet. They actually had two words, that were first coined by a Swiss physician as late as 1688, consisting of ‘nostos’ (return) and ‘algos’ (suffering). Combined, the words depicted a severe homesickness that arose with a strong yearning from the homeland. At that time, nostalgia was not seen as an experienced feeling but rather as a disease that was located in the brain. How interesting this may sound, we as designers are not going to perform any neurodiagnostic in the near future, so let’s take a leap forward to current times.

What does nostalgia encompass in 2023? In our opinion the ‘nostalgia’ that we’re currently dealing with has become somewhat idealized or maybe even romanticized. We adore the image of our favourite actor wandering through the streets of the village he used to live as a child, maybe even shedding a tear of how innocent life was back then. This is the ‘nostalgia’ that highlights the impermanence of life and the fleeting nature of time. A reminder that the past is gone, and all we have left are the memories...

How romantic this may sound, nostalgia in a designer perspective is more likely to be something humdrum. Nostalgia seen as part of our everyday lives, reminding us of earlier interactions with products and systems or linking experiences of our youths to the here and now. To dive directly into our designer lens, let us have a look at some nostalgic driven concepts of today.

Something old, something new

Take the instant camera for example. Over the last decade, cameras such as the Instax mini, have regained popularity. Photography itself has become more popular over the last few years. Cameras on smartphones can take photographs of extremely good quality and with social media apps like Instagram you can share these photos with a few taps on your screen. Even though there are enough retro filters to put over your digital photo, nothing really compares to the hazy, delicate look a real polaroid photo has. There is something special about instantly receiving a physical result when taking a photo. It is more precious, as it is unique and could have a few imperfections. We can keep the photos in a special box, hang them up on the wall or attach them to a gift for someone. With instant photography, there is only one copy of every photo which is why we value this print a lot. When taking photos on your smartphone, you could take tons of photos and store them on every cloud possible. Quality over quantity right?

Or take the ‘Oer’ radio. It was the mission of Oer to make music more accessible to elderly, especially those with dementia. Listening to music can have a very special effect on people with dementia, it has a positive impact on the brain. It could cheer someone up who is feeling a bit blue and bring peace when someone is a bit irritated. The Oer music player looks like a radio from the 1950s, so it could feel familiar and comfortable. It has one button and one flap, so it is easy to handle. When Oer launched the product, they got incredible responses. Someone who found it hard to talk, suddenly sang along to his favorite songs coming from the radio. 1

“Nostalgia weaves a thread that binds us to our past.”

Another great example of the positive impact of the use of nostalgia, is with the marketing and product development of Paper Boat. Paper Boat is a fruity beverage available in India. The four founders of Paper Boat Drinks wanted to launch a new soft drink. When one of them brought a drink from home, it clicked. They used to enjoy these homemade drinks daily, but they were not available on the market. When thinking about the development and marketing of the actual drink, they got their inspiration from those memories. It was their way of triggering emotions of consumers. The name ‘Paper Boat’ was derived from a game they used to play when they were little; folding a paper boat and putting it puddles during the rainy season. It brings back feelings of joy and playfulness. The flavour itself brings back memories and their advertisements remind you of childhood comics. The company has been growing steadily ever since and is now valued over $100 million.

A designers note

The success of Paper Boat aligns with a quote of sales expert Jason Warnock’s that “consumers crave nostalgia”. By tapping into these nostalgic sentiments, brands can establish a positive relationship with their audience, creating a deeper connection that goes beyond the mere exchange of products or services. A study even showed that consumers are willing to spend more money on products or services that create nostalgic feelings. A connection to other people is created when using memories and, in this atmosphere, values and relationships with other people are experienced as more important than money. A nostalgic design strategy could therefore lead to better commercial profits.

In addition to this, nostalgia can be something very powerful that transcends individual experiences. It has the ability to resonate on both a collective and personal level. By connecting us to our history, roots and identity, nostalgia weaves a thread that binds us to our past. Moreover, nostalgia proves invaluable in addressing the challenges to one’s self-esteem. By seeking refuge in an idealized past, individuals find solace and a renewed sense of belonging. Nostalgia becomes a catalyst for strengthening social bonds, as shared memories and experiences create a deeper connection with others. At last, during periods of significant transitions, nostalgia tends to intensify in individuals. The yearning for the past becomes more pronounced as a coping mechanism to counteract the negative effects of rapid change and instability. It serves as a soothing balm, offering a sense of comfort and familiarity amidst uncertainty.

So to conclude, in a world flavoured with nostalgia, our hearts long for the echoes of the past, (just like movie remakes and beloved melodies that sprout like wildflowers). Designers in this very instance hold the key to unlocking its magic, creating a symphony that resonates through time. Embrace nostalgia and watch as the ordinary becomes extraordinary, intertwining memories with modernity. 3

It is very likely that you played with this when you were little. It is a simple toy, maybe the simplest ever. KAPLA, short for ‘KAbouter PLAnkjes’, is a construction toy that was developed in the 1980s. The company has a turnover of roughly 6,5 million a year. We had a conversation with the founder of KAPLA, Tom van der Bruggen (1945) to ask him about the story of KAPLA and the success of such a simple product.

by Tjerk van der Weij & Isis Verhaag

It all started when Van der Bruggen needed to make a model for a small castle he was going to build in France. He found out that in order to make a proper construction, you need planks, not cubes. According to Van der Bruggen, a cube is theoretically the worst shape to make a construction toy with, despite it being very popular in the 19th century. “The pieces have to be able to interlock, you cannot do that properly with cubes. You need a plank. If you make the plank flatter, it becomes unstable and if you make it longer, it loses its expression.” The measurements of one KAPLA plank, 1:3:15, were derived from intuition, says Van der Bruggen. Not a lot of research or testing was done in order to find this perfect proportion.

Van der Bruggen made the first 400 boxes of KAPLA in his own workshop. Being overly enthusiastic, he thought he could just waltz up to any toy store and they would invest in his amazing product. Nothing could be further from the truth, none of the retailers showed any form of interest. Van der Bruggen did not give up, he started demonstrating KAPLA at

primary schools and sold a few boxes. When the interest in KAPLA grew, he sold his castle in order to invest the money back into KAPLA. After that the company took off in France. “In the Netherlands, they did not want to know about it, not for ten years. They were not interested in the toy itself. After a while, people realised that playing with KAPLA was beneficial for children’s intelligence and education and started investing in KAPLA. It shows that we wanted toys that would contribute to the creativity and intelligence of children.”

Selling his castle was a big sacrifice, though it shows that Van der Bruggen is no quitter. He is an optimist as well as a romantic. “When times get rough, you need to be strong. I always say things will work out. Even if this earth goes down, there may be a billion other ‘earths’ where things will be better.” Culture is extremely important to Van der Bruggen. “If the basic conditions (good health and living conditions) are there, culture and beauty is the most important thing there is, it is what makes life interesting.”

“Culture and beauty is the most important thing there is, it is what makes life interesting.”

Van der Bruggen says that looking back, he could not have gone to a technical university. “As a kid, I was not a good student. I was very artistic. I took a few classes in art history, but eventually left secondary school and was a selfemployed antique dealer by the time I was twenty. Art and architecture have always fascinated me. Architecture for example, involves engineering but also a lot of philosophy. How are things put together? How do people meet? It is all very interesting.”

When Van der Bruggen was a child, he played with something called the Bailey Bridge. “I was born a few days after the Second World War. It was an incredibly beautiful time. I used to play with Bailey Bridge with my grandparents. It was a construction toy to build bridges with.”

Construction toys like Bailey Bridge and KAPLA involve a lot of creativity. “Playing with it, you start to see the consequences of all the different possible combinations. You start to understand it by touching it, feeling it and trying things out, not by thinking about and trying to understand it, which is something adults tend to do.”

The success of KAPLA cannot be denied. What advice could Van der Bruggen give for becoming successful? “I am going to say something very annoying. Something that all the rich people say: work hard. Work hard and do not think that everything is achieved with a simple idea. You have to persevere. I always say that you cannot have a tree without a seed. But the seed is not the tree. You need soil and water. You have to keep watering the seed in order for it to grow, just like you have to do with an idea or invention.”

As of right now, Van der Bruggen has been really busy with his new product that has been released last Spring. “For the past ten years I have been working on these

new dollhouses and palaces. The first five years were not as intense compared to the last five. I even work on Saturdays and Sundays. But I have to say, it has become something extraordinary. It consists of a number of components: gates, windows, doors and banisters. The possibilities are endless. It will be available on the internet and then we will make what you ordered. I would say that KAPLA is the mother and Tomtect, another technical toy I made, is the father. They had a genius child, and this being the dollhouses and palaces.” When we asked Van der Bruggen if he is going to retire after the release of this new toy, he laughed a bit and said, “I’m obviously not going to relax, that is not in my nature.” 3

by Sietske van Bakel pictures by Isis Verhaag

by Isis Verhaag

Yos is telling Bram and Hidde about his project. He just moved into a small apartment and is making wooden closets on wheels under his bed, that way he has more storage room. He puts them away and an old wooden desk is revealed. “Yeah we got this from another man in the building, he was going to throw it away and asked if we wanted to have it instead. It must be ninety years old by now”. How Oma claims to have gotten most of their supplies was happening right in front of me. Just when Yos leaves, Mink enters the 75 m2 room. “Heeeyy” echoes through the room and the three guys give each other a hug. It does not take long for Mink to find the chocolate peanuts and four Hertog Jan beers find their way into our hands.

Mink, Bram and Hidde (second year students) used to have weekly meetings at the Coffeestar, but this was the first time they saw each other in a while. The meetings in Coffeestar took place after they rented the space in the Schiehallen, but did not really have a plan yet. “Alright, what now?”

At the start of the summer of 2022, there was a plan (or maybe it was a joke) to start a new student association. The fact that Bram and Hidde were a bit hungover might have played a role in this fantasy. They noticed they had a lot of creative people around them who wanted to make and create stuff (all sorts of stuff really), but did not have a place to do so. Excitement took over and Mink enters the formula. “Mink was exactly what we needed, he was excited and ready to buckle down”, Hidde says.

Mink immediately went on the hunt for a space. The Schiehallen turned out to be a success, even though the first space they were offered was a bit small. They ended up getting ‘the ugly duckling’. It was full of garbage, but this could easily be recycled and used for projects, according to the boys.

From the beginning, it was the goal to create a community. “It felt wrong that the three of us were going to decide what was going to happen with Oma, so we organised a meet up day. “Around forty people stopped by”, says Bram. “I think it were sixty!” “No man, eighty people”. Alright, for the sake of the story, a hundred people stopped by. Together, they brainstormed on the empty walls about the potential of Oma. ‘What could everyone contribute to Oma?’ and ‘what could Oma contribute to you?’ were written big on the wall. Fast forward half a year. Hidde made the first ‘Oma’ racing bicycle and Bram just surfed his first hand-made board. Well, you might not call it ‘surfing’, but the fact that there were not any waves is not his fault and at least the board floated.

For now, projects are still running in these four walls, from photography to knitting and wood working to painting. Hidde is planning on making an oak wooden desk for his new room, Mink would like a ‘Tiny Desk’-like concert and Bram wants to build his own boat. Eventually. Dream big right? With a community of 15 active members and maybe a hundred people waiting to get creative, who knows where Oma will be in a few years! 3

The energy between Mink Spaan (20), Bram Vossen (24) and Hidde de Cock (20) is dynamic and inspiring. The three guys on the start and creation of Oma Collective, a space where inspiration and creation meet.

by Constantijn Hoctin Boes

a summerst ry by ChatGPT

layout

Turn The Page:

Hey ChatGPT, can you write a short summer story, with the theme light, in a romantic writing style?

ChatGPT:

The sun beat down on the pavement, heating up the city like a hot iron on a shirt collar. People moved slowly, languidly, seeking out the cool relief of shadows and ice cream cones.

In the park, a group of children ran through the sprinklers, shrieking with delight as the water sprayed them with refreshing droplets. Their laughter filled the air, like the tinkling of tiny bells.

Sitting on a bench nearby, an old man watched them with a smile. His wrinkled face lit up with joy at the sight of their carefree play. He closed his eyes, basking in the warmth of the sun on his skin, feeling the lightness of the moment.

As he sat there, he thought about all the summers that had come before this one. Memories flooded his mind, of lazy afternoons spent reading in the shade, of long walks on the beach, of the taste of watermelon and the sound of crickets at night.

But for all the summers that had passed, this one felt different somehow. There was a new lightness in the air, a sense of possibility that he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

Maybe it was the way the sunlight danced on the leaves of the trees, or the way the breeze carried the scent of blooming flowers. Or maybe it was simply the joy of watching those children play, free from worries and cares.

Whatever it was, the old man knew that he wanted to hold onto this feeling forever. He wanted to live in the lightness of the moment, to savor every second of this perfect summer day.

And so he sat there, on that bench in the park, with a smile on his face and a heart full of gratitude, soaking up the light and warmth of the sun, and feeling truly alive. 3

COL OUR FUL PEO PLE

‘You are such an idiot!’ Ever heard that before? It is a common phrase for people to use when disagreeing on a matter. But what do we actually mean by it?

by Emma Heilig

With some humans you experience an instant click, while others take a lot of work and effort to communicate with. How people behave is caused by a combination of things. Part of it is genetic, buried deep into our DNA, while another part is learned from experience. These infinite possible personalities make it hard for people to understand one another; it is almost impossible to know what another person is thinking. If we find ourselves annoyed by other people’s behaviour, chances are we are simply failing to understand the way they think.

This exact phenomenon was researched by psychologist William Moulton Marston. He created a model, named the DISA-model. The model shows that humans can be divided into four different behaviour types, with each their own specific personality traits: red, yellow, green and blue.

Reds have the dominance trait. They are extraverted and very driven, but are also likely to be hot tempered. They are hard workers and quick decision makers, yet they don’t thrive without some form of competition. Reds, while being very direct can perceived by others as judgemental and blunt.

Yellows are entertainers. They are optimistic and do not see limitations, making them really good problem solvers. Their downfall? Yellows are quick decision makers, just like Reds, but forget to be rational first. To others, a Yellow’s behaviour may be misjudged for carelessness and selfishness.

Greens are much more calm. They are introverts and great listeners, which can sometimes give the impression of them not being assertive. On the other hand, they are easy going and supportive, making them good team players. The biggest challenge Greens have to face is themselves; they tend to exaggerate their weaknesses instead of their strengths, unlike Reds and Yellows.

Blue people are analytic. They have a tendency to follow the rules very closely and think well before they speak. They work systematically and are very precise. This makes them reserved and task-oriented people, which is why they work well together with Greens and Reds. Others might perceive Blues as evasive and even boring, but it is simply their radical mind speaking.

with Blues. Where a Blue will do adequate research, a Yellow will dive right into the task, without a clear plan. Another good combination will be Blue and Green. They both like to take their time before starting a project and will feel secure because they are both introverts. Another interesting and unexpected pairing is Green and Yellow. Even though they are polar opposites, they will work well together because they will make space for each other to be themselves.

As said earlier, some colours work better together than others. A Red and a Green for example is not the best combination. Greens are passive and Reds are critical and always in a hurry. This cooperation will lead to angry Reds as they believe Greens do not work fast enough. Reds will, on the other hand, work well together with Blues, because they are both very task orientated. However, outside the work field it will be hard for them to connect. A better combination is Reds and Yellows, they radiate the same kind of energy and are both extravert and verbal. Yellows should however, never be paired

After reading this, you are probably thinking: ‘I can recognise myself in multiple colours, so where do I fit in?’ This is totally understandable, since it is rare to come across a person that fits entirely into one of the four behaviour types. Most people have a combination of traits and are therefore a mixture of the colours. This makes it harder to analyse other people’s behaviour, but if you take your time and try to understand them, it will make working together a lot easier.

So next time one of your colours tries to take the upper hand in a disagreement, take a step back and use your blue traits to analyse the behaviour, sprinkle in a little green to keep your composure and stay positive like a Yellow. Combine this with the persistence of your red side and you will be turning these ‘idiots’ into perfectly understandable people. 3

“I can recognise myself in multiple colours, so where do I fit in?”

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, is an old Greek saying, but with beauty principles and standards surrounding us, is it really true? Is beauty a personal preference or is it universal?

by Sinea van der Vlies

What do you think about when you think of beauty? Do you think of beauty products or that hot Instagram model? Now think of your favourite colour, a great artwork, or the landscape from your latest holiday? While you might think these are indeed also beautiful, you should think about the feeling you got from enjoying them. Is it the same feeling you get as from thinking of beauty products or scrolling through Instagram?

A long time ago, when we, humans, were still hunters and gatherers, perceiving beauty was essential. Plants and animals that had features containing beauty principles like symmetry were healthy to eat, whereas fruits from trees that hung asymmetrically, for example, were not. Humans also tend to find harmless flora and fauna more beautiful than those which seem more dangerous. Recognizing beauty was therefore a useful surviving tool.

We are not the only species that perceive beauty. Other species also attract each other with beautiful shapes, colours and sounds. Birds sing for each other and show their extraordinary feathers to mate and bees feed from colourful flowers.

What beauty actually is, is quite hard to define. Although, we can give it a try by examining this concept of beauty psychologically. There is a part of the brain that is shown to be busy when we are seeing something we think is beautiful. In this part of the brain, stimuli of taste and odour are rewarded. Good food makes you feel good and things that smell bad discourage you to eat them. Therefore, beauty seems to be something we can enjoy and want to have more of just like we can enjoy food and smells.

In product design, aesthetics is also used for a broader enjoyment of a certain product. Beauty principles like Gestalt Laws can make a product more usable, and its attractiveness can make it sell better! Anyways, we learn this in our design courses already... We should stress this feeling of pleasure derived from beauty more often. After all, it cannot hurt to think something is beautiful. What it can do to enhance our lives is what ultimately matters. Let us focus on how it can make us happy. Let us make use of our gift to find happiness in beauty. Surround yourself with things you think are beautiful.

Remarkably, finding food tasty or odours pleasant is still relevant to our survival, but, unlike for the birds and the bees, for us, perceiving beauty is not. Nowadays humans do not have to worry about recognizing healthy plants and animals anymore, still there is this satisfying feeling we get from beauty. The feeling you get from watching a sunset or picking a bouquet of flowers. A feeling that has the sole function of evoking enjoyment.

After all, beauty principles exist, but beauty itself is perceived in the eyes and experienced in the mind of the beholder. If beauty standards do not give you this pleasing feeling of beauty, then do not mislead yourself by them. Strive for the things that you think are aesthetically pleasing. Let beauty truly be in the eye of the beholder. 3

“Let us make use of our gift to find happiness in beauty.”

A project by 4TU

The idea of a “cyborg plant” may sound like science fiction, but researchers from the 4TU federation of Dutch universities are making it a reality with their “Plantenna” project. By integrating electronic and biological components, the project aims to create a new generation of plants that can sense and respond to their environment in unprecedented ways. And while the project is still in its early stages, it could pave the way for a new era of sustainable agriculture and environmental monitoring.

by Constantijn Hoctin Boes

The project

At its core, the Plantenna project is all about exploring the electrical properties of plants and using them as low-cost and environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional metal antennas. Plants, as it turns out, are remarkably good at conducting electrical signals, thanks to their vascular system that allows them to transport water and nutrients throughout their tissues. By tapping into this natural ability, researchers can turn plants into living antennas that can transmit and receive signals over a range of frequencies.

To create a plant antenna, the researchers first need to select a suitable plant species that can withstand the electronic components and provide a stable base for the antenna. They then implant the electronic components into the plant’s tissues, using techniques such as nanowire growth or 3D printing. Finally, they connect the electronic components to the plant’s natural electrical network, allowing it to function as an antenna.

The resulting plant antenna can be used for a range of applications, such as wireless communication, environmental monitoring, and even energy harvesting. For example, a network of plant antennas could be used to monitor soil moisture and temperature levels in agricultural fields, allowing farmers to optimize irrigation and fertilizer use. Similarly, plant antennas could be used to detect pollutants in the air or water, providing real-time data on environmental quality.

Potentials

But the Plantenna project is just the beginning of what could be a much larger field of research on cyborg plants. By integrating electronic and biological components, researchers can create plants that can do much more than just sense and respond to their environment.

One potential application of cyborg plants is in energy production. By harnessing the natural process of photosynthesis, researchers can create plant-based solar cells that can convert sunlight into electricity. These plant-based solar cells could be integrated into building facades or other urban environments, providing a sustainable source of energy that also improves air quality and reduces urban heat island effects.

Another potential application is in the field of biorobotics. By imbuing plants with actuation capabilities, researchers can create plant-based robots that can move and interact with their environment. For example, a plant-based robot could be used to explore hazardous or inaccessible environments, such as nuclear power plants or space stations. By combining the plant’s natural ability to self-repair with electronic components that provide sensing and actuation, researchers could create highly resilient and adaptable robots.

Challenges

Of course, realizing these ambitious goals will require a lot more research and development. The Plantenna project is just the first step on a long and exciting journey towards cyborg plants in agriculture and beyond.

One of the challenges that researchers will need to address is ensuring the safety and stability of the plant-electronic interface. This to prevent damage to the plant or unintended effects on the environment. Also they need to develop new materials and fabrication techniques that can integrate electronic components with plant tissues in a reliable and scalable manner. A last example is the optimizing of the performance of plant-based electronic devices. Otherwise the plantborgs may not function reliably in all environments and conditions.

Despite these challenges, the potential benefits of cyborg plants are enormous. By integrating electronic and biological components, researchers can create a new generation of plants that can solve some of the biggest challenges facing our planet, from food security to environmental sustainability. With the Plantenna project as a starting point. 3

AWKWARDNESS OF CHANGE

by Tjerk van der Weij

Most people want to do something good in life, but doing good can be hard in practice and socio-economically challenging. Students want to take good care of nature, but organic food is expensive. Students want to create a positive or at least a less negative impact on nature, but yeah we want to see the world as well? How do you cope with doing things you love but that are damaging to the planet? You know that meat, and even dairy products come with animal harm. How do you not get paralyzed, and keep doing good things while still embracing that no one is purely ethical?

Personally, I find it hard to deal with these things. You know a bit about what is good and what is bad for the planet, but how do you still enjoy things with a negative impact? For me, this dilemma most noticeably turns up when booking vacations. Of course, I would like to see the world and go on adventures like my parents and maybe even my grandparents could without thinking too much about the consequences for the planet. But once you know, you know. And you can’t unknow it. It is the burden of knowledge that stops you from enjoying things you could have experienced great joy from. You wish that you could travel the world without having this impact, or could eat a delicious steak without killing that animal you love. But, unfortunately, it remains impossible. You either skip the activity completely, or you do so with the knowledge that it comes with painful consequences. Or you find a balance, as most people do, I would think.

However, this balance is constantly changing with new research, new opinions and new Zeitgeist. It is this balance that is so amazingly hard to find, but maybe that is life. You need to ponder to make it all work. But I would claim that people with these active contemplations are already on the right path. The fact that you are already aware of your thoughts and actions, and you reflect on them with good understanding and knowledge, makes you consciously aware of your impact. And I would still prefer to be a conscious thinker over an ignorant-blissed handler. Although the latter probably makes your life a whole lot easier. 3

Summer Nights

by Emma Heilig

‘Should we just do it?’ whispers ___________________ while looking down on my phone.

NAME OF OLD CRUSH

I think about it for a moment. Me and my friends from ____________________________

NAME OF MOST RECENT GROUPCHAT have been drinking some __________________ since _______________ . Today was a FAVE SUMMER DRINK TIME RIGHT NOW beautiful summer day and we decided to all get together at __________________ when out FAVE PICNIC SPOT of nowhere ________________ showed up. ‘I am not sure what they will think.’ I say. I was only THE OLD CRUSH

_______________ drinks in, but the sun makes people do crazy things. We hadn’t talked HOUSE NUMBER since ___________________ , but boy are we on the same page. ‘If we act quickly they won’t YOUR BIRTHDAY MONTH even notice.’ I still remember one ___________ during the ________________ season, when PART OF DAY ACTIVITY YOU ENJOY we had to make a similar choice… ‘_______________ !’ Startled by the voice, we look up from SYNONYM FOR NO the phone. ‘You guys are not doing that! I simply cannot let you guys order pineapple on pizza again!’ 3

HELPING STUDENTS THROUGH THE COLD

This autumn and winter we all experienced surging energy prices. For students, poor insulation of student houses makes these matters worse. Stijn Blaas (24) and Wessel Donkervaart (25) of Social Hub tackle this issue in the “ Helping students through winter ” project.

by Tjerk van der Weij

What is Social Hub?

The organisation Social Hub started during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lots of student initiatives were launched which often had a hard time in receiving funding. Social Hub can help out these initiatives by acting as a social incubator. If students have a cool idea, they can contact Social Hub and use their wellestablished network and close ties with the municipality.

How did this project start off?

The project to start insulating student houses began during a brainstorming session between the municipality and Social Hub about helping the citizens of Delft to get through the winter months. While already a lot of social housing was being insulated, students were still running behind. That is when Social Hub came in to play.

Radiator foil

Window foil

What is the main problem being tackled?

Stijn states students quite often end up in a quarrel with their landlords. As there is no financial or regulatory motive for landlords to invest in the insulation of student houses, hardly any action is taken. Stijn and Wessel are still finding out ways to engage landlords in this project and help students address their landlord about their moral obligation: to help with the insulation of houses and collaborate with

DE SOCIAL HUB PROJECT

Which student houses can benefit the most?

Social Hub can primarily help students living in a student house with lots of single glass windows, where energy savings can reach an improvement of thirty percent. Foil is applied on the single glass windows, which creates an insulating layer of air. In addition, all kinds of insulation tools can be used: draft strips, radiator foil, pipe insulation and more. The idea of the project includes more than just insulation, as Stijn says they also want to raise awareness about the sustainable use of water, electricity and gas. Student houses also have the option to receive water-saving shower heads, 3-min hourglasses for taking showers and timers to turn off sockets.

What is next?

At the moment, the project led by Stijn and Wessel is still in its pilot phase. The pilot contains ten houses. As of this moment it has started with three houses, of which my student house was the first one! There currently is no promotion and awareness is only passed on by word of mouth. It is facilitated and subsidized by the municipality, but once the pilot runs successfully and they can prove that it helps students in reducing their energy bill and raising living comfort, the project can be scaled up. Next winter, hopefully many student houses can be made more sustainable. And your next student job might be sticking window foil. 3

Ongeroerd

by Thijmen de Ruiter

Liggend op een bed van onbewogen lakens omhoog kijkend naar stilstaande witte wolken

De ochtendschemer streelt langs ons gezicht

Je hand ligt in de mijne Mijn dijbeen raakt de jouwe

Een geluidloos behoud van het nu, als luchtdeeltjes om ons heen dwalen.

Samen verbloemen we het verstrijken van de tijd.

Blijven voor altijd zo liggen, verdronken in het ogenbli

Het galmen van kerkklokken doet ons echter beseffen, dat het gespannen doek aan stilte gescheurd is.

Héél even waren we verlicht in het moment.

The last page, time to reflect.

Time to take a breath, ventilate, look back, circle, change perspective, get lost, see the light, marinade, navigate, turn. How do you reflect?

Looking at the illustration, I can not help reflecting on an experience I had in my first year in Delft. Together with my friend and their housemate we were looking at the Turn The Page that just came in the mail. The housemate told us that, as he had once been the commissioner of Layout, it was a really cool experience to have your design on the cover. This is the image that will travel through the post and is the first to be seen as it travels through hands. Impressed, I found myself thinking that I would never be able to do that.

Well, here we are! The cover of the Turn The Page you are currently reading is already my second and, sadly, also last. As I tried out different kinds of media, the creation sparked some frustration but mostly a lot of joy. For this cover, I went into the light to create some cyanotype prints.

Official body of ID

Volume 24 / Issue 83

June 2023

Turn The page is issued two times a year.

Contact

ID study association

Landbergstraat 15

2628 CE Delft

+31 (0)15 2783012

www.studieverenigingid.nl

Comments, questions, compliments and remarks can be sent to:

turnthepage-svid@tudelft.nl

Issues

1975 Copies

Press

Opmeer papier pixels projecten

TTP Thanks

Sophie Aulbers, Stijn Blaas, Robert Bronwasser, Tom van der Bruggen, Oma Collective, Henk Jan Oudenampsen, Charlotte van Stratum, Student in de Zon, Anne Marie van der Weide

Lyrics on the back by Michael Kiwanuka, Light (2019)

Subscription/advertisement

Members of ID receive Turn The Page free of charge. A yearly subscription costs €9,50 (2 issues).

Want a subscription or publish an advert?

Please contact turnthepage-svid@tudelft.nl

Copyright

The committee has strived to own the copyrights of the included texts and images. However, if you believe you own the rights to a piece that has been used, we request you to contact us. Nothing from this issue can be reproduced. The committee claims the right to shorten, alter or refuse submitted pieces.

The Communication department of the IDE faculty and the Alumni Association have contributed to this Turn The Page.

LIGHT - Michael Kiwanuka

Too far to run Fall on your knees

To find a love You’re light for me

My only sun You’ll always shine For me