In recent years, Dutch design has once again captured attention. Its unique conceptual approach is breathing a fresh, unprecedented wind into the world of interiors and products, which have been showing signs of stagnation. Unbound by existing genres, Dutch design is now extending its scope to encompass "food."

Now, what comes to mind when you think of representative Dutch food? You might be surprised to find that little comes to mind. In fact, the Dutch historically viewed food primarily as a functional means to "fill the stomach," and it wasn't an area that garnered much interest. However, as the Dutch public's interest in food culture has grown recently, there are designers who are presenting food as a contemporary cultural element by viewing it through the lens of design. One such designer is Marije Vogelzang. We had the opportunity to visit her studio in Amsterdam and glimpse her creative process.



Upon our arrival, we were welcomed with a delightful lunch designed by Marije.

The studio in Amsterdam is situated in a lush, green environment where a pleasant breeze flows through. While the setting alone, dining under the shade of trees, is deeply moving, the lunch itself is, of course, also filled with ingenuity.

The brown and white paper bags handed to us were catering sets containing quiche, scones, several types of sauces, and orange juice. We were instructed to eat with someone holding a bag of a different color. In reality, the dish is completed only when two people eat facing each other, forming a pair. Marije's presentation, brimming with creativity and the idea of "reimagining lunch as an opportunity for communication," immediately captivated us.



But who exactly is Marije Vogelzang?

She actually studied design at the Design Academy Eindhoven, which has produced numerous world-renowned designers such as Studio Job, Piet Hein Eek, and Hella Jongerius. After graduating, Marije also worked as a designer under Hella Jongerius, giving her a purely design-oriented background.

"I didn't study cooking in school. I design food purely as a designer," Marije explains. She gained significant attention with the opening of Proef, a restaurant in Rotterdam that emphasizes organic vegetables. However, this is just one facet of her work. To explore the diverse possibilities that emerge from viewing food as design, she conducts research and creates works at her Amsterdam studio, while also striving to promote food design.

While her past activities can be viewed on her website, we visited her Amsterdam studio, the hub of these endeavors. The studio/restaurant, housed in a renovated old building and open only on weekends, feels very much like a designer's atelier. Inside, items that inspire design are scattered throughout, embodying Marije's philosophy of not confining "food" to mere events on a plate.

What was particularly surprising was the "chicken" being raised within the atelier. The chicken Marije is holding is kept in a nest adorned with photos bearing names. Which chicken produced which egg? Marije believes that even a single egg requires research into its origin. This thorough dedication reveals that her food design is by no means superficial; it holds a wealth of hidden possibilities.

There are talks of enjoying her food designs in Japan this autumn. OPENERS will continue to follow her activities—


Marije Vogelzang

A food designer born in 1978. She graduated from the Design Academy Eindhoven in the Netherlands in 2000 and worked as a designer for Hella Jongerius for one year. Since her student days, she has explored new approaches to design, launching her design activities with food, the most intimate aspect of human life, as her theme.
In 2004, she opened her own design studio and restaurant, "Proef," in Rotterdam, Netherlands, which garnered attention among design enthusiasts.
In 2006, she opened "Proef Amsterdam," a food design atelier and restaurant, in the suburbs of Amsterdam, pioneering new frontiers in design with food as its theme.




PROEF
http://www.proefrotterdam.nl/

In cooperation with: Cultural Department of the Embassy of the Netherlands (http://www.mfa.nl/tok-jp/homepage), Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions (http://www.holland.or.jp/)