Opening Academic Year 2026-27
On a sun-dappled day, the spacious patio of Natlab, now theater and cinema, received the incoming BA and MA students and welcomed back the existing cohort and educational and organizational staff. The inner yard grew more and more crowded. The initial calm assembly slowly evolved with warm embraces and cheerful chatter in every corner. The reception officially opened with the cheerful welcoming words from the community manager, Matteo Proietti, who invited the gathering around the shaded center. There, the Chair of the Executive Board, Raf De Keninck, stepped in for introductory hellos and remarks.
Following his keen greetings, and during his elaborate and radiant speech, Raf de Keninck shared his reflections on rearrangements within the school and in the outside world. Introducing the unravelling case of the Klamath River as an analogy, Raf De Keninck pointed out how climate change, technological developments, and shifts in geopolitical relationships call for fundamental changes, adding, “The most difficult part is daring to look again at something that has become so familiar that we have forgotten it was once a choice.”
Raf further addressed the upcoming relocation of the school, a multiyear phased move that is scheduled to finish by 2028. His words gave a new, generous outlook to the plans: ”We want openness while also needing safety. We want room for experimentation while also creating places where people can concentrate. We want to connect deeply with our surroundings without losing our own identity.”
Raf’s ardent messages enthralled the gathered attendees as he continued with encouraging words towards more dynamic relations between students, educators, and staff, for "...there is something we do share. The responsibility for the question of what kind of academy Design Academy Eindhoven wants to be in a world that is itself undergoing profound change.” Before concluding, Raf De Keninck invited all to “...not wait until the future becomes clear, but to engage with it. To investigate it. And, where necessary, to create the conditions from which something new can emerge.” The enthusiastic applause that followed marked the inauguration of a profoundly engaging and truly exciting academic year ahead.
On that final note, everyone dispersed throughout the courtyard to enjoy refreshments served by BA alum Sterre Dingemanse in collaboration with Waterschap De Dommel, devour vegetarian BBQ sandwiches by student Ramses, and interact with the playful installation by BA alum Daisy Dawson. Meanwhile, Elevator Radio DJs and alumni Zoé Bruhat and Noa De Sousa Costa provided the vibrant soundtrack to the afternoon. Lively conversations in small and large groups animated the patio until the golden hour.
