Studio Do-Make at Make Eindhoven
Design Academy Eindhoven students from Studio Do-Make attended Make Eindhoven for a 2-day workshop on soft metal techniques. Led by studio leader Nacho Carbonell and tutor Estela Saez-Vilanova, the students explored and combined new materials and techniques like etching, soft metal, and glass techniques.
Make Eindhoven, a long-term collaborator of DAE, allowed students to explore all three of their departments. This exploration was only possible with the expertise of the technicians from Make and their willingness to conduct a true collaboration, where both tutors and students learned from each other.
“The collaboration with Make Eindhoven was to introduce the students to different techniques relating to soft metal. This time, we worked with etching and bronze casting. We sculpted red suns, experimented with recycled glass, and modelled wax rings,” said Estela Saez-Vilanova.
One material outcome that both the students and tutors worked on together was the JELRIN technique. It was titled JELRIN because of the group of people who were involved: Joop, Estela, Lorena, Rino. This technique combined recycled glass from Make’s glass workshop and bronze casting. Although already a widely known technique, the tutors wanted to rediscover it through the students, learn alongside them, and facilitate the students' idea of self-discovery through materials.
Collaborations between tutors, industry experts, and students create a safe environment where mistakes are encouraged and often lead to new creative outcomes. Make is a permanent fixture in the Eindhoven landscape. Make is unique because it brings together three distinct facilities, glass, graphics, and metal, all under one roof. Artists, designers, and makers can move between these areas freely, combining techniques in new and unexpected ways. While this can feel daunting at first, Director Nico Thöne encourages that challenge. Make’s technicians are there to guide the process, helping people learn through doing, even when things go wrong.
“We’re not just offering a place to carry out an exercise; we’re offering an environment where people can take risks and combine techniques in ways that lead to something new,” said Nico Thöne, Director of Make Eindhoven.
For students stepping into a large, somewhat daunting facility like Make Eindhoven for the first time, the range of possibilities can feel overwhelming. But with guidance from experienced staff and encouragement to explore, the process becomes less about getting things right or perfect, and more about discovering what can be done.
“What’s brilliant about working with students who haven’t used these techniques before is that they’re not held back by habits or past experiences. They bring imaginative ideas, and we get to see where those ideas can lead,” said Nico Thöne, Director of Make Eindhoven.
DAE students spent two days at Make, exploring soft metal and glass techniques alongside tutors and technicians. Both students and tutors gained space to experiment, access to new techniques, and the opportunity to learn from mistakes. They also shared valuable time together as part of a community within Eindhoven’s creative ecosystem, making connections and growing as design practitioners. For Make, the collaboration brought fresh energy and new ideas that emerged from the students’ curiosity. By working with institutions like DAE, Make continues to develop its own practice, remaining open to new perspectives and staying connected to the next generation of makers. DAE’s collaborations invite exploration and support both success and failure. A true collaboration like this creates opportunities to learn together.
