Die Neue Sammlung – The Design Museum
shows the first big exhibition
by Klarenbeek and Dros.
The exhibition is called:
Design of the Unusual.

Eric Klarenbeek and Maartje Dros
are 2 designers from the Netherlands.
Since 2004, they create new natural materials
for their designs.


The materials come from nature.
They do not harm people, animals, or the environment.
The materials are good for the climate and for nature
because they do not produce any bad waste.
You can also say:
The materials are bio-degradable.

Klarenbeek and Dros are the first designers
to work with mycelium from fungi.
Mycelium is the part of the fungi that grows underground.
Mycelium is made of long threads that look like thin roots.
The mushrooms then grow from these threads in the soil.

The designers also combine mycelium
with algae, seaweed, and moss.
Algae and seaweed are plants that grow in water.

Eric Klarenbeek and Maartje Dros often
use a 3D printer to make their objects.
3D is short for 3 dimensions.
If an object has 3 dimensions,
it is not flat like paper.
It also goes upwards and to the side.

The material in the printer is like liquid dough.
The printer spreads thin layers on top of each other
to build an object.
The material then dries and hardens.

Eric Klarenbeek and Maartje Dros
work with local companies on their projects.
They want their design objects
to be useful in everyday lives.
That is why they design objects
for indoor and outdoor use.

One part of the exhibition shows
the most important developments by the 2 designers:
– Furniture made from mycelium.
– Glass made from diatoms. Diatoms are a type of algae.
– Containers made from renewable raw materials.

Another part of the exhibition shows
how Klarenbeek and Dros work.
They want to take responsibility for people and for nature.
The exhibition draws attention to their experiments.
They made experiments in nature and in the laboratory.

Klarenbeek and Dros also use algae
to make colorings that still smell like algae.
These colorings were used to make the wall paint and
the fabric for the curtains.
There are dried Saccharina algae hanging in the exhibition.
They also still smell like algae.

The designers made a cream from salt and algae.
The cream’s packaging is also made from algae.
This shows that algae can be used in many ways.
 
Klarenbeek and Dros also
made an audio tour for their exhibition.
Visitors can hear more about the designers’ projects.
There are seating areas for visitors.
The seats are made from a bio-degradable material
using a 3D printer.

Klarenbeek and Dros believe
that good design is not only for everyday lives.
And they also want to protect nature through their work.
That is why they create ideas for a future
without energy from oil, gas, or coal.

This is a note for our visitors:
The exhibition Klarenbeek & Dros shows objects
made of mushrooms, algae, and moss.
These materials have a special smell.
This makes the effect of the exhibition
even stronger for visitors.