© Design Museum Brussels – Liophotography

How do we design inclusive environments for and with children? On the occasion of the exhibition Designing Childhood. A History of Design for Children at the Design Museum Brussels, we invite you to a conversation on contemporary design practices that places children at the centre. Together with three inspiring speakers, we will explore how inclusivity, play, and pedagogy take shape in practice.

Lieke Lenaerts will present the collaboration between Product Design students at LUCA School of Arts and children with hand or arm disabilities. Emma Ribbens will share her experiences with projects centred on play culture, including the Nüdel Kart, developed for children living in refugee camps. Wim De Graeve will discuss his work at Art Basics for Children, where he designs and builds creative learning environments.

The event will be held in English, but you are welcome to join the conversation in Dutch or French. We will do our best to offer ad hoc (whisper) translations if needed.

Program

18:00 – 19:00: Free visit expo Designing Childhood: A History of Design for Children
19:00 – 19:15 Introduction
19:15 – 20:00 Conversation with speakers
20:00 – 20:45 Small group conversations
20:45 – 21:00 Reflections and collective closing
21:00 Aftertalk

Speakers

Lieke Lenaerts 

(°1993) is a designer, researcher and lecturer at LUCA School of Arts. Her practice is rooted in a strong commitment to participation and inclusivity, with research-driven projects that encourage interaction and dialogue. Within the Product Design programme, she leads INCLUDED, a module in which students engage in a participatory design process together with children with hand and/or arm disabilities.

Emma Ribbens

is a Belgian social and product designer whose practice is rooted in the concept of Homo Ludens, or the playing human. Convinced that play is essential to society, she founded Studio Ludiek. Through her studio, she collaborates with makers, researchers and designers to make play more accessible through spaces, objects and research, while creating positive social impact.

Wim De Graeve

(°1974) is co-founder of ART BASICS for CHILDREN (ABC), a laboratory for aesthetic experiences, creative development and artistic awareness at the intersection of art and education. ABC creates stimulating environments and projects that encourage children and young people, as well as their parents, teachers and educators, to experiment with their imagination and explore their creative potential. (Image: ABC Maison)

Tickets

Free access to the exhibition is included in the ticket price.

5€ student / 10€ regular / 15€ support ticket/ 0€ free ticket (pay what you can).

If these prices do not fit your situation, you can choose a free ticket. Pre-registration is required via the button below.

Everyone is welcome to join this conversation. No prior knowledge is needed. We create a warm, open space where every voice is welcome.

Expo ‘DESIGNING CHILDHOOD. A HISTORY OF DESIGN FOR CHILDREN’

From April 1st to September 20th, the Design Museum Brussels presents Designing Childhood. A History of Design for Children, an exhibition co-organised with the Centre Pompidou that explores the evolution of design for children throughout the 20th century.

Accessibility

• The event will be held in English, but you are welcome to join the conversation in Dutch or French. We will do our best to offer ad hoc (whisper) translations if needed.

• The exposition and the room where the conversation takes place is wheelchair accessible.

• The key for the accessible toilet can be requested from the staff of Design Museum Brussels.

• You can find detailed information about accessibility and specific accessibility needs via this link.

• Coming by car? You can park in the Trade Mart's P1 parking lot (access via Avenue de l'Atomium), approximately 100 metres from the museum.

• After the evening, both an audio recording and a written article of the conversation will be made available on our website for those who were unable to attend or could not fully participate.

• If you have any other specific accessibility needs or requests, please let us know. We are happy to discuss how we can support your participation. You can reach us at mail@paf.community.

Collaboration Design Museum Brussels x PAF

Initiated by the Atomium’s acquisition of a private collection, the Design Museum Brussels is a museum dedicated to design and its history. Favoring a historical approach and echoing current and future research, the museum aims to make design accessible and understandable to all audiences. A place for encounters, discoveries and sharing, the Design Museum Brussels promotes the multidimensionality of design through its collections, exhibitions, and mediation activities.

PAF (platform voor architectuur & feminisme) is a community where women, and anyone who feels involved, share knowledge and experiences about the architecture and design sector in Flanders and beyond. PAF talks about how work culture and ingrained norms in the sector contribute to the lack of perspectives, as well as how to shape architecture practice from alternative, feminist values.