Out of all 24 DDA nominees, a Catawiki and DDA committee selected Buro Belén. Besides being featured on Catawiki, they also received a financial incentive and professional photoshoot, following the prerogative to support the creation of a brighter future through innovation.
"In the past, artists and designers had to rely on intermediaries and traditional channels to sell their works. Today, they can access an audience of millions of design and home decor enthusiasts worldwide via Catawiki, while benefiting from expert advice. With over 10 million visitors each month, Catawiki can really help raise international awareness and visibility, and support designers around the world, while making Design more accessible."
- Frank Engel, Vice President of Interiors at Catawiki
Catawiki Auction
Within the collaboration with Dutch Design Week, Catawiki supports an emerging designer, by offering them the opportunity to further grow and develop their business. As part of the award, the winning design agency was part of Catawiki's recently launched Direct From the Designer auction, under its Contemporary Design category as the perfect place for young and more experienced designers to gain a new international audience, complementary to their core audience.
Buro Belén is a design studio based in Amsterdam, founded by Brecht Duijf and Lenneke Langenhuijsen. Through material research and applications they collaborate with crafts(wo)men, creatives, scientists, institutes, and industry partners. Their work encompasses a profound longing for more sustainable and enchanting living environments.
"We strive to create the most aesthetic solutions to inspire people to make ethical choices, and the collaboration with Catawiki allows us to be able to make an impact. We are very proud to have received this recognition, which helps us convey our vision to a wider international audience."
- Buro Belén
“Belén demonstrates an exciting process with this innovative material development, which is entirely sustainable and has a longer lifespan than synthetic fabrics. The work shows how renewable plant-based resources can be recycled and has scalable applications.”
- Jury Dutch Design Awards
Sun+ Shadecloth
Sun+ Bio Textiles is part of the ongoing, self-initiated Sun+ project in which Buro Belén researches and develops material applications that are friendly to our planet and human beings. With Sun+ Shadecloth, Belén developed an innovative textile application based on bioplastics to protect our bodies against the harmful effects of sunlight. Instead of blocking all UV rays, the textile allows the correct UV rays to pass through so the body can produce vitamin D. It was nominated in the category Product for Dutch Design Awards 2022.
"Our self-initiated research plays an integral role in our work and our continuous search for new ways of seeing, which needs time to mature and find its place within the industry."
- Buro BĂ©len
Catawiki x Dutch Design Foundation
Catawiki, the leading online marketplace for buying and selling special objects, supports artists and designers worldwide, offering a platform for them to gain recognition, visibility and access to an international audience. Awarding this partner award for Dutch Design Awards is part of the collaboration with Dutch Design Foundation, in which we have joined forces to strengthen the bond between designers and their global public and market, online and offline.
About Catawiki
Catawiki supports thousands of independent creators by allowing them to sell their work directly to a global audience of millions of design lovers. Designers, painters, sculptors, photographers, artisans, illustrators, and many others benefit from a unique platform - one that combines global visibility with expert advice. Thanks to Catawiki, these designers have seen their income and visibility reach unprecedented levels, over 100,000 euros of annual revenues for some, while contributing to the democratisation of the design world.
