Miriam van der Lubbe on Radical Softness and Shared Attention in Design
Designer Miriam van der Lubbe, partner at Van Eijk & Van der Lubbe and Creative Head of Dutch Design Week, advocates for 'radical softness' in design—a practice of listening, stepping back, and shaping conditions rather than fixed outcomes. She draws parallels to Amnesty International letter-writing campaigns, where small individual acts collectively create change. Van der Lubbe's studio has worked with Friedman Benda Gallery in New York on the 'Godogan' table, developed with Droog Design and Indonesian craftspeople in Jepara, where value is tied to labor and craftsmanship. For the National Archives of the Netherlands, her team transformed the archive into an accessible, interactive space. In 2025, she guest-curated 'Bridging Minds' at the Van Abbemuseum, the museum's largest design exhibition, focusing on what design does for people—connection, care, inclusion—rather than objects. She also works with international companies like ASML and IKEA. Van der Lubbe sees Dutch Design Week as an invitation for participation, not a showcase of finished products. The article was written in collaboration with accessibility writer Anna van den Berg.
Key facts
- Miriam van der Lubbe is partner at Van Eijk & Van der Lubbe and Creative Head of Dutch Design Week.
- She advocates for 'radical softness' in design, emphasizing shared attention and process over fixed outcomes.
- The 'Godogan' table was developed with Droog Design and craftspeople in Jepara, Indonesia, for Friedman Benda Gallery in New York.
- Value in 'Godogan' is defined by the conditions of making, with more carving increasing price but reducing the table surface.
- Van der Lubbe's studio redesigned the National Archives of the Netherlands, making it an interactive, accessible space.
- In 2025, she guest-curated 'Bridging Minds' at the Van Abbemuseum, the largest design exhibition in the museum's history.
- The exhibition focused on what design makes people feel—connection, care, inclusion, control—rather than objects.
- Van der Lubbe works with cultural institutions and companies including ASML and IKEA.
- She views Dutch Design Week as an invitation for participation, not a showcase of finished products.
- The article was written with Anna van den Berg, a writer specialized in accessibility and plain language.
Entities
Artists
- Miriam van der Lubbe
- Anna van den Berg
Institutions
- Van Eijk & Van der Lubbe
- Dutch Design Week
- Friedman Benda Gallery
- Droog Design
- National Archives of the Netherlands
- Van Abbemuseum
- ASML
- IKEA
- Amnesty International
- Dutch Design Foundation
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Jepara
- Indonesia
- Netherlands