Dutch innovator Daan Roosegaarde is an artist creating social designs which explore the relation between people, technology and space. Since an early age, Daan has been driven by phenomena discovered in nature such as light-emitting fireflies and jellyfishes. This fascination for nature combined with a keen interest in technology is reflected in his iconic designs. After dropping out of two fine art studies, Daan graduated from The Berlage Institute with a Master’s degree in architecture. He founded Studio Roosegaarde in 2007, where, at studios in Rotterdam and Shanghai,
he and his team of designers and engineers work towards a better future. Together they developed ‘Landscapes of the Future’ building smart sustainable prototypes for the cities of tomorrow
Roosegaarde has been awarded ‘Young Global Leader’ at the World Economic Forum, was selected as Artist of the Year 2016 by Kunstweek and is cited as the most influential Dutch green leader by Sustainable Trouw 100.
Additionally, he has won the INDEX Design Award, the World Technology Award, the London Design Innovation Medal, two Dutch Design Awards, the Charlotte Köhler Award and China’s Most Successful Design Award.
He has exhibited at the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, Le Musée des Arts Décoratifs Paris, Tate Modern, Tokyo National Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, and various public spaces in Europe and Asia.
Selected by Forbes and Good 100 as a creative change maker, Roosegaarde shares his ideas frequently at international conferences such as TED and Design Indaba, and as a regular TV media guest at Zomergasten, De Wereld Draait Door and CNN.