In the fifth edition of BNO’s Dd Yearbook, we keep a finger on the pulse of a world dominated by contradictions. With (Off) Balance as the theme the question is no longer whether imbalance is the defining concept of our time, but whether we are willing and able to restore equilibrium. Will the design sector cling to the status quo, or will designers dare to explore new forms of functionality and meaning? We’ve translated this concept visually by making bold, rigid choices—embracing the consequences. For example, all titles are presented in the same font size, occasionally causing text to spill off the page. We’ve also played with whitespace and symmetry—or their deliberate absence. And instead of using colored blocks, we opted for colored paper, which becomes part of the balance between the content and the material itself.
Each publication features a different designer on its cover. This year, the Yearbook highlights Marianne Schokkenbroek’s graduation project, Domestic Balloons. Her work explores how we often force ourselves to conform to beauty standards and societal conventions. Marianne’s research involves constraining latex products, such as balloons and condoms, within boxes, ropes, and metal cages. The result sheds light on the complexity of (self-)imposed restrictions and the constraints many experience in life. Through these publications and the active involvement of its community, BNO has evolved into a brand created for, by, and with Dutch designers.
The Professional Association of Dutch Designers (BNO) is the largest community of designers and design firms in the Netherlands. As part of their visual identity rebranding, we developed the Dutch Designers (Dd) platform to inspire, connect and celebrate Dutch designers. The Dd platform includes the annual publications Dd Magazine and Dd Yearbook. In Dd Magazine, we focus on design and essays around a theme, while the Yearbook reports on everything that happened that year in the field of Dutch design: from award winners to up-and-coming talent and student work. Both the design and content of these publications are based on an annually recurring, topical theme.
