Hella Jongerius’ work ranges from textiles, furniture and ceramics to complete interior designs. As a member of the “Droog Design” collective, she distanced herself from the orientation of design towards market expectations and mass production right at the beginning of her career in the 1990s. Since then, she has worked intensively with materials and techniques, decoration and colour. According to a statement from the Vitra Design Museum, Jongerius emphasises “that one should not be afraid to get one’s hands dirty: This is the only way to really understand the materials with their changeable properties, their production history and their significance, and to learn to accept mistakes and cross boundaries”. In her designs, diverse research projects, themed exhibitions, manifestos and publications, Jongerius has not only repeatedly questioned conventional design practice, but has also revived the narrative nature of decorative elements and the potential of colours and textiles in design by engaging with traditional crafts.
Now the Dutch designer, who is also highly regarded as an artist, is handing over the extensive archive of her work to date to the Vitra Design Museum. Together with Jongerius, the museum intends to put together the first retrospective of her work, which will be presented at the Vitra Design Museum in 2026. As Jongerius has seen her archive as a place of learning, experimentation and discovery over the past 30 years, the exhibition will serve as the basis for an overview of the designer’s work and methods. And to explore it “in all its complexity: from iconic objects and products to smaller material experiments, prototypes, scale models, drawings and collages”. “The English term ‘serendipity’, says Jongerius, “aptly describes how unpredictable processes can lead to surprising results and new insights that go beyond purely technical knowledge. Materials flow, transform and evolve; we are all part of an infinite becoming. People work with materials and shape things, and conversely we are also shaped by things and materials.”
In addition, according to Mateo Kries, Director of the Vitra Design Museum, the incorporation of her archive will preserve “this unique treasure” for future generations and make it accessible for research: “In our museum, the Jongerius archive will be preserved together with other archives and collections of designers such as Charles & Ray Eames, Alexander Girard and Verner Panton, which will enable the investigation of interesting cross-references and parallels in the history of design.”
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