We, the Master Students of Design Academy Eindhoven, are writing to express our deep concern and disapproval at the school’s management of space during this transition time.

Since the beginning of the academic year 2026 - 2027, tension and disappointment have been growing as we experienced our educational life within the new designated master spaces. The derisory amount of space we have been provided with to develop our projects and practices is leading to unbearable noise hassle between departments and the impossibility to work beyond our desks. This is detrimentally affecting the coexistence of students, our motivation, and ultimately, the quality of our work. To this we add the absence of a Maker Space without which we can not work experimentally and spatially beyond the already overcrowded and unreliable workshops.

We understand we are living in an exceptional transitional situation. We were already forced to adapt to a certain amount of downfalls: the moving of the z-bar, the complicated access to the building, the understaffed and unreliable workshop opening hours, etc. However, the availability of sufficient space to work is a necessity and an obligation we are not willing to give up. We can not fit in the current building and will not conform with cosmetic and minimal solutions.

We demand immediate action from the school to expand the amount of space available to Master Students outside of the Witte Dame, Including:

• An individual table and chair, with reasonable working space around it.

• A Maker Space.

• Basic amenities: water, toilets, sufficient electricity outlets.

• Basic Tools that do not require supervision.

• Located at a walkable distance from Emmasingel 14, or at most, 15 minute bike ride. In the latter case, transportation solutions for projects must be provided.

• Opening hours that match the ones from the current building.

• Financial transparency regarding the space expansion.

To make our demands met, we call for the following conditions:

• A specific planning detailing timelines, specific actions, budget transparency and scheduled meetings, shared with us before Thursday 22nd of October.

• Weekly meetings regarding the space expansion.

• Attendance of student representatives in these meetings, to ensure our right to express students’ opinions and concerns, and consistent, real work is put towards our demands.

• A final space expansion solution before December 2026.

We know the rental of third spaces outside the DAE building was a common practice for some years in the past. Some students have already felt pushed into renting external spaces. It is unacceptable for students to be forced into private renting of spaces that should be provided by school. This is imposing an economical segregation of creative means on students, when school should be giving equitable opportunities for production to each and every student. We will not tolerate more excuses. The transition is a long term issue that required long-term planning from DAE. Clearly this planning was not taken seriously. Our concerns have been repeatedly voiced last year through student representatives and reiterated during these first weeks of the academic year. As students we feel abandoned, mistreated and surprised at the lack of interest from the school’s side to provide an environment where quality work can be produced. As part of a two years long program, complaining the institutional way is too slow for us. We need systems that allow for quick action and direct communication.

The systematic concealment of the transition to new incoming students just comes to show the dishonesty, verticality and lack of transparency of the institution. We will not allow this chain of secrecy to leak into future students.

Students make the reputation of a school, not the other way around. It is therefore in DAE’s best interest to provide us with an adequate environment.

We will not accept this situation any longer and are willing to take action to force the changes we demand. If the conditions stated in this open letter are not met, we will escalate our actions in the upcoming weeks.