Tijs Gilde is very focused. He’s been working in Section C’s Building 7 for a while now. ‘Our generation has somewhat different views of Dutch design and the significance it should have today. My starting points and those of some of my colleagues substantially differ from the ones of, for instance, Maarten Baas when he started his career. When we graduated from the academy there was one heck of an economic crisis going on and all we were told was that it was going to be very difficult. As a young professional, I had to try to shake off that negativity. It also means that I certainly don’t want to exclusively do conceptual work; In terms of production and development, I definitely want to connect to the manufacturing industry. This is something that grew on me during my apprenticeship at Ikea Sweden. Many designers and other creatives in the buildings here in Section C are typically hands-on: they design what they can make themselves. But that’s not the approach for me, because it would limit my perspectives as a designer. I try to turn conventions around with my furniture and products and I sometimes have to refit and reinvent techniques in the process.’