Design exhibition Limburg Design Award and Harrie Tillie prize, Roermond 2017

The Limburg Design Award is presented every two years to a contemporary design studio that works on a national and international level. The starting point for the award is ‘Design in the footsteps of Pierre Cuypers’. The Harrie Tillie Award is linked to its name giver Harrie Tillie, between 1988 and 2001 the curator of the Roermond museum; as curator, his aim was to provide a stage for young, talented artists.

The municipality of Roermond has awarded the Limburg Design Award to Formafantasma, the studio of Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin. This award is presented to the best modern design studio that works on a national and international level and links with the interior designs of Pierre Cuypers. The award includes a purchase or contract to the value of € 7,000.

The Harrie Tillie Award 2017 was presented to Studio Sabine Marcelis. This award aims to stimulate the artistic development of talented designers. Sabine Marcelis will receive a cash amount of € 1,000, to be used for the development of her own talent.

Maurice Mentjens was once again asked to design the exhibition. His design objective was to create a simple and balanced presentation that would remain in the background. The objects of the exhibition are the main attraction, after all. As the budget was limited, a simple but good-quality design was created that would leave sufficient funds for graphic design, lettering, and printing. Six grey 'runners' were constructed on which the nominees could construct their own presentation.

An expert jury selected the nominees and their creations form the focus of the exhibition in the Cuypershuis. Film portraits show how the designers work and take a look at their source of inspiration and vision on design.

Limburg Design Award nominees:

• FormaFantasma (winner)
• Overtreders W
• Studio Drift

Harrie Tillieprijs nominees:

• Studio Sabine Marcelis (winner)
• Jólan van der Wiel
• Noman Studio


The exhibition was held from 3 December 2017 to 25 February 2018 at the Cuypershuis in Roermond, the Netherlands.