ORANGE HIGHLIGHT, DAY 2.

FLYING V:

(l to r: indhi, peter, everett, ellen, and melissa)

STORY:
although the photo above doesn't include the full group, it gives an idea of our cohesion. in my imagination, the students were picked up by peter and tyler as they rollerbladed around the city with a duck call - like emilio estevez. we were basically the mighty ducks while over there, as everyone looked out for the whole troup.

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LIBRARY:

(l to r: ellen)

STORY:
in most of the drawers shown above, there was a book. as i understood it, the students would make a request for a book and then, in a short while, the book would appear in a specific drawer waiting for you.

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MAYONNAISE:

(l to r: ellen, tiffany, and indhi)

STORY:
the french friends were there – and, yes, it was generally consumed with mayonnaise (that tasted a bit more like tartar sauce, so i am told). i probably had french fries around five times there, and i rarely eat them in the united states; so, that was quite a bit for me.

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BEFORE ON:

(l to r: everett)

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DUCKING:

(l to r: indhi)

STORY:
on the bicycles, it was always a full utilization of coordination. the speeding up, the slowing down, the slight tilts, the avoiding of bumps, the bells chiming, the wind in our hair. it was all there.

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OUTSKIRTS:

(l to r: indhi)

STORY:
on the edge of town, there was a bridge that was like a PYTHON.

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FRINGE:

(l to r: everyone)

STORY:
at this moment, the group was the farthest we ever got from the center of amsterdam.

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CHANCING:

(l to r: melissa)

STORY:
on the way back from our adventure, we continued to find new things and explore places we found. it was always odd trying explore places, because i would often feel odd parking my bike. i never felt competely calm leaving my bike around, without it being completely locked down.

ORANGE HIGHLIGHT, DAY 3.

UNSAFE:

(l to r: melissa, tyler, and peter)

STORY:
sometimes couples are adorable. sometimes couples are unsafe. sometimes couples ride bicycles. sometimes couples go to holland. sometimes i take photos.

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TO REVEAL:

(l to r: annelys)

STORY:
when we went to the sandberg institute and spoke with ANNELYS DE VET, i really enjoyed hearing how she considered other cultures. the projects she undertook mostly involved making publications, and the publications seems self-driven. the aspects the books displayed felt like things that needed to be shown, rather than moments she wanted to show.

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US IN:


STORY:
a blessing and a curse of this trip was hearing so much from really accomplished designers and studios. they had already won their trophies and cemented their legacy, which made meeting these students that much more poignant; we were able to know and understand how students in holland are approaching projects and what subjects drive their work.

if you want to see their work, go HERE and click the box that is between design and students, then click 2009 - 2011.

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COMMIT:

(l to r: ellen, tiffany, tyler, melissa, and everett)

STORY:
often, after meeting with a studio or school, we would take a moment to stop and reflect on everything we saw, felt, heard, or smelled.

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SQUEAKS:

(l to r: indhi)

STORY:
the passages were usually small, but that just kept us nimble.

ORANGE HIGHLIGHT, DAY 5.

TO ENTER AND EXIT:

(l to r: everett)

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BIG SKYS:

(l to r: melissa, peter, and tyler)

STORY:
the weather was about 71 degrees with a light breeze the whole time we were there.

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WONDERMENT:

(l to r: tyler)

STORY:
i always want to feel like a student, doing the learning dance in my mind. this photo reminds me of that.

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REVEAL:


STORY:
after spending time with DIE TWEE, we ate cheese and drank beer. KUMMER AND HERMANN dropped by. it was one of my best memories from the trip, because we got to spend time with these people outside of their work. we could see their speech patterns, twitches, and humor.

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ALWAYS ON:

(l to r: ellen and indhi)

STORY:
always working, always on. all of the girls seemed to have a fondness for their computers, that would carry into the latest hours of the evening.

ORANGE HIGHLIGHT, DAY 6.

SMOOTHIED:

(l to r: everett)

STORY:
more helpful smoothis. must sneak them in.

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FLOWER MARKET:

(l to r: everett)

STORY:
the netherlands roots quite a bit of their economy in THESE THINGS.

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CENTRAL:

(l to r: everett[back], indhi, tyler, and melissa)

STORY:
it was always pleasant have a place to return to when lost, or in the morning, or when needing solitude & fresh air, or when having a group meeting.

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FOUND SOMETHING:

(l to r: tiffany)

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KID:

(l to r: tiffany)

STORY:
i really liked the KIKI LAMERS exhibition. the piece titled 'hope' was the closest i came to returning to the fetal position.

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THROUGH BINOCULARS:

(l to r: tiffany)

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CONSUMPTION/NUTRIENTS:

(l to r: tiffany)

STORY:
we searched far and wide for fresh STROOPWAFELS, and, finally, finding one made the quest worthy of every step. sadly, eating only one has been far too much of a tease. i want them now that i am home, but haven't found them around any corner. i'm going to continue looking.

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LOST:

(l to r: tiffany)

STORY:
we were, for a moment, as we looked for a shortcut, but found this nice place instead.

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SHAKE:

(l to r: tiffany and indhi)

STORY:
CLUBBING! TEQUILA! DUM DUM! PATCHES OF MEMORY!

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TO SHOW:

(l to r: tiffany and ellen)

STORY:
i got up on stage and made a sign that tiffany is carrying in this photo.

ORANGE HIGHLIGHT, DAY 8.

A HIGHWAY:


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MIDDLE:

(l to r: tiffany)

STORY:
we had hummus at the airport in detroit, and plugged into outlets that only giants could reach to charge the electronics.

ORANGE HIGHLIGHT, DAY 7.

IN TRANSIT:


STORY:
for some reason, getting between one place and another never seemed to be much of a problem.

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TOURIST:

(l to r: ellen)

STORY:
we happened upon this sign by accident, but it happened to work out nicely. i guess it is one of the main tourist destinations for the city.

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LIGHT:

(l to r: peter, tyler, and melissa)

STORY:
always fascinated, around we looked. i think we didn't look too much like tourists, but it is always a fine line to rub.

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ELABORATING:

(l to r: everett, ellen, peter, melissa, tyler, and tiffany)

STORY:
before we left, each of the summit-teers spoke for a bit in front of the camera. i haven't seen the video yet, but i have a feeling it will be the greatest resource to return to the overwhelming feelings i had while there.

i'll post it when it makes its way online.

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GELATO:

(l to r: everett)

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FAREWELL:

(l to r: everyone)

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STUFFING:

(l to r: tiffany, ellen, and indhi)

STORY:
carrying back 30 extra pounds of book had to happen.

ORANGE HIGHLIGHT, DAY 4.

UNDERSTATEMENT:

(l to r: marijke, melissa, everett, tyler, ellen, and indhi)

STORY:
sometimes it can feel like designers take their words lightly, but marijke of COBBENHAGEN HENDRIKSEN kept everything on point. she understood how to pace her words. she knew the breaks, and the power of them.

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IN THE WAY THAT'S GOOD:

(l to r: tiffany)

STORY:
often, because of space lacking, things could often get crowded. i would take a step, they would take a step, we would take a step, she would take a step. we would try to be cordial when photographing a moment to give the uninterrupted moment, but i tend to find moments are best when they are filled with people. they are honest. they are what i remember.

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PARALLEL:

(l to r: ellen and melissa)

STORY:
generally, the best connections were built in moments like this. i imagine how their lives lined
up perfectly in this moment of rest. i bet they both understood what they wanted out of this luscious town.

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SUPPORT:

(l to r: everett and tiffany)

STORY:
tiffany couldn't ride a bicycle, so we rotated accompanying her. it ended up being one of the best parts of the trip. as we rode down alleys and over bridges, it was like have a teammate right over your shoulder. we could discuss the signs that flew by and the ads on the bus-stop, and it felt like having a back-up design sense.

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WELL, HELLO:


STORY:
i came across my teacher and friend's WORK in amsterdam. i was walking with my group after picking up a bit of food and, then, boom. it was there. it basically scared me. i wasn't ready for it, but it was an exciting moment.

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IT:

(l to r: tiffany)

STORY:
they use bicycles. this is proof.

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ZOO:

(l to r: everett)

STORY:
people in holland enjoy their soccer and i enjoyed them enjoying it. the bars would spill out into the streets and squares with people hooting, wooting, and hollering.

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A NOTE:
i also wrote about this day on the official summit blog right HERE.

ORANGE HIGHLIGHT, OVERFLOW.

UNICORN IN HOLLAND - VIDEO SERIES:


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THE VIDEOS:




























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Special thanks to Ellen, Everett, and Tiffany for helping me film all of the above.

ORANGE HIGHLIGHT, DAY. 1.

TO START:
i'm going to do my best to show what it felt like to be in holland. the words i write will never quite do it justice - as no words ever should. it was an experience, and an incredible one at that. i hope i can give some semblance of the feeling that i felt.

if you have any interest in seeing more formal writing about the trip and projects made following, i recommend read the SUMMIT BLOG. i, as well everyone else involved, will be writing there in the coming months.

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ARRIVED:

(l to r: everett and tiffany)

STORY:
our plane from the city of angels touched down and we were out of the gates immediately. the rest of the group was waiting, have come in shortly before from san francisco. we were on the lookout for a large red and white checkerboard box.

on the plane ride over, i didn't catch much sleep but wasn't too worried about it. i was anxious to see the city. i figured this would be enough to keep my feet moving.

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BY FOOT:

(l to r: ellen, everett, and tiffany)

STORY:
on our first day, we wandered around the city by foot. the following day, we would pick up bicycles - but i think it was for the best that we explored without them for the first day. it gave us a chance to really feel the pacing and understand how everyone moves and shakes.

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IN AND OUT:

(l to r: tiffany, everett, and ellen)

STORY:
amsterdam is a very intricate web of streets, alleys, and nooks. most major american cities are built along a grid, while most major european cities look something more like a web. amsterdam lives and thrives with bicycles. there has been a rise over the last few decades in city design called NEW URBANISM that talks a bit more about what it is like.

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IDEAL:

(l to r: tiffany)

STORY:
the hostel we stayed in was in the JORDAAN DISTRICT. we did the usual girls and boys seperate living situation. the rooms were the semi-sterile looking type, and featured everything we needed any nothing more. it would be safe to call them perfect. the beds were firm and pillows soft. the true beauty of our hostel would be revealed the next morning, when they would serve a solid breakfast to begin our days with.