This is Yksi Expo

Strijp-S is the beating heart of the festivities during Dutch Design Week. For those who want to view, and experience design up close all year round, the 'forbidden city' is also the place to be. Yksi Expo has exhibitions on circular design throughout the year ... and delicious waffles by WaffelinQ. Today, we know Yksi Expo as a renowned design exhibition space, but in the 90s it was founded as a collective of young entrepreneurial designers. One of those designers at the time was Leonne Cuppen.

Q. What makes Yksi Expo a real Eindhoven hotspot?

Leonne: Yksi Expo and I are deeply rooted in Eindhoven. A lot has happened since the 80s and 90s. It is nice to see that Eindhoven has become a design city. That is why I would like to give young design talents a platform here. Yksi Expo has become a unique knowledge center when it comes to circular design. Now we have the exhibition Rethinking Plastic, where designers from Eindhoven show their vision on the reuse and other ways of plastic. The great thing is that we can show what is possible with circular design to a class of primary school students and a group of professionals. Everyone learns something from it.

Q. What is the most memorable moment in Yksi Expo's history?

Leonne: Dutch Design Week is a special moment every year. And two years ago, during a climate conference in San Francisco, an exhibition about circularity, curated by me, was shown. Then this exhibition went to the Veemgebouw in Eindhoven during Dutch Design Week, and later it was shown here at Yksi Expo. Usually, it is the other way around, an exhibition starts here, but now the circle was completed.

Q. Why do visitors have to stop at your place during their visit to Eindhoven?

Leonne: We always have temporary exhibitions that are super interesting, with circularity and sustainability as a theme. You can easily combine it with a delicious waffle lunch at WaffelinQ, and you can take a look in our store. Some people come here and spend hours immersing themselves in what we are showing here.

Q. How did you start?

Leonne: Many Design Academy graduates moved to Rotterdam and Amsterdam. In the 1990s, we wanted to offer designers exposure opportunities here in Eindhoven with our collective. We did so with Galerie Yksi and later with the Day of Design, which became a week, better known as Dutch Design Week.

Q. What do people come back for?

Leonne: Our permanent collection in the shop and the good waffles. I am looking for a retailer that fits in at Yksi Expo and matches our concept. For example, a plastic-free shop, local fruit and vegetables, or vintage, if it suits the sustainable circularity principle. So, if anyone is interested, I would like to collaborate.

Take a photo

Are you curious about Yksi Expo? The big red arrow is in front of the store, so you cannot miss it. Take a photo of yourself with the red arrow at Yksi Expo and share the photo on your Stories with a tag for @eindhovencity, @yksi_eindhoven, and @waffelinq_eindhoven. On the presentation of your post, you will receive a 50% discount on a drink of your choice at WaffelinQ.

Name: Yksi Expo
Location: Torenallee 22-04
Specialized in: Circulair design, expo´s, designshop and waffels
An Eindhoven hotspot since: 1991, since 11 years at Strijp-S
Spoken with: Leonne Cuppen