"Not designing for people, but with people."
Is what I have been using recently when describing to others what my practice is as a Social Designer. It is 80% empathy. My work is made with and made for the people in it, it does not exist without them.
With a background in spatial design and performance, my practice is aimed to discover how we can use theatre techniques as a methodology to design for grounded social change. Knowing from my own experience what theatre performance can do to both the individual and a community, I aim to take the spatial poetry of theatre out of the building and have its benefits spread onto the street. Under both my own name [Thyrza Coenraad] and that of my company [puntCO] I am developing my own theatre experiences and immersive audiovisual exhibitions while at the same time applying these methods to more unconventional and traditional environments. It is on a fine line of performance art, participation theatre, light + audio installations, scenography, artistic research and coaching. Recent topics include gentrification, public cleaning, the social significance of food and empowerment.
@thyrza.co
EXHIBITIONS
2024 jun-jul | Wish I Were Here / Was Ik Maar Hier - Akte Twee(bosbuurt) | Zuid. Boijmans van Beuniningen
2023 mar-sep | Working Clothes / Werkende Kleding | Het Nieuwe Instituut
2023 feb-apr | Wish I Were Here (act 1) | Het Nieuwe Instituut
2022 oct | Wish I Were Here (act 1) | GS22 Design Academy Eindhoven | Dutch Design Week
TALKS / WORKSHOPS / LECTURES
2023 - ongoing | Lecturer / researcher | Interior Design | Saxion University of Applied Science
2024 sep | Workshop | Iona Stichting
2024 may | Talk | Studio Nine Dots
2022 may | Lecture | Social Design | Design Academy Eindhoven
2022 apr | Lecture | Interior Design & Styling | Saxion University of Applied Science
EVENTS / PERFORMANCES
2024 feb-jul | Wish I Were Here / Was Ik Maar Hier - Akte Twee(bosbuurt) | Zuid. Boijmans van Beuningen
2024 may | Wish I Were Here / Was Ik Maar Hier - Akte Twee(bosbuurt) | het Gemaal op Zuid
2024 mar-apr | Midzomernachtsdroom | Jeugdtheater Hofplein | Theater de Entree
2023 may | Robin in de Hood | TG gewoon leuk | Hofpleintheater
2022 jun | Wish I Were Here (act 1) | Stad in de Maak | de Stokerij
2022 jun | Sapiens | Jeugdtheater Hofplein | Haka gebouw
2021 jul | Voor Al Wat Ik Bemin | HKU
2020 mar | Thomas & Andrea | Jeugdtheater Hofplein | Hofpleintheater
2020 mar | Assepoetser | Jeugdtheater Hofplein | Hofpleintheater
GRANTS
2024 | Stimuleringsfonds, International Voucher: Wish I Were Here
2023 | Stimuleringsfonds, regeling Architectuur: Wish I Were Here
2023 | Hendrik Muller Foundation: Wish I Were Here
2023 | Iona Stichting: Wish I Were Here
2023 | Fleur Groenendijk Foundation: Wish I Were Here
2023 | Zuid. Boijmans van Beuningen: Wish I Were Here
2023 | Het Nieuwe Instituut: Wish I Were Here
2023 |Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot: Robin in de Hood
2020 | Pitcher Perfect 010, Gemeente Rotterdam: Dat Smaakt Naar Meer