Localizing Design/Designing Location: Creative Cities in the Low Countries

Abstract

Through a constructivist approach, the formative processes creating an association between location and creativity are analysed, focusing on the establishment of three narratives of urban creativity: Antwerp, Brussels and Eindhoven. Each case study positions the city in its cultural and economic contexts, such as the globalization of trade in the context of the European Economic Community and the importance of tourism in post-industrial societies. An exploration is then made of the role of these creative cities in the cultural valorization of design and fashion, transforming them into effective calling cards for European cities.