Doors of Perception

Five conferences have been organised since 1993, with an average attendance of about one thousand people; they come from a total of 52 countries (so far), the mixture being roughly 50:50 Dutch and foreign attendees. The results of Doors are published on our website, which is visited by more than 200,000 people a year; the site won a 'Peoples Voice Award' at the Webbies -- the so-called "Oscars of the Internet" -- in 1999. In addition to six Doors conferences, there have been Open Doors public events, two Doors On Tour roadshows (to the USA, and India), two CD-roms, and a book. The result, six years on, is a worldwide community at the forefront of new thinking on design. In the words of 'Wired', Doors is where "top conceptual thinkers ruminate on sticky new media subjects"; for 'Scientific American', Doors "examines new paths to development ... a place where key questions are raised"; 'NRC' recognised that Doors "brings together the international avant-garde in new media and computer networks." Until 1999, Doors was organised by The Netherlands Design Institute. Beginning in January 2000, Doors of Perception became an independent foundation with John Thackara, formerly director of the Netherlands Design Institute, and Kristi van Riet, as directors. In 2001, a new company, Doors of Perception Projects BV, was set up.