Cream on Chrome is a socially-engaged experience design studio, founded by Jonas Althaus and Martina Huynh. By designing multimedia experiences and interactive spaces they explore new perspectives in the fields of economy, journalism, ecology and emerging technologies. Based in Rotterdam (NL), Cream on Chrome works with and for academic and cultural institutions and regularly presents their work internationally.
Education
2021 /6-7 M – Summer Course Political Economy, University of Amsterdam, NL
2021 /2-4 J – Masterclass Urban Social Ecology, Independent School of the City, NL
2016-2018 J – MA Social Design, Design Academy Eindhoven, NL
2013-2018 M – BA Media & Communication (cum laude), Design Academy Eindhoven, NL
2009-2014 J – BA Product Design, Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, DE
2012-2013 J – Exchange Nagoya Zokei University, JP
2012-2013 M – School of Design Basel, CH
Awards & Grants
2023 – Nominee Swiss Design Awards – category ‘Mediation’
2023 – Grant for Internationalization (Stimuleringsfonds creatieve industrie)
2022 – Winner Dutch Design Awards – category ‘Young Designer’
2022 – Winner DDA x EY Award
2022 – Grant for Experiment (Stimuleringsfonds creatieve industrie)
2021 – Winner Award for Creative Technology (ACT STRP)
2020 – Nominee Swiss Design Awards – category ‘Mediation’
2020 – Grant Digital Heritage x Public (Stimuleringsfonds creatieve industrie)
2019 – Grant for Talent Development (Stimuleringsfonds creatieve industrie)
2019 – Nominee Dutch Design Awards – category ‘Design Research’
2019 – Grant BankGiro Loterij Fonds (Stichting DOEN)
2019 – Laureate of FORMAT19 (z33)
2018 – Nominee Social Design Talent Award
2013 – Winner NoYes Student Award Nagoya
Selected Exhibitions
2024 – Washi Futurism, Gallery 3, Rotterdam (NL)
2024 – Mesh Festival, Basel (CH)
2024 – Nature of Hope, International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (NL)
2024 – Dutch – More or Less, Nieuwe Instituut Rotterdam (NL)
2023 – Ornamenta, Pforzheim (DE)
2023 – WeWe Futures, Taiwan Design Museum (TW)
2023 – Washi Futurism, Sekio Bunka Hall, Hamada (JP)
2023 – Swiss Design Awards, Art Basel (CH)
2023 – The Media Gym, Hogeschool van Amsterdam (NL)
2022 – Dutch Design Awards, Dutch Design Week (NL)
2022 – MONO Japan Exhibition ART, Amsterdam (NL)
2022 – The Energy Show, Nieuwe Instituut Rotterdam (NL)
2022 – Solar Energy Kiosk, Fondation Entreprise Martell, Cognac (FR)
2022 – Solar Energy Kiosk, Salone del Mobile Milan (IT)
2022 – Gardening, Landhuis Oud Amelisweerd (NL)
2022 – The End of Infinity, STRP Festival (NL)
2021 – Regionale 22, E-WERK Freiburg (DE)
2021 – Working and Living from Home, Seoul Design Festival (KR)
2021 – Plant Fever, Museum für Gestaltung Zürich (CH)
2021 – Heimaten, Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg (DE)
2020 – Plant Fever, CID au Grand-hornu (BE)
2019 – Common Knowledge, BIO26 Design Biennale (SLO)
2019 – What a time to be alive, Dutch Design Week (NL)
2019 – Dutch Design Awards, Dutch Design Week (NL)
2019 – Basic Income Cafe, The Grey Space in the Middle (NL)
2019 – FORMAT19, z33 House for Contemporary Art, Design & Architecture (BE)
2018 – G18 Graduation Show, Design Academy Eindhoven (NL)
2018 – Not for Sale, Salone del Mobile (IT)
2018 – State Machine, Crypto Design Exhibition (CYP)
2017 – Alternative Societies, Municipality Eindhoven (NL)
2016 – Touch Base, Salone del Mobile (IT)
2015 – Thinking Food Design, Paris Design Week (FR)
Notable Experiences
2022 – [ongoing] Teaching, Royal Academy of Art the Hague (KABK), MA Industrial Design (NL)
2024 – Workshop at Bauhaus University Weimar (DE)
2022 – Lecture at ID Department, KAIST University (KR)
2021 – Co-curating experimental, online discussion format, STRP Festival (NL)
2020 – Guest teaching, Design Academy Eindhoven (NL)
2020 – Designing hybrid formats with Karaoke Discourse, MU Hybrid Art House (NL)
2020 – Presenting at Economia Conference, Baltan Laboratories (NL)
2020 – Researcher-in-residence, Fontys Hogeschool Journalistiek (NL)
2019 – Workshop & performance at Neuhaus Program, Nieuwe Instituut (NL)
2019 – Artist-in-residence, MONO Japan in Shimane (JP)
2019 – Presenting at MONO Japan, Shibaura House Tokyo (JP)
2019 – Presenting at Un/Green Open Fields Conference, RIXC Festival (LV)
2019 – Presenting at Communication, Media and Journalism Conference, University of Sheffield (UK)
2019 – Lecture at Thing-Centered Design Course, TU Delft (NL)
2018 – Presenting at ThingsCon Conference (NL)
2018 – Organizing and moderating panel “Agency of the User”, Dutch Design Week (NL)
2018 – Designing experimental talkshow with Arvid&Marie, MU Hybrid Art House (NL)
2018 – Presenting at Antenna Conference, Dutch Design Week (NL)
2017 – Presenting at Agents of the Anthropocene Symposium, Piet Zwart Inst. (NL)
Individual Work Experience
2021-2023 J – Interaction Design teacher @ Fontys ArtCoDe, NL
2019-2020 J – Guest tutor Social Design MA @ Design Academy Eindhoven, NL
2019 M – Freelance design researcher @ Fontys Hogeschool Journalistiek, NL
2016-2017 M – Experience design intern @ Polymorf, NL
2016 J – Architectural designer @ Chezweitz GmBH, DE
2015 J – Exhibition design intern @ Holzer Kobler Architekturen, CH
2015 J – Interior architecture & scenography intern @ Ps. Planungsstudio, DE
Selected Press & Publications
2024 – p | unprinted:『和紙フューチャリズム』AR効果はミニマルだから没入できる
2023 – p | Dutch Design Awards: Interview with Cream on Chrome
2023 – p | EY: Waarom Cream on Chrome goud in handen heeft
2023 – p | Het Parool: Gewichten tillen voor een uurtje Netflix
2023 – p | NHK: いまコレ！しまね「世界でCOOLな石州和紙」
2022 – p | Axis Design Magazine Vol. 220: Up next – Cream on Chrome
2022 – p | Dezeen: Solar Energy Kiosk serves orange juice made using solar power
2022 – p | Design Academy Eindhoven: The Alumni Interview Cream on Chrome
2022 – p | Kunstmatig Podcast: Tussen ecologie en tech-tuin
2022 – p | Wallpaper: Alcova: wellbeing, cultural identity and the environment
2022 – p | Studio 040: STRP Festival van start
2022 – p | NRC Handelsblad: Grenzen aan de groei?
2021 – p | FRAME Magazine: What tools do we need for a work-from-home reality?
2021 – p | de lage landen: De verstrengeling tussen design en interactiviteit
2021 – p | ACED Designalism Podcast: Cream on Chrome
2021 – p | z33 Interview: Cream on Chrome designs an interactive coffeemaker
2021 – e | Becoming A News Explorer, Designing Journalism (Fontys)
2020 – e | Social Matter, Social Design (valiz)
2020 – p | DAMN Magazine, Feeds and Reads
2019 – p | de Volkskrant: Drie Talenten op Dutch Design Week
2018 – p | Fast Company: This is the most interesting UI design of the year so far
2018 – p | de Volkskrant: Activistische, hoopvolle zoektocht van jongste ontwerpgeneratie
2018 – p | Dezeen: Design Academy Eindhoven students take over Milanese streets
2018 – p | Disegno: Milan Design Week
2017 – e | The News Cake, Immersive Narratives (Design Academy Eindhoven)
e = essay
p = press