This week, Foundation We Are, serving as guest editor, is contributing five articles about societal challenges on Dutch Design Daily. Today Encouraging Connection by Denise Huigen.
Denise Huigen combines design, storytelling, and playful learning to create positive social change. Her work focuses on building an inclusive society where there is space for authenticity, connection, and self-love. Through accessible products, workshops, and hands-on learning experiences, she makes these themes tangible and easy to engage with.
One of those creations is KNUFF: a soft companion for anyone who feels they have outgrown stuffed toys. As Denise explains: “People have a deep need for human connection. But what if no one is nearby? Or if you want to connect but don’t know how? Research shows that hugging, even with a stuffed animal, can calm the nervous system and positively impact adults’ mental health.”
After graduating from SintLucas Boxtel, she continued her studies at the Design Academy Eindhoven, where KNUFF became one of her graduation projects. With it, Denise brings together her love for puppetry, play, and comfort while raising awareness about mental health. More than a toy, KNUFF is a companion designed to offer comfort and connection to those who need it.
Alongside her design practice, Denise spent the past year as a student coach at Start-Up School in Eindhoven, where she guides students in shaping learning journeys that matched their individual needs, supporting them in discovering their own ways of learning and developing. She also leads a series of hugging, cuddle and consent workshops at PLAY! Eindhoven, which inspired the creation of KNUFF. Through guided exercises, participants explore physical connection in a safe and mindful way, a process that helps in connecting with others.
Denise also took part in NEST, a young talent development programme by Foundation We Are, where she collaborated with Meer Liefde. During this collaboration, she explored how creating safe, meaningful connections can serve as a foundation for social change. The result is KNUFF’s Cuddle Puddle, an inviting, cosy space where visitors can experience KNUFF for themselves as part of the NEST exhibition at Foundation We Are.
You can experience KNUFF’s Cuddle Puddle at the NEST exhibition at Foundation We Are, open until 30 August.
About Foundation We Are
Foundation We Are is a cultural hub for social resilience in Eindhoven. They conduct independent, transformative design research and make this knowledge publicly accessible through exhibitions, events, and publications on a wide range of social issues, either commissioned by or in collaboration with governments and businesses.
Photography: Barbara Medo
