Jeroen van Erp

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Jeroen van Erp
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Born (1959-12-15) 15 December 1959 (age 66)
Eindhoven, Netherlands
EducationDelft University of Technology, Faculty of Industrial Engineering
Occupationdesigner, innovation strategist, publicist

Jeroen van Erp is a prominent Dutch designer and innovation strategist. He grew up in Eindhoven as the eldest of four boys. His brothers include film director Michiel van Erp. His parents owned a music shop,[1][2] and his father was a music teacher who taught Lenny Kuhr to play the guitar and also gave guitar lessons to Peter Koelewijn. Van Erp studied electrical engineering at Delft University of Technology after completing secondary school, but switched to industrial design after one year. In 1986, he completed an internship at the then highly prestigious design firm Total Design. Through this internship, he gained first-hand experience of the inner workings of an international design agency, from which he would later benefit greatly. After graduating in 1988, he began working independently and received commissions from, among others, ING Bank, Quooker (designing the logo), the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, as well as VARA and Virgin Records. His approach at that time was already discipline-agnostic.[3]

Fabrique, the 1990s

Together with industrial designers René Bubberman and Theo Wolters, he founded Fabrique in Delft in 1992,[4][5] using 1 January as the official start date, although collaboration had begun earlier. The name Fabrique was chosen as a reference to the ambition to view design not as a paper-based exercise but as something to be realized in practice in order to be relevant. Soon after, graphic designer Paul Roos and computer graphics specialist Erwin Zwart joined Fabrique. From the outset, the collective positioned itself as a multidisciplinary design studio in which graphic design, industrial design and spatial design converged. Among other projects, they designed the hardware for the light boxes used in signage at Schiphol Airport, street furniture and – together with Mijksenaar – the wayfinding system for Dutch Railways (NS) stations. They also worked for the cultural sector. In 1996, Van Erp, together with René Bubberman, designed a universally applicable interior for the buses, trams and metro vehicles of the Rotterdam Electric Tram[6](RET). In the decades that followed, this design served as the standard for vehicle interiors in the city of Rotterdam. A prototype of the bus seat was added to the collection of Museum Boymans Van Beuningen in 2024.[7]

In 1994, Van Erp founded the digital media department (then known as “new media”). The department focused on designing for the still-emerging World Wide Web. Among the first websites to go live were those for the entertainment guide Time Out Amsterdam, Fiat (for the introduction of the Fiat Brava and Fiat Bravo), VARA and an intranet for ABN AMRO Bank. The design community initially responded with scepticism to the new medium. The graphic quality of early screens was limited due to low resolution, as was the available bandwidth for the use of colour. However, the possibilities for interaction between companies and institutions and their users appeared virtually unlimited, and the studio actively responded to these opportunities. Van Erp and Fabrique recognized this potential and can therefore be considered pioneers in the field of digital design. Other digital-domain clients in the 1990s included record labels EMI and Sony Music Entertainment, KPN, Océ, TNO, Novib and the Lowlands festival.[8]

In 1999, Fabrique was awarded the entire internet account of Albert Heijn.[9] This not only provided a major boost for Fabrique, but also confirmed the rapidly established reputation of the young company in this newly emerging domain. This led to an intensive collaboration lasting sixteen years with the Zaandam-based supermarket chain, during which a series of trend-setting innovations were developed, including the Albert home delivery service, the Albert Heijn photo service and the Kookschriftjes application.

During the 1990s, Van Erp[10] worked extensively with Fabrique for the music industry and designed CD covers for, among others, Hallo Venray,[11] Soundgarden, The Comsat Angels, Van Dik Hout [12] and the 2 Meter Sessies. In 1996, the book It Looks Like It Sounds was published on this work, accompanied by a travelling exhibition.[13] The title refers to the philosophy that Fabrique did not aim to impose its own design signature on artists, but instead created designs that reflected the content. The book and exhibition received coverage in the national press. Corporate identities were also designed for organizations including TNO and Conamus.

Fabrique, the 2000s

In the 2000s, the studio continued to grow with new clients, primarily in the digital domain but also across other disciplines. The commission from the Rijksmuseum to design its new website in 2003 marked a new era. It marked the beginning of a collaboration that continues to this day and resulted in groundbreaking digital designs within the cultural sector.[14] This led to the studio gaining international attention in this field, which in turn resulted in commissions from prestigious museums such as the National Gallery in London and the Louvre Abu Dhabi.

Under Van Erp’s leadership, a wide range of projects were realized, including the interior design and innovations for the Giant flagship store, annual reports for TNT Post (in collaboration with Anton Corbijn), album covers for Simple Minds,[15][16] the dynamic identity for the Effenaar [17] and websites for the National Library of the Netherlands, North Sea Jazz and the Dutch National Ballet. He was one of the driving forces behind the development of a new market model for the energy sector, in collaboration with The Boston Consulting Group and commissioned by Essent. This project is considered one of the early examples of how a design-led approach can be used to address complex systemic problems. Systemic design would later be incorporated into the new bachelor’s programme in Industrial Design (see Education).

Under his leadership, the company grew into a leading design agency in the Netherlands. This was partly due to the decision to position Fabrique more clearly as a strategic design agency with specializations in innovation and branding. It became one of the largest design agencies in the Netherlands and played a crucial role during this period in the development of digital and cross-media design in the country.

Until 2006, Van Erp served as general director. After that, the company – by then employing approximately 100 people – was managed by Gert Hans Berghuis (general director), Paul Stork (managing director) and Van Erp as creative director. In December 2015, they stepped back and a new generation took over leadership of the firm.[18] From that point on, Van Erp focused on clients and projects involving conceptual and future-oriented challenges.

Fabrique, the 2010s to the present

Fabrique continued to develop throughout the 2010s. In the years that followed, the company worked for several new clients, including Rabobank, ING Bank, HEMA, ASML and the Amsterdam Public Transport Authority. In 2011, the first automated border control system was implemented at Schiphol Airport,[19] allowing travellers to scan their own passports and proceed after facial recognition. The concept had been developed five years earlier by a team led by Van Erp, with the original question focusing on how passenger flow at the airport could be improved. The concept subsequently spread worldwide.

The new website for the renowned Design Museum in London, launched in 2015, won numerous awards. It earned Fabrique its first Webby Award (often referred to as the “Oscars of the internet”). The team also received a European Design Award.[20]


Together with GroupA, Van Erp and Fabrique won the European tender in 2009 for the redesign of sixteen metro stations on the East Line in Amsterdam.[21] Fabrique developed the vision and designed the frameworks for interaction with passengers, which served as input for the architectural design. The project was completed in 2018 and won multiple awards. It marked the beginning of a new discipline within Fabrique: UX in Public Space[22], in which models and methods originally developed for the digital domain were applied to the physical environment.

In collaboration with The Ocean Cleanup, the Interceptor was developed between 2017 and 2019, a system designed to capture plastic waste from rivers before it reaches the ocean. For this work, a Dutch Design Award was received during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.[23]

Fabrique, which has won more than two hundred national and international design awards over the past three decades, became part of ARC,[24] a network of creative companies and consultants based in Stockholm, in October 2022. Van Erp remained with the company as a shareholder and innovation strategist. The name ARC was changed to Eidra in June 2024.[25]

Education and social engagement

Since graduating, Van Erp has frequently been invited as a guest lecturer in both the Netherlands and abroad. In 2014, he was one of the initiators of the newly established master’s programme in Digital Design at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (HvA).[26] In the same year, he was invited to contribute to the development of a radically new design programme in Noida, India.[27] The outcome of a series of workshops was a vision and manifesto for Design Village, a bachelor’s programme in design that educates designers through a holistic approach with a strong emphasis on social engagement. In the years that followed, the school developed into a leading institution in the field of design education. In September 2026, the school is scheduled to launch a master’s programme in Borgo Priolo, in Lombardy, Italy. As a founding figure, Van Erp remains involved.

From 2015 to 2021, Van Erp served as a part-time professor of concept design at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering in Delft.[28] He was among those involved in the development of a new bachelor’s programme at one of the world’s oldest design schools. During this period, he supervised graduation projects, established a collaboration with the Red Cross, and led a laboratory focused on designing for systemic change.[29]

Music

Growing up in a music shop left a lasting influence on him. During his studies, he worked as a DJ, was employed in record shops, at a record wholesaler, and for a record label (Plexus). Between 1984 and 1988, he was one of the driving forces behind the Syndicate of Melodies together with Peter Dispa and Jan Knuivers, a management company, record label and publishing entity for artists. They were key figures behind the success of acts such as The Fatal Flowers and Blue Murder. In the years that followed, Van Erp served, among other roles, as a board member and jury member of the Grote Prijs van Nederland. Since 2023, Van Erp has been writing for the music magazine OOR. He writes articles and conducts monthly interviews with well-known music producers, including Trevor Horn, Tony Visconti, Nile Rodgers, Finneas, Don Was and Todd Rundgren.[30] Van Erp has also previously contributed to six editions of OOR’s Popencyclopedie.

Governance roles

Since 1995, Van Erp has held various governance roles within the creative industry.

  • 1999–2016: Co-founder and board member of the Design & Emotion Society
  • 2005–2013: Board member of NAGO
  • 2012–2016: Board member of BNO[31]
  • 2011–2018: Programme curator of TEDxDelft
  • 2012–2016: Member of the Top Team Creative Industry
  • 2013–2021: Chair of the Dutch Creative Council
  • 2016–2022: Board member of Kunsten ’92
  • 2016–2025: Member of the Supervisory Board of What Design Can Do[32]
  • 2019–2025: Member of the Supervisory Board of the Hout- en Meubileringscollege
  • 2021–present: Chair of the Supervisory Board of Eurosonic Noorderslag[33]
  • 2024–present: Chair of the board of the Hit the City festival in Eindhoven[34]

Kunsten ’92 is an advocacy organization for the cultural and creative sector. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he acted as a driving force behind the Kunsten2030 project, in which he co-created a vision with the sector for a more resilient industry that anticipates future developments.[35]

Publications (selection)

From the beginning of his career, Van Erp has published on his field in the form of columns, articles and academic publications. His book-length publications include:

  • 2008: Design and Emotion Moves (editors: Pieter Desmet, Jeroen van Erp and MariAnne Karlsson), Cambridge Scholars Publishing, United Kingdom
  • 2008: Enriching (editors: Pieter Desmet, Jeroen van Erp, Catherine Hu and Lara van der Veen), Design & Emotion Society, Netherlands; Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
  • 2017: Think Like a Designer, Don’t Act Like One, Jeroen van Erp, BIS Publishers, Amsterdam, Netherlands[36]
  • 2017: Roots series: Peter te Bos, Jeroen van Erp, Zoo Publishers, Eindhoven, Netherlands[37]
  • 2018: Roots series: Frans Lieshout, Jeroen van Erp, Zoo Publishers, Eindhoven, Netherlands
  • 2020: Is It Good Enough…, Jeroen van Erp, Lecturis Publishers, Eindhoven, Netherlands
  • 2021: Metro Oostlijn: Designing the System, Jeroen van Erp, Maarten van Bremen and Maarten Lever, Lecturis Publishers, Eindhoven, Netherlands
  • 2023: Roots series: Lex Reitsma, Jeroen van Erp, Zoo Publishers, Eindhoven, Netherlands

References

  1. ↑ "DPG Media Privacy Gate". myprivacy.dpgmedia.nl. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  2. ↑ "Jeroen van Erp, ontwerper". koosdewilt. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
  3. ↑ "Hack the system!". fabrique.com. 2021-12-24. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
  4. ↑ "Fabrique merken, design & interactie - Cstories.nl - Business Storytelling %". Cstories.nl - Business Storytelling (in Nederlands). Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  5. ↑ "Wayback Machine" (PDF). www.researchgate.net. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-03-21. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  6. ↑ van der Werf, C.J. (2004). 100 jaar elektrische tram in Rotterdam 1905-2005 (in Nederlands). De Alk. ISBN 9789073647534.
  7. ↑ "RET busstoeltje". Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen (in Nederlands). Retrieved 2026-01-30.
  8. ↑ "Lowlands 2009". DDA (in Nederlands). Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  9. ↑ "Albert Heijn". Webdesign (in Nederlands). Archived from the original on 2018-08-16. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  10. ↑ "Jeroen Van Erp". Discogs. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
  11. ↑ Hallo Venray - The More I Laugh, The Hornier Due Gets!, 1992, retrieved 2026-02-02
  12. ↑ Van Dik Hout - Kopstoot Van Een Vlinder, 1997, retrieved 2026-02-02
  13. ↑ "It Looks Like It Sounds - Verpakkingen voor de muziekindustrie door Fabrique by Visser, Johand and Robbert Tilly: Very Good Hardcover (1997) | Concept Books". www.abebooks.com. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  14. ↑ "Rijksmuseum website". DDA (in Nederlands). Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  15. ↑ Simple Minds - Neon Lights, 2001, retrieved 2026-01-30
  16. ↑ Black & White - Simple Minds | Album | AllMusic, retrieved 2026-02-02
  17. ↑ "Jeroen van Erp: De Effenaar-identiteit was een voorloper". www.effenaar.nl (in Nederlands). Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  18. ↑ "Fabrique start nieuwe jaar met nieuwe directie | MarketingTribune Design". www.marketingtribune.nl. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  19. ↑ "Schiphol automated border control gates". fabrique.com. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
  20. ↑ BASIC®. "NEW Webby Gallery + Index". NEW Webby Gallery + Index. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
  21. ↑ dddsadmin (2020-12-07). "Metro Oostlijn Amsterdam". Dutch Design Daily (in Nederlands). Retrieved 2026-01-30.
  22. ↑ "UX in public space". fabrique.com. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
  23. ↑ "Jeroen van Erp intercepts Dutch Design Award". TU Delft. Archived from the original on 2020-11-26. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
  24. ↑ Loeff, Loyens &. "ARC Arise Consulting acquires Q42 and Fabrique". www.loyensloeff.com. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  25. ↑ "Eidra: Leading Nordic Consultancy Specializing in Sustainability and Innovation". www.eidra.com. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  26. ↑ "Master Digital Design | AUAS". www.amsterdamuas.com. Archived from the original on 2025-12-06. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  27. ↑ "Bachelor of Design Courses | Transdisciplinary Design". The Design Village. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
  28. ↑ "Prof. ir. Erp, J. van". TU Delft. Archived from the original on 2023-05-27. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
  29. ↑ "Hack the system!". fabrique.nl (in Nederlands). 2021-12-24. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
  30. ↑ "OOR 7 2025 - zomerspecial". OOR (in Nederlands). Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  31. ↑ "BNO-ereleden". BNO (in Nederlands). Retrieved 2026-01-30.
  32. ↑ "Our team". What Design Can Do. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  33. ↑ "Team". ESNS (in Nederlands). Retrieved 2026-01-30.
  34. ↑ "Hit the City laat Eindhoven óók cultureel groeien - WATT Magazine" (in Nederlands). 2025-08-22. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
  35. ↑ "KUNSTEN 2030 – Vereniging voor Kunst, Cultuur en Erfgoed" (in Nederlands). Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  36. ↑ "BIS Publishers | Think Like a Designer, Don't Act Like One". BIS Publishers. Retrieved 2026-01-29.
  37. ↑ "Peter te Bos – ZOO producties" (in Nederlands). Retrieved 2026-01-29.

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