2025 Hot New Things: Pim van Duin, Ara, Institute of Canterbury
Each summer Design Assembly profiles a selection of the top graduates from the best Art and Design Schools in Aotearoa New Zealand. We welcome these talented emerging professionals to our industry, learn about their passions, final projects, developing creative confidence and ambitions for the future.
Today we speak with Pim van Duin who recently graduated from the Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication) at Ara, Institute of Canterbury. Find out more about undergraduate and postgraduate study options in art and design by visiting our Design Schools page.
Tell us a bit about yourself
Hello! Most people call me Pim. My parents did. They still do, too.
I take inspiration from the design philosophies of my Dutch roots: minimalism, experimentalism, innovation, quirkiness, and humour. This gives me a passionate drive for clear, concise, and effective design and communication. Constantly inspired by the mantra of German product designer Dieter Rams: ‘Less but better,’ I believe that design is meant to improve our world.
Before studying design at Ara, I spent 6 years on the Avon River as a punter taking people on guided tours. This taught me many things, but most of all I left with the immense satisfaction of being the punter on the front cover (and board) of the Christchurch edition of Monopoly.
You could say that creativity runs through my veins, but my doctor disagrees. They say it’s blood. Anyway, throughout my childhood I explored avenues and lanes, and streets and roads, while painting, drawing, taking photos, making videos, and almost getting into trouble.
What was the focus of your graduating project?
Landlines is a platform for location-based storytelling that encourages people to reconnect with the city they live in.
Stories carry memories of time, place, and people. As time passes, many of these stories fade away. By retelling these stories, we keep them alive in the societal mind. By linking them to the places where they unfolded, people gain a better historical understanding of the city they inhabit. They also gain a deeper sense of place and a more fulfilling connection to their surrounds.
Landlines tells narratives that have been lost, hidden, or overlooked. Ghosts feature as a link to the stories of Landlines as in superstitions ghosts linger on Earth because they have unfinished business to attend to. While each ghost, tied to its own story has their own personal matters to resolve, they share a common desire: They want their stories to be told once more.
Why did you choose to study design at Ara?
Straight out of high school I studied at university, but the style of teaching wasn’t for me. I knew that if ever I would return to tertiary education I would like to have smaller class sizes and greater interaction between student and teacher with hands-on practical experience.
Cut to: 6 years later.
I felt my time as a punter was coming to an end. I wanted to upskill and change direction. I wanted to study something creative, collaborative, and something else beginning with c. Someone I had met at the time was studying for a Bachelor of Design at Ara, and I was intrigued. I applied and that was that.
What did you enjoy most about the design programme at Ara?
When I first started I wasn’t quite sure what design was. It wasn’t until one project early in the first year where we had to create a cohesive icon for a whakataukī that something simply clicked. It was something my tutor said to me. I can’t remember his exact words but they connected neurons in my brain that longed to be together. They finally united.
More neurons were connected when I started to look at, and be inspired by, Dutch design. It’s probably because I was born in the Netherlands. I continue to be influenced to this day.
My main takeaways from my time at Ara were from the Chinese place across the road. I usually got a bowl of rice with curry chicken and sweet and sour pork. Most days I bought a takeaway hot chocolate from the student cafe.
What was your biggest challenge while studying?
It’s always hard to come up with a great idea. They are few and far between. I found that that was my biggest challenge while studying. I constantly found that I was not able to create a solid design when the foundational idea wasn’t fully fleshed out.
To unlock the best outcome getting the strategy right was the key. Luckily, the tutors gave us the key cutters in the form of simple questions like: What is this product/idea/experience/service about at its core? Who is the target audience? Why are you doing this? What problem is it solving?
David Lynch said that getting a great idea is like fishing. If you want to catch a big fish you have to sit there at the waterside with your line in the water and wait.
What inspired you to pick design as a career path?
Once upon a time I sat on a beach looking at the waves rolling and crashing upon the sea and I thought to myself whoever designed the waves and the tides is a genius.
Have you ever looked at a mug and thought how simple the design is? The bowl to hold the liquid, the handle to hold the bowl and not let your hand get burned. You may try to improve the design by making the mug taller, or bigger, or a different colour, but the foundational design elements stay the same. Whoever designed the humble mug is a genius.
What’s next for you?
When I was younger I wanted to be an artist. Or, perhaps, a photographer for National Geographic. Or, perhaps, someone who creates good things for people to enjoy. I still hold those cards in my hand. However, studying at Ara has added another one: A person who helps those with a problem that can be solved through visual communication in the least complex way possible. Simple solutions are the most elegant.
Where will I end up? Only time will tell. I hope it’s somewhere comfortable, full with friends, laughter, great work, and a desire to do more. Somewhere where I can say, as Kurt Vonnegut’s encouraged people to do: “If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.”
Where can we see more of your work?
pimdesign.nz or email me: hello@pimdesign.nz
Instagram: @pimstradamus
