Femke Bijlsma is a partner and content developer at Kossmanndejong, an Amsterdam-based design firm with a global portfolio, where she has played a pivotal role in creating immersive, narrative-driven spaces that engage and inspire visitors worldwide.
Bijlsma’s work is distinguished by her ability to connect design with social goals. Her projects consistently reflect a deep understanding of how spaces can be used to tell powerful stories and foster meaningful connections among diverse audiences. This is evident in her work on the Museum of the Mind in Haarlem, where she and her team involved a wide range of visitors as a sounding board and testing panel. This inclusive approach ensured that the exhibition resonated with its audience and contributed to the museum’s mission of promoting a more inclusive society.
As a co-founder of the Refugee Company, Femke Bijlsma has created opportunities for refugees to engage with the creative industry, demonstrating her commitment to using design as a tool for empowerment and inclusion. Her involvement as chair of the Dutch Design Awards and her roles on the board of the Salwa Foundation and the Dutch Creative Industries Fund further highlight her dedication to advancing design as a force for positive change.
Femke is also a thought leader in exhibition design. She regularly gives lectures and workshops at universities and art schools, sharing her insights on creating engaging and transformative spaces.
Her recent projects, including the new permanent exhibition at Museum Sophiahof in The Hague, ’Our Colonial Heritage’ at the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam, and the UAE Pavilion for the World Expo 2020 in Dubai, exemplify her ability to tackle complex and sensitive subjects through design. Her work on the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles and the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, Kossmanndejong’s first projects in the USA, marks a significant expansion of her influence on a global scale.