Heiter X’s Sacred Grove Brings Stillness and Sustainability to Design Biennale Rotterdam 2025

This February, the Design Biennale Rotterdam 2025 transformed the city into a hub of creative exploration. Among its highlights was Sacred Grove, an immersive installation by Estonian artist-designer Heiter X and her Protopia Collective, which invited visitors into a world shaped by biophilic design, sustainability, and a deep reverence for nature.

Mythical Relic Table by Heiter X photography Alana Proosa

Hosted at W70 from 20 February to 2 March, Sacred Grove offered a tactile, sculptural landscape made from raw clay, reclaimed wood, hemp, water, and living plants. Rooted in Estonian foraging traditions and sacred groves, the installation invited quiet reflection, with seating by designer Robin Berrewaerts encouraging stillness and connection.

Adding to the space, artist Erik Merisalu contributed sculptural jewellery and accessories that extended the exhibition’s focus on material exploration and natural form.

“I think about objects as more than their surface function,” said Heiter X. “My focus is on what they do for us beyond utility—something deeply felt rather than simply used.”

P60 Lounge Chairs by Robin Berrewaerts

Following her Foraged Installation at London Design Festival 2024, this latest work further elevates Estonian design on the global stage. It also underscores the collaborative ethos of Protopia Collective, a creative network founded by Heiter X and involving talents such as JoJo&me, photographer Alana Proosa, and filmmaker Janar Aronija.

Heiter X photography by Ana Maria

With press coverage from The Times, Frame, and Disegno, Heiter X and the Protopia Collective continue to gain international recognition. More than an exhibition, Sacred Grove was a call to pause, reconnect, and imagine new relationships between people and the natural world.