Design City: Talent Spotlight in the Netherlands
Interview with Alexander Pelikan

TAXI >>How would you describe the design scene in the Netherlands? Alexander Pelikan>>In the Netherlands the design scene is like a big family. Everyone seems to know each other. And like in a family there are certain bonds between some family members some likes and some dislikes, help and understanding and even lots of gossip. When it comes to realizing a big event or competing in a exciting competition you will find lots of people to participate or to support that venue. TAXI >> What do you feel is lacking in the Netherlands' design industry and how do you think you can contribute to the industry, society and economy as a creative individual? Alexander Pelikan>>Not very much is lacking in the Netherlands - I feel that Dutch Design is quite in the focus of the international design crowd. However I do feel the need for a deeper and more qualitative dialog with big companies. The advancements of Dutch Design like "vrije vormgeving" (a deep, more wholesome understanding of what design is) which you see developing in the last years, has not yet arrive in the society. As an individual I try to reflect my ideas in my products, which is my only way of influence. In particular I get in contact with companies who have interesting techniques, processes or materials and I then translate those fantastic new developments (and thus possibilities) into products which are accessible to the public. TAXI >>'Plastic Nature' was a really well thought-out and paradoxical project of yours. What are some of the projects you are currently working on? Alexander Pelikan>>I put a 5 minute movie of “The Making of Plastic Nature” on Youtube. The movie shows a step by step process of how the furniture is handmade and is accessible via: http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=QhJ0GdCa_lU At the moment I am in Yogyakarta, Indonesia as a volunteer – together with Christian Kocx. I am designing products for local craftsmen who still suffer from the 2006 earthquake. Furthermore I work for two clients on CLICFURNITURE projects. One short explanation about the CLICFURNITURE: it is a concept which I am constantly working on since a couple of years. CLICFURNITURE is knock down furniture where all parts of the piece are milled by e.g. a CNC mill. To connect it you just take it from the machine, click it – and ready. It is your chair, or table, or lounge chair, or bar table... CLICFURNITURE is fully digital, you just need the computer drawing (CAD) and the piece can be produced everywhere. Anyone can connect it by clicking within half a minute. The beauty of the click mechanism is visible in the furniture piece - it becomes a functional decoration. TAXI >> Which aspect of your style, do you feel makes you different from other designers? Alexander Pelikan>>I design layered objects where I take in account not only the appearance of the object but also the production process and the social implications of the design. I am not after "loud effects" these only produce short lived designs. I design wholesome designs which reveal their deeper aspects only after a time that you own them. For me the emotional, esthetical and conceptual qualities of a product have to be well balanced and all aspects have to be strong with a focus on the function. TAXI >> Can you describe a progress in your works from the first projects to the current one? Alexander Pelikan>>My first projects which I did at the Design Academy were often reflecting only certain aspects of a design. Now that I established a studio and work as an autonomous designer I design more homogeneous, reflecting in the design all the aspects what led to its existence.

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Design City: Talent Spotlight in the Netherlands
Interview with Jeroen Wesselink

TAXI >> How would you describe the design scene in the Netherlands? Jeoren Wesselink>>The design in the Netherlands is fresh and playful. It’s innovative and of a high technical level. There is respect for the craftsmanship and we like to use new materials and techniques. People all over the world respect our way of designing. TAXI >>What do you feel is lacking in the Netherlands' design industry and how do you think you can contribute to the industry, society and economy as a creative individual? Jeoren Wesselink>>I think we have to keep in mind that we have to design for the world, not only for the high society. Lots of colleges made only very exclusive designs. I produce all my designs in the Netherlands. There is a lot of know-how in the country. Lots of designers produce in China. I think this is a threat to our own industry. We should "think global act local". TAXI >>'My Deer' is a really witty play on words and on style. What was the inspiration behind the design? Jeoren Wesselink>>It all started with a organic shape. I made a few studies in clay. While working on the first prototype, I held it upside down and as a "ureca" I discovered the deer head. My Deer was born. TAXI >>During Inside Design Amsterdam, you worked with Richard Hutten on the design of a bar made of Bombay Sapphire bottles live. It must have been quite an experience, what was it like? Jeoren Wesselink>>It was a good experience to work together with Richard Hutten. A few years ago I did my internship in his studio. It was nice to work together again and it is a big honour that he invited me for this event. TAXI >>How would your good friend describe your style? Jeoren Wesselink>> Authentic and playful. Always searching for identity. Every product has is own soul. I'll like it when people smile when they see my work.

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Design City: Talent Spotlight in the Netherlands
Interview with Jorre Van Ast

TAXI >> How would you describe the design scene in the Netherlands? Jorre Van Ast>>As I took my education partly in London, I've always looked at the Dutch design scene from the outside; I'm a bit of an outsider which is actually quite nice. TAXI >>What do you feel is lacking in the Netherlands' design industry and how do you think you can contribute to the industry, society and economy as a creative individual? Jorre Van Ast>> Although it is slowly changing, I think there is still a bit of a gap between a part of the Dutch design scene and the industry. This is due to a lack of industry in Holland and how the design industry has been subsidised in the past, making a lot of 'free' work (the designer as an author) possible by funding/financial support. The dutch design scene has benefited hugely from this, establishing a world wide reputation for its experimental work. Nevertheless, I still think the balance is not completely there yet. (I don't see any people like Grcic or Bouroullec around, or people like Anthony Dunne or Noam Toran). TAXI >>Clampology, Clamp a Leg, Clamp Installation… You seem to be curiously fascinated by clamps. How did the idea to work with them come about? Jorre Van Ast>>It was just something that happened while 'playing' around. I like to take an existing principle and then push it into something new. After the first idea of the clamps I decided to do 10 more as a typological exercise (thanks Daniel and Roberto!). The jar tops (now with www.royalvkb.nl) are in a way quite similar to the clamps. TAXI >>The Outdoor Plywood Chair seems to be a pretty exciting concept. It makes use of an environmentally friendly material and processes in the production system to achieve the final product. Can you cue us in on your current projects? Jorre Van Ast>>What was nice about the plywood chairs was the process of making it ourselves. The first experiments in paper, cardboard, plywood etc. Making is very important! Don't just stare at your pc or sketchbook. Although I came from quite an applied background, making and messing around in the first stages of the process is what I enjoy most. At the moment, I am working on some project with my father who happens to run a furniture company. TAXI >>6 designers. 1 goal. 1 studio. Working with a designer is a pretty challenging thing to do, what do you feel about working with 5 others in OKAYstudio? Jorre Van Ast>>OKAYstudio is more a collective then a business. We are all friends from the RCA, and, as a group do 1 or 2 exhibitions a year. This works for all of us. Setting up a practice and trying to run a business with 6 different people probably doesn't work for very long I think. Our work is pretty diverse and I think this is what makes it interesting; sharing and bouncing of ideas... There's a good energy in the studio.

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Design City: Talent Spotlight in the Netherlands
Interview with Pieke Bergmans

TAXI >>How would you describe the design scene in the Netherlands? Pieke Bergmans>>The Dutch design scene is..... full of surprises! They create for themselves instead of for a market, that’s what makes a difference. They design what they would like to see themselves. The scene is small as Holland is little which means we all know each other pretty well. As in the past the Dutch were famous for traveling - discovering and trading, we all bump into the same parties all over the world. TAXI >>What do you feel is lacking in the Netherlands' design industry and how do you think you can contribute to the industry, society and economy as a creative individual? Pieke Bergmans>>Lots of things will have to be designed, also in Holland, so there will be always a lot of work. But most companies that manufacture things like furniture - tableware etc. are abroad, which means I am often working with international companies, not necessarily with Dutch. I am not sticking to Holland as it is too little for that, but so is the world, still lots is happening though. TAXI >> Your favourite modus operandi is to alter existing production processes – ‘personalized mass productions’. Care to share some of the challenges in achieving that particular goal? Pieke Bergmans>>A major goal of my work is to develop a production-process that produces individual objects. Series of products that all are unique like all other things that grow in nature: If you look at an olive tree for example. There must be maybe millions of olive trees in the world that all have silver leaves and grow olives. But have you ever seen an olive tree that is exactly the same? That’s why also mass production should set some rules but within those rules should be some space for variation. We find the beauty in the difference. Unlimited Edition vases: “We designed various templates that we place into a specially designed extrusion machine. Thus, the machine extrudes endless tubes of clay. Because of the speed and flexibility of the clay, the tubes force themselves in maximum and almost impossible conditions and shapes. We cut the tubes of the extrusion-machine and place them onto a drying table. Because we have researched the quality and max-deformation of this clay, we have managed to develop a new product that is always unique but can be mass-produced: an Unlimited Edition.” TAXI >>Mirror Virus, Print Virus, Sticky Virus… Viruses are clearly your distinctive trademark. What inspired you to come up with a series of ‘infections’ for your works? Pieke Bergmans>>A virus is an organism that grows, adapts and changes. Every time it has to find ways to survive and so to multiply and spread itself. This is what design is trying to do as well. The Design Virus is a formula that will spread and become a global epidemic....beware! Also in the production-process of a virus we see variation and change like mentioned at the individual mass-production. Mama Virus, a piece of furniture for seating, seems to be a big hit with people from all ages. What was the inspiration behind this work? It’s a big sock that holds a lot of gymnastic balls together. As it looks so soft everybody likes to give it a try and jump onto it. As the balls are not fixed you can move them into a comfortable position. That makes it attractive for elderly people too. It’s an interactive seat, as soon as you are in it you will start speaking with your neigbours. Again this product is adapting to the humans that use it and the shape constantly keeps on changing. The Mama Virus is now being developed by the Textile Museum in Holland.

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Design City: Talent Spotlight in the Netherlands
Interview with Erik de Vlaam

TAXI >>How would you describe the design scene in the Netherlands? Erik de Vlaam>>The design scene in the Netherlands is very diverse. There are large design agencies (+/- 100 people), medium & small ones but there are also very successful couples or designers that work alone. The kind of work that the design scene produces is also very diverse. From very conceptual to very form based. I think that the small size of our country, the high density of people and the openness of people formed that diversity. Clients see the potential of a good or new design and they dare to be different. TAXI >>What do you feel is lacking in the Netherlands' design industry and how do you think you can contribute to the industry, society and economy as a creative individual? Erik de Vlaam>>My personal view is that some people think design is becoming a commodity which I don't hope it will be. Because then the designer is becoming the new ‘construction worker’ behind his screen moving objects from A to B. I think that's sad. I think the role of designer is more like an author with the freedom to think and to do research. I'm very privileged that I get this freedom to think at Studio Dumbar and I hope I can keep surprising people with good and unsuspected stuff. TAXI >>Congratulations on winning the Red Dot Award for Pulchri Poster Series! What projects are you working on at the moment? Erik de Vlaam>>Thank you, I work at the moment at a new Pulchri Poster, a project about wayfinding in Korea, Randstad (a big recruiting company) and I help my boss with teaching at the university in Venice TAXI >>You often employ bold colours for your designs. How do you think your style has evolved from your first works to the present one? Erik de Vlaam>>I don’t care so much about ‘style’ although I know my work is sometimes very colourful. I don’t know for sure why I like to use bright colours maybe because there is a lot of (blend) CMYK printed design here and I like to fight against that trend. But maybe it is because of the shitty weather in the Netherlands (if you read this there is a 90% change that it is cloudy or rains in Holland). TAXI >> Where do you see yourself in the next 3 years? Erik de Vlaam>> In the next 3 years I want to be do more research, find more unsuspected solutions, surprise people more (the harder, better, faster & stronger story). After that I want to teach.

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TRAVEL ALBUM: DESIGN COUNTRY publishes the essential photography subjects of a country. As they say, architecture landmarks denote the progressing development of a country. Design in each and every country speaks in different languages and dances to different cultures. A lot of countries are growing in the design realm but no one would know about this development but the travelers and the locals themselves. Only. The exciting quirks and electrifying eccentricity of Everyday Product, Design Schools, Designers, Resources, Hotels/Buildings, Design Studios/Personalities, Local Galleries, Museums, etc, are found in both secret and obvious places of the country.

We miss out on these simple things during travel or simply during our busy lifestyle in our own country. So the next time you travel, think of TRAVEL ALBUM: DESIGN COUNTRY.

Design in Progress: The Netherlands. How Design a Country is the Netherlands? We find out...

5 Hot Spots in the Netherlands. Where are the places to be? We'll show you...

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