We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer about their original and creative design work. is an award-winning creative designer, that makes our world a better place with their original works.
("") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work . Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
: AESTUS is meant to blend material and machine. Inspired by the dynamic relationship between nature and machine, AESTUS is a series of stratified wooden vases designed and manufactured to explore a new synthesis of traditional materials and modern technology.
: The series' distinctive material and iconic shape is meant to blend modern and traditional design qualities. I wanted to raise awareness not only for the beauty of traditional materials but also for the appreciation of fabrication and craft. Especially in our digital age that we are in, I wanted to make a statement for both the manual and the digital.
: I want to explore more possibilities in the relationship between material and machine. I'm planning more designs with a similar approach, and I hope to inspire other artists and designers to do the same.
: It took me about a year from conception to final prototype. AESTUS was finished in mid 2018.
: I wanted to design a timeless concept and focus solely on the material while ensuring a simple yet durable functionality. This is why I chose to design a series of vases.
: I am producing the design in collaboration with a carpentry. I produce the machine instructions myself but let professionals handle the materials and finishes.
: I draw inspiration from many other designers who engage with material and form in similar ways.
: I hope my design can be used in public spaces such as exhibitions, restaurants or hotel lobbies, but I also have private clients who want to appreciate the design in their homes.
: The main differentiation is the appreciation for the fabrication process as well as the relationship with the material.
: AESTUS is latin and can be translated into passion, heat, fire or wave. It emphasizes the dynamic shape but also the dynamic and intense relationship between material and machine.
: I am using McNeel Rhinoceros and the programming plugin Grasshopper. The design is manufactured using a 7-axis industry robot setup.
: The series' distinctive material and iconic shape is meant to blend modern and traditional design qualities. It reflects a fascination for the relationship between the scientific, almost purely mathematical approach of digital fabrication, and the aesthetics of the material directly affected by this process. The tension between the digital and physical, the method and the result, is most prevalent in this form of contemporary wood design: the richness, depth and visual detail of a wooden surface stands in contrast to the clean and precise robotic manufacturing process.
: I collaborated with the carpentry Ackermann GmbH in Germany. They provided the expertise of material handling and finishing, while I provided my knowledge of machine code generation and how to make the most out of the robot's movements.
: This design is enabled by technology. During the development the robot's movement became one of the main design tools as it directly influences the shape of each groove. Parametric software and digital simulation tools were specifically developed to explore the design possibilities and seamlessly integrate the robotic fabrication, while prototypes were manufactured to precisely understand the constraints of the robot and to achieve a continuously high quality.
: With a height of 110 cm the biggest of the four vases is also the most challenging to manufacture. Fixed only on the bottom of the turn table, the vase experiences high forces during milling. The required stability was achieved by integrating a stainless steel cylinder in the manufacturing process. It acts as a guide for both the lamination process of the beech plywood layers, and the precise attachment to the turn table.
: This competition was recommended by a friend.
: Although I have worked with robots and wood for many years I learned a lot about fabrication processes when developing this design. The complexity to get from raw material to finished design takes a lot of commitment and patience, and I'm very happy to have had support from the carpentry I collaborated with.
: I hope this design will raise awareness for the relationship between human, machine and material. And I hope that through this relationship, people will again appreciate the process of making, craftsmanship and see the changes in our digital age not as a threat but as a possibility.
