Thomas Valcke sought after a place where his talents would get recognition. At many places he would be welcomed with open arms for his amazing skills, but after some time he would hear the call of someone else who needed help so again he would continue his journey towards another horizon, new challenges and experiences...continuing his ever during quest.
Let’s ask more from the designer himself,
1. When did you decide to pursue design as a career and how did you go about it?
Thomas: As a child I always enjoyed playing with LEGO, MECANO and other similar toys. Also playing with toys that weren’t toys and therefore potentially setting the house on fire. In high-school (12-18) I quickly ended up in technical school, studying Industrial science. I barely got through it. It wasn’t particularly easy and there is something very boring about redoing things somebody did before you. But after high school it was time for something new, another way. I really wanted to DO something...it was a very uneasy situation. After informing myself at many schools, picturing myself as a pre-school-teacher, social-worker, missionary, construction worker, ‘artist’ and many more.
I visited the PIH in Kortrijk, some years ago they started a new department: Industrial Engineer Industrial Design. I fell in love with the drawings and the displayed works. The first two years where hard, lots of engineering courses -which was way worth it, but a real bummer then- the final two years where a real revelation. I manufactured my first product/prototype and felt the overwhelming rush of creating something. So I got hooked and things would never be the same.
2. You received honarable mention for DETROIT Concept, a pair of glasses that supports a duality in function, I’m curious to know as to why the concept couldn’t reach the production level?
Thomas: First of all the DETROIT-concept was a result of collaboration between Lieven De Couvreur and me. We also conceived WOOD, A pair of sunglasses made of plywood. Ideal for festivals and other summer festivities. These two concepts where our contribution to the OPUS-design challenge. We ended up as finalists with both concepts -amongst another 50, (heheh) none of the two concepts made it to the prototyping phase. And even if we wanted to research the idea further we would have to talk to OPUS because they can also claim this idea, since it was perceived for the contest.
I feel pretty confident that the WOOD-concept is very feasible in all its aspects. The DETROIT-concept might be a little harder to realize. Technically it sure would be a challenge. We still feel strongly about both of these ideas and hope they might once be more than just ideas.
3. You have asserted that your final project for BMW Belgium, the C1 for the year 2030, has all (most) the advantages of the C1 but none of the disadvantages. Would you please expatiate a little over it?
Thomas: The C1-project was a assignment forwarded from BMW Belgium, they contacted Ad!dict, a think tank in Brussels, I kind of accidentally got involved in it -superb timing and luck- my task was to conceive solutions for the C1 in both short term and long term future.
The C1 was created by BMW to downscale the overall CO2-emissions of its fleets, enforced by the law. And the result is indeed a weird thing, it looked like a duck and nor bikers or automobilist liked it. However when you got onto it, it was surely something special. It made the noise of a lawnmower but it could zigzag like no other motorcycle. You could just pop into it, buckle up and take off, no more leather suit and helmet.
Unfortunately the main public didn’t feel this way. To them the C1 had lots of downsides and most of them where pure psychological.
First of all it didn’t look cool, nobody wanted to be seen riding that ‘ugly duck’. Many people thought it wasn’t safe, even though the C1 passed all safety tests with all stars and bells. Then there was the traditional automobilist who didn’t like the ‘instability’ of a motorcycle. And yes if it rain you get wet, though this was mostly just the case if the rain came sideways. And off course the C1 is a true nightmare on the highway, especially in dark and rainy conditions.
In the short term future of the C1 one we envisioned several customizable parts for the C1 -inspired by a study of Louis Vuitton, who created a ‘rug sack’ for the C1, the character of the bike changed immediately. A marketing-sales strategy was conceived where customers would start their purchase from a white C1 and add their favorite parts and colors onto their C1.
In the long term future I wanted to solve the problems haunting the C1 and (hopefully) keep all of the advantages. The first major difference between the CX and the C1 is its number of wheels. The CX is a tri-cycle which should improve its ’stability’ both physical and psychological. The CX is semi-flexible so it can alter its shape and adept to its surroundings. In the city the driver has a high-viewpoint and the CX itself has a short wheelbase which makes it very maneuverable. When the CX increases its speed the wheelbase elongates and becomes more aerodynamic, thus creating down force for optimal grip. Also the driver is encapsulated in a closed canopy with optimal visibility. Its power source would be a fuel-cell that feeds 3 electrical engines. One of them powers the hinge-mechanism. The idea never got further than a full-working LEGO-techniques-model.
Nevertheless I feel confident that these types of vehicles might once drive on future roads. MIT once did a study resulting in stackable flexible vehicles. The Toyota PM is also a similar concept -it also has a similarity with the C1: it’s ugly ;)-. And recently Volkswagen presented a transportation-concept, the Slipstream, for the LA-(robot)-motor show quite similar to the CX.
4. What is the practical application for Heavy duty computer?
Thomas: The ‘Heavy Duty Computer’ was conceived for a client of Pilipili, the product-design-agency I worked for. The computer itself would need to survive and perform in the most extreme conditions on earth. Possible target groups were camera-crews, extreme condition industries like oil-ridges and of course the military, although I didn’t like that. The drawing itself was part of a series to convince possible clients.
We were only involved in the styling-part of the project, which means you don’t have much control or anything to say. The product got more and more off the track during development and by the end it didn’t have almost any resemblance with the initial concept-sketch. A pity because it still has lots of character and power. Still one of my favorites!
5. What are the themes that come out in what consumers are responding to?
Thomas: Which consumer? Each target group wants/desires something else. While there are a few overall themes for all target groups. Everybody likes something beautiful, while some bling-bling. This trend even extends into the manufacturing-industry where machines are designed to look good functional and also ’sexy’.
We all like beauty and aesthetics, although what you perceive as beauty might be discussable. And that’s the art of being a good designer, especially when it comes to aesthetics, you don’t have to like your creation but your potential customers should. And of course, if everybody likes it, you struck gold (Ipod, Coca-Cola, McDonalds...).
Another major recent trend is sustainability and green-design. It has been luring for over a decade but now finally the trend is exploding, which is a good thing but I fear it might just be a trend and thus disappear over time. Another downside of this trend is that many marketers have seen this global ‘awareness’ and are now profiting on these themes.
How many products in the supermarket now suddenly have some green in them? Green labels and other so called approved labels and brands. Which average consumer can see the difference between the sincere and the lying ones? Between the wolf and the sheep? Therefore I think it would be better if we didn’t have trend at all, then products would have a much longer lifespan. This is good-news for our economy but not for humanity in the long term. It would have no problem with trends and discarding items if they were produced via the Cradle to Cradle principle (William McDonough, Michael Braungart), whereas waste equals food, a must read for every designer.
I hope to apply this principle in all my future projects. Another down-side with trends is that it tells you what people want. But does it? Do we really need to follow trends? Not just in styling but also in product-ideas and other aspects of product-design. J Ford once said: “If I asked people what they wanted, they answered me: an extra horse”. So I tend to not follow the trends to much but just create a product that is as functional, innovative and beautiful.
The recent launch of the Wii also convinced me that the future is for the daring ones, the ones that can dream without frontiers.
6. Most gadgets are short-term flings, offering a dry functionality that always anticipates change, but never quite goes anywhere. How far would you agree with me?
Thomas: I hate gadgets I truly do, even though I love my first-generation Apple shuffle ;) and I understand that they play a big role in differentiating the customer -such as me- but they are truly the product of trends and therefore are doomed to a short life and a very long afterlife. Again gadgets conceived according the C2C-principles wouldn’t irritate me because they would do no harm...
We are very proud of our little toys and the stuff it can do. But are they really that useful? In Prehistoric times humans could also talk over great distances, by using smoke-signals and swinging pieces of wood on a string. A horse can go quite fast. Inuit’s clothes insulate much better than our synthetic ones. And they had already invented the hot water. I’m not saying technology is a bad thing. It’s not. We can save mankind, live our dreams trough technology.
But we have to be careful with it. We always need to think in the long-term future and not the short term -where pockets are filled- too many products need ‘renewing’, cell phones, cars, camera’s, laptops, and many other. Perfectly good products, gone after 2 years -they even seem to break down after 2 years-. So again I don’t like trends because they doom the previous product to an early death. Of course a product that sets a trend like the Dyson-vacuum cleaner is a good thing, it has positive consequences. But most of the trends don’t. Who benefits on your shaving-knife having 4 blades and some electrical gizmo that is bound to break down?
7. Do you have a signature style? If yes, what are the hallmarks of your style?
Thomas: If you’re asking me if my products have a similar style then I hope there isn’t one. I hope my products are styled so they please the target-group and also to let the product ’speak’ and ‘live’. But if you are referring to my drawing and presentation-style then I would say: dirty. I’m pretty direct and passionate in my presentations.
My sketching style itself is mostly rough because I have to search for the correct lines and shape. It’s not easy translating something from inside your head onto a piece of paper. This is the process where the idea/product starts to live a life of its own...which is one of the most thrilling parts of the job ;) If necessary -for presentation- I color up my sketches in photoshop, leaving lots of white, big contrasts and one dominant color with some other smaller accent colors.
8. Where do you see yourself, after, let’s say, five years down the line?
Thomas: Independent, more faithful to my principles, providing enough for my family and hopefully have time to live a lot.
9. What advice would you like to give to the budding designers?
Thomas: Don’t believe the hype ;)
No seriously we are the ones that can and will change things. Think before you do. Don’t do it for the money or fame. Hell for most of us the pay check sucks and our biggest fan is our mother.
Quick bits:
Your favorite phrase is?
Thomas: Dreams are free.
Which technology is you’re most excited about, right now?
Thomas: Everything that has something to do with sustainability and using new resources, technology that can really change things.
Website(s) you must visit per day?
Thomas: Core77
Mocoloco
Treehugger
Designboom
What Gizmo did you have the most satisfaction with?
Thomas: My first generation APPLE-shuffle, a simple mp3-USB-stick that doesn’t need battery-replacement.
If you and I sat down for a coffee, to talk about ‘must see’ designers of the day - who would you recommend I take a look at?
Thomas: McDonough and Braungart, the Authors of Cradle to Cradle and also Joris Laarman, especially for his heatwave-radiator.
Wow that was indeed a wonderful interview, thank you Thomas for sparing out time in doing an interview with us, it is greatly appreciated; also I’d like to wish you success for all your future endeavors.
