Interviewe mat Henk-Jan Room

In 2011 I founded my company Room for Concepts. From my studio in The Hague, I worked mostly on client commissions. But later I also invested in my own ideas and devise my own projects as well. My background in industrial product design, combined with a solid network of designers, manufacturers and software programmers, drives new concepts from inspired theory to seamless execution.As a designer I see everything holistic because everything is connected to everything. Creativity is about connecting secluded dots into an inclusive whole. We can see that in nature too. Since a couple of years now I see it more and more as my job to connect the unconnected. And therefore solving problems in a new and creative way, creating awareness and making abstract visions, values and agenda items for businesses and municipalities concrete and tangible through functional artworks.That way I like to add value in the public space in order to make it more social, safe and liveable

When I was young I wanted to become an inventor. When I was 9 years old I made ‘chemical cocktails’ in order to vanish stains in the carpet of my parents. In my imagination I had the perfect solution. In fact I made it even worse. Fortunately I made also installations what did work, like a network of ropes against the ceiling to transport objects or a fancy wooden car to ride with. I was blessed with wonderful parents who gave me the freedom to experiment and to try things.Later I did study Industrial Product Design. Thereafter I started my own business. First I only worked for client commissions. Lately I mostly devise my own projects and bring them into the market.

I read a lot of books to gain inspiration and making connections and talking with people with a different perspective in life. I use sketching and quick drawings to clarify ideas and to think ‘out loud’. I make use of software like Photoshop and Solidworks to elaborate concepts. Technologies like 3D printing help me to make and test prototypes.

Excitement ofcourse! Especially when the right reason of a problem is addressed.

I was always interested in psychology. What motivates people to do the things they do. That interests helped me to keep looking for the problem behind the problem. In my opinion it's tempting to solve problems too quickly. Often there is a reason why problems appear. Often it's a need of love and affection. People want to be heard, be seen. Be truly connected.As a designer it's important to connect with people in order to working towards durable collaborations. Social skills helps to not only make a 'product' but also to sell it.

Looking for new ways to use technology in order to serve humanity. On this moment we are busy to elaborate some concepts to make cities more social, connected, safe and liveable.

Having a vision about the future. Looking for a deeper level behind problems.

Haha, thanks for the compliment.I think its important not only to react by means of working on client commissions but also invest in your own vision and ideas!

a quite and easy start of the day. No internet till noon. Always focus on new opportunities next to daily activities. Eating healthy and doing running. Reading books before I go to bed. Having a clear picture of my mission statement and the (right) tasks to reach my goals. Every week I take a look to all my responsibilities I have in life (towards work, family, friends, the world around me, etc.). Making a plan for the upcoming week to maintain the right balance. Using productivity Apps to keep a clear overview. Do it the ‘Getting Things Done’ style.

I'm not working in dependance of design trends. I work out of a vision. An idea of the future I want to realise. Therefore I'm constantly wondering what makes us human and what our role is as human beings for our society. Looking for a healthy balance between people, planet and profit.

A product is well designed when it's Functionality and simple. Serving the true need behind the (right) problem.

When the concept is holistic and addressing the right problem (behind the problem) I work quickly towards prototypes in order to test them. After prototyping I work towards pilots to gain real-life knowledge about the concept. This helps me to finetune the concept and working towards a final product.

On this moment I'm working on an Icon what symbolised the history and future of a city in the Netherlands. For now I can't share with you the details but it's an amazing project!

There are a lot of good designers.. I do like Boyan Slat because of his vision about a better future and decisiveness to make that better future happen.

I live in a big city in the Netherlands. It gives me a lot of inspiration because of the hustle, the movements and interactions. When I want to focus it helps me to look for quite places like walking through the forest.

I'm always looking for collaborations and I'm sharing ideas in order to let them grow. Collecting a solid network around me consisting of nice and smart people to cover the whole design process in order to making ideas happen. I'm always focus on the right balance in life. Everything is connected in one. Life is holistic. Making lot of fun helps me to be creative. Fun helps me to come up with new ideas and blending work and private life together. Design is holistic as life is..

I help young students with advice and coaching, and giving presentations to share knowledge.

It create new opportunities and opens a lot of new doors.

My background is in Industrial Product Design. I learned how to solve problems in an integral and pragmatic way. Over the years of having my own business I learned more about the creative process and way of thinking on a deeper and psychological level in order to solve problems in a unique and creative way.

I call myself an Idea and Concept Designer. I focus on how to implement the digital world into the physical world (instead of the other way around).

I always wanted to be an inventor. I want to create and making the world a better place to live.

I do design social and spatial concepts that bring people together in the real world. That is what I like to do the most! Always looking for a positive impact.

Haha, thanks for the compliment!

I think its important not only to react by means of working on client commissions but also invest in your own vision and ideas!

A vision!

A good design is functional and simple, addressing the right need behind the problem.

A good design is integral and is not only solving problems but also creating new opportunities and adding value. Next to that it contains a businessmodel. A way to serve human needs and creating profits.

Collaborate with the right people around me.

One of my favourite is the ‘subway symphony’ of James Murphy, because with his project he makes the subway more attractive and social by only giving a new meaning of sound.

Having a vision about the future. Looking for a deeper level behind problems

Functional and serving.

Businesspartners who also become friends of mine.

Having a clear vision. Taking risks by focusing on my own ideas and bring them to the market.

Being busy and having the wrong order of priorities.

By making real contact and connecting with the people around them. You can’t sell your work without having a connection with your audience / clients.

More interactive projects for public space, like the Interactive Bench.

To working towards a future world we still can and wants to live in. Serving truly needs of humanity and using technology to serve these needs.

Deep understanding of the thinks / subject a designer is working on.

Creating new ways and possibilities for keeping the right balance between people, planet and profit.

The Interactive Bench: A social bench that brings people together in the real world and enlarging safety on street.

Social challenges I solve by putting it in a different context in order to come up with new concept proposals.

Away from an efficiency-mindset whereby the focus is on mass production and cost reduction. Instead of that a stronger focus on a right balance of people-planet-profit, inspired by the lessons of nature.

Everything and every discipline will melt together. Everything is more and more connected in one. The design industry will become important to every company and is a leading business that solves important contemporary problems and shaping the future that affects every life.

Depending of the context..

Thinking about the source of a need / problem.

Connecting people in the real world. Encouraging real life interactions that leads to meaningful connections.

It is all holistic. Everything is connected in one and everything is related to each other.

Serve human needs. Always supportive instead of leading.

Mostly Solidworks and Photoshop.

Impact behavior and inviting the user to make use of the design.

I should have designed that!

Absolutely! Co-designing can also be done by working with non-designers who complement expertises I don’t have.

Steven Covey – 7 habits of highly effective people. Design is a way of living. It describes how to live out of your core values and to build strong relationships and to create a balanced life.

The book ‘Start with Why’ – Simon Sinek and ‘Simplicity’ – Edward de Bono are some of the many books that also affected me as a designer.

By doing.

Leonardo da vinci

I'm very honoured and blessed. It also involves more responsibility to contribute to a better world.

Too many little moments in interactions with businesspartners and other people around me.

Working with the end in mind. Therefore vision is key. Starting the day with a clear focus by setting up the top 3 goals the day before.

It was obvious to invent new things.

A strange mix of technology and nature what is complementing to each other. A society that is way too efficient.

When I was young I wanted to become an inventor. I did study Industrial Product Design. Thereafter I started my own business. First I only worked for client commissions. Lately I mostly devise my own projects and bring them into the market

Room for Concepts uses clarity of perception to better understand the world, applying fresh insight to create inspired designs that enrich life and solving contemporary problems.

Room for Concepts draws on a range of expertise in ideation, design, technical function and producibility.

I’m a Design Entrepreneur and founder of Room for Concepts. From my studio in The Hague, I devise my own projects as well as working on client commissions. My background in industrial product design, combined with a solid network of designers, manufacturers and software programmers, drives new concepts from inspired theory to seamless execution.

Functional and serving.

Creative solutions for social challenges designed out of a psychological point of view.

A beer pouch suitable for festivals

In a relax state of mind, enjoying company of creative and humoristic friends around me.

The psychological impact of a design. Thinking about the problem behind the problem.

Excitement

Satisfied and fullfilled

Functionality and simplicity. Serving the true need behind (the right) problem

Is the right problem addressed.

It’s the role of a designer to explore the future and form a vision about that in order to serve and shaping the future, creating a right balance between people, planet and profit.

Tailor made design. Discovering and developing new materials. Looking for the core qualities of materials and making new and smart combinations. A stronger focus on a healthy balance of effectiveness and efficiency instead of just efficiency.

Now these days there is a strong focus on efficiency in order to work towards mass production, whereby ‘form follows function’. If the material doesn’t behave the way we want we shredder it and break it down till we can manipulate it the way we want. In my opinion it’s more powerful to create the perfect balance between form and function that fits the selected material.

We have to work in cooperation with nature. What is more, we have to learn from it in order to survive.

Nature is my ultimate inspiration: it is the best design ever because everything is in perfect harmony and connected to serve each other.

a psychological approach by exploring the problem behind the problem. And the context that frames the problem. Looking for ways to connect people in the real world.

The Hague, Netherlands. I like the crowded city and the hustle around me to get inspired.

I create and share my concepts. That way I attract the right companies who are interested and want to collaborate to implement it into the market.

It starts with a vision. An idea about the future. As a designer I'm constantly questioning what makes us human. Thinking about our role as human beings related to our surroundings.

Then I look for contemporary problems and try to understand the empowering context that frames it. From that point of view I come up with new concepts to solve problems and add value.

To get inspired I practice perceiving what’s around me without judgement. I call it Amazement!

a quite and easy start of the day. No internet till noon. Always focus on new opportunities next to daily activities. Eating healthy and doing running. Reading books before I go to bed.

Looking for collaborations and share ideas in order to let them grow. Collecting a solid network around you consisting of nice and smart people to cover the whole design process in order to making ideas happen.

Always focus on the right balance in life. Everything is connected in one. Life is holistic. Making lot of fun. Fun helps me to come up with new ideas and blending work and private life together.

Being busy creating things is a universal desire of a human heart. As a designer you also have to play the role as a projectmanager what could be a hard and stressfull job to keep it all together.

share and working together. Always looking for a deeper level in life and relationships.

profound understanding of a problem and the concerning target audience. Social skills to connect and compose the right team to make ideas happen.

Reading lot of books , making connections and talking with people with a different perspective in life. Sketching and making quick drawings. Photoshop and Solidworks to elaborate concepts.

Having a clear picture of my mission statement and the (right) tasks to reach my goals. Every week I take a look to all my responsibilities I have in life (towards work, family, friends, the world around me, etc.). Making a plan for the upcoming week to maintain the right balance. Using productivity Apps to keep a clear overview. Do it the ‘Getting Things Done’ style.

How do you come up with new ideas?

Business, investors and municipalities.

Solving social challenges on a pshychological level through physical concepts.

Looking for new ways to use technology in order to serve humanity.

I have a strong and solid network around me of nice and smart people, with expertice that covers the whole design process. This way I’m flexible and can go fast and elaborate concepts from theory to seamless execution.

An Interactive Bench that connects people in the real world throught light interaction.

Website: http://roomforconcepts.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henkjanroom/

mail@roomforconcepts.com