Early Adaptors: SelgasCanoLong before the pandemic hit, SelgasCano, the Spanish architecture studio led by Jose Selgas and Lucia Cano, made waves with designs that pushed the proverbial envelope. Their own studio, nestled in the woods of Madrid, created quite some waves and was featured in magazines, architecture blogs, and sites worldwide. The - very photogenic - design allowed SelgasCano personnel to work under the trees, literally. In a more recent design, the Spanish studio went to Hollywood, where they created the first US location of the British co-working company Second Home. A former parking lot was turned into a co-working complex with oval-shaped pods, their bright yellow rooftops standing out against the green backdrop, not unlike lily pads in a pond. The site’s design reflects Second Home’s values, says COO Jamie Apostolou: “Biophilic design has always been a part of the Second Home DNA. This concept supports creativity, productivity, and mental health, among many other positive attributes.”

Apostolou said the design brief was simple: “Bring our biophilic design and the architecture by SelgasCano together and scale it across a two-acre footprint. Second Home Hollywood offered us a unique opportunity to apply this design approach to a campus format.” On-site, about 60% of the space is hosted outdoors, surrounded by over 100 species of plants, which some 250 companies enjoy. Apostolou: “Our members represent a broad range of industries, and with that diversity, we see teams reimagine the space in various ways we didn’t envision. The possibilities are endless, from creating classrooms to grouping several studios to form private campuses.”&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>&nbsp;A former parking lot was turned into a co-working complex with oval-shaped pods, their bright yellow rooftops standing out against the green backdrop, not unlike lily pads in a pond.&nbsp;</h1></blockquote>

#OutdoorOfficeDay&nbsp;Psychologist and social entrepreneur Ioana Biris’s interest in the outdoors predates COVID-19. Biris connects nature, work, and well-being with her company, Nature Desks. She also initiated Outdoor Office Day, which inspires people to take their work outdoors. “The idea came to me about 6 or 7 years ago. I wanted to see how we could improve people’s working lives. Sitting in an office for 9 hours a day didn’t seem very healthy or productive. So I wanted to take people outside so they could experience the benefits of stepping away from their computer.”&nbsp;Working remotely or meeting outside is easier for some than others. And the office culture also plays an important part. Biris: “For some people, going outside and meeting on a bench in the sun feels like playing hooky. We must break that taboo and tell company owners and managers that listening to a podcast or taking a stroll for some much-needed thinking time is still work.”&nbsp;Studies have shown that when in nature, people’s stress levels go down, and their sense of well-being increases. Spending time outdoors and being surrounded by nature can improve health and well-being. When we’re outside, we tend to move around more. Outdoor air quality also tends to be better than indoor quality. Spending half an hour in nature is known to lower pulse and blood pressure, but it is also therapeutic: being in nature decreases levels of stress and depression. In short, we feel better after spending time outdoors.&nbsp;Hard data about the positive effect of nature on people’s productivity or creativity are sometimes debated, although Biris has seen firsthand what going outside does to people. “At the first Outdoor Office Day in Utrecht, we saw people coming together from different companies and walks of life. Men in suits pulled up a chair, took off their shoes, and relaxed in the sun while meeting with the janitor of another company. These people normally never meet one another and get exposed to new ideas and ways of thinking. Going outside creates this water cooler effect but on a larger scale. And so we urge companies to facilitate these kinds of meetings by turning parking spaces on their industrial plot into an outdoor meeting room and include some benches and plants.”&nbsp;Biris is passionate about ensuring outdoor offices aren’t just enjoyed by the happy few or people whose job allows for flexibility but also those working in urban environments or office parks: “I’m not a real estate person, and there’s not some big agency pushing for this change. So I’m doing this in my spare time. It’s a labor of love. But it’s important. With simple adjustments, we can make life a little better and more beautiful: we can’t just spend our days sitting in some office, stuck behind a computer. We can do better than that.”

Sweden Leads the Way&nbsp;One company that is helping to change the way we work is Nola. This Stockholm-based company is known for creating sustainable design furniture for urban environments and was another early adopter of the outdoor office movement. The company has created anything from park benches to modular outdoor furniture systems but also works closely with architects, designers, landscape architects, and city planners to make urban spaces more accessible. For instance, they worked with Charlotte Persson Troije, whose Ph.D. dissertation included a study on outdoor office work. Troije’s study gave “new insights into how outdoor office work may be done—what works well versus less well; how employees experience outdoor work – benefits and obstacles; and what conditions need to be met in order to make it happen.” The collaboration led to the development of the outdoor office Work Lounge Chair: a workstation with a swivel dry-foam seat, laptop-adjusted table, and transparent backrest to create some privacy.&nbsp;&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>Studies have shown that when in nature, people’s stress levels go down, and their sense of well-being increases. Spending time outdoors and being surrounded by nature can improve health and well-being.</h1></blockquote>

“We started designing outdoor offices in 2016,” says Henrik Edlund, Nola’s CEO, “We saw an increasing demand and willingness for people to work outdoors. Of course, there are a few challenges when working outdoors, think sunlight and strong wind, but overall, there are enormous benefits to both body and health. That’s something we identified early on. And the pandemic was an accelerator and validation of the need to work outdoors.”&nbsp;The Swedish environmental certification systems for buildings also helped the push for change and transforming cities. Edlund: “Every new build has to have as low a carbon footprint as possible, be well isolated to keep energy cost low, and include solar panels. But if you want to receive the highest certifications, your project also needs to include areas that benefit the health of the people working or living in the building. And that is boosting the transformation of our city: going green isn’t just someone’s idea or pet project; it is a formal requirement.” Watch and learn, people. Watch and learn.&nbsp;

<img class="image_resized" style="width:50%;" src="https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/Schermafbeelding_2023_11_06_om_16_54_30_9d3c8c9c16.png" alt="Schermafbeelding 2023-11-06 om 16.54.30.png" srcset="https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/thumbnail_Schermafbeelding_2023_11_06_om_16_54_30_9d3c8c9c16.png 121w,https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/small_Schermafbeelding_2023_11_06_om_16_54_30_9d3c8c9c16.png 388w," sizes="100vw">We're very proud to call NOOK one of our partners.&nbsp;NOOK is the official magazine of the Dutch and Belgian professional associations for interior architecture, BNI and AINB. The magazine offers in-depth content, inspiration, and opinions. NOOK is published quarterly in English.&nbsp;The above article was first published in NOOK, the Symbiosis issue (2023 / #2).&nbsp;<a href="https://bni.nl/nook/">Order a hard copy of the issue for €12.50, excluding shipping</a>.

nola_langbordet_whitearkitekter_skanstull1_1.1280x0.jpg

If nothing else, the Covid-19 pandemic has significantly changed the way we work. There have been significant changes depending on the nature of work, the technological infrastructure, and the company’s willingness to adapt. For starters, remote working has become more widespread, as has our reliance on technology. We’ve also become more aware of the work-life balance. Spending five days a week in an office suddenly seems archaic and unnecessary. Pair that with the fact that during all those lockdowns, many people rediscovered nature or took on walking as a hobby, and it’s hardly surprising that there is an increased interest in the outdoor office.

CREATIVITY AT WORK: OUTDOOR OFFICE

It's the question we tend to open with: what is your definition of creativity?CB: “It's a lot of different things. You can define creativity as a process that allows you to develop new ideas or challenge existing problems. But I also like to think about creativity as a team culture. And yes, you can also think about creativity as an end product. Creativity is also a skill set that gives you the confidence to be creative.”&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>“No matter what your skill level is when it comes to creativity, you can always advance those skills.&nbsp;</h1><h1>You can become more creative through practice.”</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;Can you learn to be creative?CB: “If you go back a couple of hundred years in history, there was a strong belief that creativity was something you inherited. Some famous researchers looked at European families where creativity existed over multiple generations, like the Bach family, which had some 28 musicians. So, from that perspective, it could seem like creativity is something you can inherit or pass on. It could also be that having the same surname as a famous ancestor allows you to follow in their footsteps simply because certain doors might open a little easier. But there's also the cultural dimension of early childhood, the environment you grew up in, the school you attended, the sports you played, and the organizations you're involved with and work for: they can all nurture your creativity. So it's probably a mix of everything. But the most important thing for everyone to remember is that no matter what your skill level is when it comes to creativity, you can always advance those skills. You can become more creative through practice.”

What kind of practice are we talking about?CB: "If you want to learn a new language, say Chinese or Spanish, more is needed than simply watching a Spanish movie with the subtitles on. You don't learn the language by seeing, hearing, or even understanding it; you have to practice the pronunciation and grammar over and over again. And then suddenly, you become better at it, become more confident about your language skills, and feel emboldened to speak Spanish whenever you can.The learning curve for creativity is the same. If you want to improve your creativity, you need to practice it. It's not enough to read a book on the subject or watch a video about a creative person. You have to start practicing it so you become better at it. And the exciting thing is that, as you become better, you boost your confidence by quite a lot. I've seen studies where If you practice your creativity for 5 to 10 hours, you can advance your skill set for thinking about ideas by 20 to 30 percent. But the creative confidence can boost by even more."&nbsp;What does practicing your creative skills mean? Take up painting?CB: "Funny you should mention painting. For me, that's an expression of an idea. And it's essential for creativity that you're good at expressing ideas.When you develop novel ideas, it can be difficult to persuade others about your idea simply because they can't match it with what they've seen before. If you're launching a new shampoo brand and change the bottle and the scent and opt for a funny color scheme, the procurement officers in the supermarkets will still recognize it as a shampoo bottle. And in their minds, they will be able to link it to a similar shampoo and feel confident they can sell this one as well. But what if you present that same supermarket with a novel idea that the procurement officer cannot relate to existing or historical experiences?&nbsp;Let's say your new shampoo brand comes in a paint can and has an accompanying paintbrush that you use to apply the shampoo. And instead of rinsing the product off in the shower, you let it sit and dry before you shake your head to get it all off. Now that shampoo isn't recognizable as something else: it looks weird and has strange instructions. Very few customers would even recognize it as a shampoo. So, selling that particular shampoo requires much more persuasion if you want people to understand the value and potential of this new idea. You must be very good at expressing the idea and how good it is."

So persuasion is one skill set; what's another?CB: "You need to be able to challenge standards and problems that most people don't recognize as problems yet. If, in a company setting, you only work on problems that everybody else is trying to solve, chances are you will probably come up with some very similar solutions as your competitors. Now, if you want a competitive advantage over everybody else in the industry, you will need a new starting point. Focus on things that most others don't focus on, and find different problems or perspectives. It requires that you're good at challenging the standards that most take for granted.Let's say you work in the swimming pool industry, you own a couple of swimming pools, or maybe run a holiday resort, and you need lifeguards. Now, you cannot just hire anybody because lifeguards need to be able to swim and maybe know CPR. Nobody would challenge the idea that lifeguards need to be able to swim. And that is precisely why it's such a good reason to at least challenge that idea, even though it goes against all logic.So what if you hire lifeguards who don't know how to swim and come up with a system where there is some net on the floor of a swimming pool and all these emergency buttons? So the minute someone is in trouble, you push a button, and up comes the net, lifting everybody out of the pool. In this scenario, you wouldn't need lifeguards who know how to swim but ones who know how to climb a net and how to administer CPR while hanging in the air.This net idea might be unique. It might be interesting. It might be good. It might not be. It might lead to a new type of swimming pool where people with a fear of water – the elderly, disabled, and those without a diploma can safely enjoy the water. But regardless, we now have a fascinating new perspective on safety in a swimming pool."&nbsp;The point of the exercise is to challenge the status quo, then?CB: "Yes, you have to look for the standards in your industry that nobody is challenging—practice identifying them and then challenging them. You can do that by making them extreme or removing them and watching what happens. And then, later, you can start trying out some of these ideas. But it starts with identifying the standards. And you will need to practice that repeatedly before it becomes a skill, a habit, or even second nature."&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>“You have to look for the standards in your industry that nobody is challenging—practice identifying them and then challenging them.”</h1></blockquote>

How long, generally, before it becomes second nature?CB: "Maybe weeks, months, depending on how creative you are already. You can practice for half an hour every week, 10 minutes every morning, or one hour every month. It depends on your ambition and how fast you want to improve your creativity.There's power in repetition: when you have practiced a lot over time, it becomes a mindset. It becomes a new pair of glasses that allows you to see these standards suddenly. And you instantly start to challenge them as well. It's a great skill to have."&nbsp;It does, depending on the company you're keeping or the company that you work for. When surrounded by people who resist change or creativity, it can be a curse.&nbsp;CB: "It goes back to your first question about the definition of creativity. If you only see creativity as a skill, a process, a technique, or a method, then you will end up having lots of great ideas, but you will start to feel like a weirdo because people need to understand and appreciate your ideas.It's also important to note that you can only expect creativity from somebody who knows how to be creative. It's like expecting people to play the violin when they've never learned to play it. You know it's going to sound horrible, right? It takes time to create a culture of creativity where people have a sense of accomplishment and confidence in their creative abilities. Developing these skills, which we discussed before you start expecting people to be creative, is a crucial step in creating a culture of creativity.In the second part of my book, I write about how you take a journey as a team, as an educational institution, or as a complete organization where you don't just take one of these creative perspectives but a holistic perspective. As a team or company, you must establish when and for what type of problems you need creativity."

<blockquote><h1>“Creativity is a chance process. You never know if something good will come up, but you have to invest time in this creative effort regardless.”</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;How do you decide what requires creativity and what doesn't?CB: "First, you need to develop a common language for creativity where everybody's on the same page about why we need creativity and what the value of creativity is in certain situations. Once you have the language, you go to step 2, which is developing these specific skills, like the skill to challenge what most people take for granted and the skill that allows you to persuade people and make sure they clearly understand the value of your ideas. Then, there's the skill of developing ideas beyond current logic. And the last skill is the ability to be curiously open-minded.Now, creativity is a chance process. You never know if something good will come up, but you have to invest time in this creative effort regardless. And that circles back to your question of when to be creative. If the problem is important and complex, it's worth investing in creativity. And here, it's essential to understand the difference between complicated and complex. Complicated problems generally only need data and analysis to be solved. For complex problems, we don't need data; we need ideas. And we don't need much analysis. Instead, we need visionary thinking. We cannot just analyze complex problems and then choose the correct solution. We have to come up with new solutions. Things we never thought about before, which is what makes it complex. You're entering unknown territory."&nbsp;You mentioned being curiously open-minded. That seems a difficult skill to master simply because it requires you to put your ego aside and refrain from judgment.CB: "When someone presents an idea, instead of thinking things like - 'This is not perfect. I could do it better. Let me tell him how to do it better next time. This idea is just really weird' – opt for a more constructive approach: 'This is different from how I think about the problem. There must be something they have seen that I haven't seen. Let me try to understand what they have seen. Maybe I could learn something here.' It's about having a curious mind and being open to learning. An idea might contradict everything you believe or know to be true, but maybe this could be interesting because it's something you haven't thought about before.Mind you, this is not easy. It might make you feel uncomfortable at first. But you'll have to learn to tolerate the discomfort. Sit with a pit in your stomach if you have to, but be sure to be curiously open-minded when presented with new ideas. This is a particularly good skill because it will help you actively look for potential in ideas where most people only tend to see problems.Ultimately, it's about integrating creativity into your everyday life, making it a habit. And when you reach that point where everybody in a team knows how and when to be creative, you can expect to see more ideas. We generally consider more ideas to be a good thing because it creates a better foundation for decision-making. When you have five bad ideas and one good one, there is little of a choice. You want to be spoilt for choice and consider the best option out of a dozen ideas."&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>“It's about integrating creativity into your everyday life, making it a habit.”</h1></blockquote>

We feel like we're forever preaching the Gospel of Creativity, but there are still plenty of people who don't see the added value of creating a culture of creativity. How do you get those non-believers on board?CB: "They should consider the value of creativity on both an organizational and societal level. The World Economic Forum considers creativity the second most important skill for the workforce. It used to be number five a few years ago, but now it's considered the second most important skill. So, from a future work perspective, let's say you're going to apply for a job soon; it's probably a good idea to be able to say that you can practice and implement creativity. It's rational to invest time in creativity, not just in training but also in doing it regularly. Cause it will become even more important in the future.But it's not just about work. You can use creativity in your private life as well. Creativity is about more than just solving big problems. It can also make life easier. It can help you create the life you want. And using creativity, you will become able to design your local society and the global society. So, from a societal point of view, creative people have the ability to engage in a democracy or any situation more actively because they start to get ideas. You see problems around you, and you suddenly start to get ideas for how to solve them more often. When you practice creativity together, you suddenly see some people as creative. Maybe even some people that you've never considered creative before, so being creative together is nice. It has been suggested that these creative moments are some of the peak experiences in life.'&nbsp;Earlier this year, we interviewed brain researcher Dick Swaab and talked about how neurodivergents tend to be good at creativity. What's your take on that?CB: "Say you want to engage in certain activities but don't want others to know you might have some anxiety or phobia; you are actively practicing your creativity in every situation where you feel like you want to seem 'normal.' Society was not designed to support this fear or the issues you face, so you must find your way around them. And as a consequence, you're constantly practicing your creativity because you have to find solutions that aren't standard.What is interesting is that the more creative teams in organizations tend to be better at making effective use of diversity, and that includes diverse thoughts, diverse personalities, diverse backgrounds, diverse perspectives, as well as people who may have a disorder in some way. It's very much related to this notion of having a curious mind. It's good to have diversity. But only if you have a curiosity of mind; otherwise, it becomes ineffective, and those who think outside of the box will soon find themselves in a situation where they are considered the oddballs with the weird ideas, and that is something you don't want."

<blockquote><h1>“You want to create a sandbox environment where everybody gets to know one another as creative human beings and get positive experiences.”</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;Is it bad to be considered the one with weird ideas?CB: “You don't want people to be afraid to be judged about their weird ideas or feel like they are not interesting, intelligent, or 'good' enough. You want to create a sandbox environment where everybody gets to know one another as creative human beings and get positive experiences. You can start by practicing ideas with nothing at stake and where you cannot lose face professionally. That way, you get some really good experience, and you build that creative confidence.”&nbsp;What are creativity killers?CB: “Focus requires concentration. Interruptions kill creativity. The phone can be a creativity killer. As can the computer, the mental to-do lists, or the fight with your spouse earlier in the day. To be creative, you need to rid yourself of all those distractions. Think about it as erasing your working memory from all the disturbing thoughts. And there are very personal ways to do that. Some take a bath, others do push-ups, some drink a cup of tea or walk in nature. Whatever the method, when you see someone is trying to focus and get into a creative mode, leave them be. Don't interrupt them. Refrain from striking up a conversation. Because if you do, you're killing creativity.”&nbsp;And potentially great ideas.CB: "Absolutely. Creativity is a powerful skill. It's very influential. If you're good at it, you can get ideas that can challenge the way people relate to or look at certain something. And those people may have different insights than you have or need help to grasp the full consequences, both positive and negative, of the idea you've persuaded them to like. Ethics are very important in this. We affect people's lives by trying to make them follow new ideas. And therefore, we have a certain responsibility for thinking morally and ethically about these ideas and their impact on the world."&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>"Creativity is a powerful skill. It's very influential."</h1></blockquote>

Speaking of impact, we can only talk about creativity and mention AI, right?CB: "We are entering into a period where AI can help us be more creative. In a recent study I did, we tested Chat GPT 4 using the Torrance test for creativity. The program ranked in the top one percent of human performance, and very few people can think up original ideas as well as Chat GPT 4 can. We have to find ways to use this advantage and use AI to help us in our creative efforts. Maybe AI can help us even solve problems too complex for us to solve, or maybe it can give perspectives we have yet to think about.If you are good at creativity, you can help AI think more creatively and become more creative. You get more creative resources from AI if you are creative yourself, meaning the more creative, the more you can get out of AI.You can call it a Sputnik moment, referring to the time when Russia got into space quicker than America. Similarly, we're seeing a Sputnik movement here where educational institutions and corporations may have been sleeping slightly. And now AI is so powerful creatively. And we are behind in how to use it effectively, and we may have to be more creative to make effective use of it.We may have to speed up the investment in education to develop creative cultures in educational and corporate settings so we can make effective use of this new powerful tune. Those who become the best at it may get innovative competitive advantages."&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>“If you are good at creativity, you can help AI think more creatively and become more creative.”</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;Any final thoughts?CB: “You asked in the beginning what creativity is, and I refused to give you one single definition. Still, please think about creativity this way: it's a rigorous approach. It's a rigorous process in a similar way to research. It has to be done right to be successful in being created. Once you develop it into a habit, the creative culture will feel far more playful, of course, but that's a very important thing to think about: when it starts to feel rigorous, it's a good thing because that means you're on track to becoming a professional creative."

Enjoyed this interview and interested in reading more about cultivating team creativity?&nbsp;Click on the link below to buy Christian Byrge's book.&nbsp;<div class="raw-html-embed"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.nl/Everyday-Innovator-powerful-cultivate-creativity/dp/9063696817/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_nl_NL=%25C3%2585M%25C3%2585%25C5%25BD%25C3%2595%25C3%2591&amp;crid=75V93FGHJT5K&amp;keywords=everyday+innovators&amp;qid=1699435419&amp;sprefix=everyday+innovato%252Caps%252C318&amp;sr=8-1&amp;_encoding=UTF8&amp;tag=tioc08-21&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;linkId=c0f3de56ceba7d1638d08289a0949e3c&amp;camp=247&amp;creative=1211">Everday Innovator: BUY THE BOOK</a></div>

42.png

Christian Byrge, an accomplished expert in creativity, serves as a full professor in Business Creativity at Vilnius University Business School. With a track record of training over 100,000 professionals globally and advising 300+ organizations on creativity development, he's a leading authority in the field. Byrge is also the author of Everyday Innovator, a practical guide that equips readers with skills to challenge norms, spark innovative ideas, and nurture open-minded cultures. Our discussion with him focused on cultivating creativity as a habit and transforming workplaces into innovation hubs.

CHRISTIAN BYRGE: CULTIVATING CREATIVITY

Van Aubel's efforts have not gone unnoticed: she designed the roof of the Netherlands Pavilion at the World Expo 2020 in Dubai, and her work is part of the permanent collection of New York's MoMA, London's Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Vitra Design Museum, to name but a few. She has also collaborated with global brands, including Cos, Timberland, and Swarovski, all in her effort to accelerate the global energy transition to solar.&nbsp;Where does the interest in solar energy come from?&nbsp;MA: "I have always wondered about the solar panels on rooftops, those unappealing blue squares that don't necessarily make houses look more beautiful. It got me thinking about how we could seamlessly integrate solar power into our daily lives and make those panels not only functional but also visually appealing.&nbsp;We live in an age in which we desperately need answers for our climate crisis. A few of the answers lie in front of us, but we don't make use of them. Conventional energy sources play a big role in global warming, whereas solar energy can be a clean solution. The sun is all around us, almost everywhere on our planet, so why not use what we have in abundance and turn it into something useful that can bring us a step closer towards a more sustainable future?&nbsp;&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>"We are surrounded by surfaces everywhere, so why not use them and design objects that add emotional value"</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;Most people think of panels on roofs or of gigantic solar farms, which are great, of course, to harvest energy, but it would be even better to integrate solar in a beautiful way into our daily lives. We are surrounded by surfaces everywhere, so why not use them and design objects that add emotional value."&nbsp;<div class="raw-html-embed"><div style="padding:53.54% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/644732271?h=434f221748&amp;title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script></div>

What are the specific challenges or difficulties of working with solar energy?MA: "Every project always starts as a challenge. We have to consider which materials to use and how to produce locally and as efficiently as possible without generating waste. Since we don't use plug-and-play technologies, it takes a lot of research and experimenting. We also have to explore what's available on the market. Plus convince manufacturers to join us on a journey to discover new techniques and ways to make it more affordable. There is a lot of research happening around how to make solar cells more efficient and applicable to different materials, so we always need to stay up to date with the latest findings and developments.”&nbsp;Can you take us through the design process of, for example, the stained glass panels that generate energy?MA: The ‘Current Window’ is a contemporary version of stained glass. It not only serves its traditional purpose of adding color and beauty to a space but also harnesses the power of the sun to generate electricity. The glass panels are constructed with dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC), which utilize the characteristics of color to create an electric current, inspired by the process of photosynthesis in plants.&nbsp;

With integrated USB ports on the window ledge, you can conveniently charge your devices by plugging them in. The larger the surface area of the window, the more efficient it becomes as a power source. The design merges aesthetics with functionality, allowing you to enjoy the benefits of both natural light and renewable energy in a beautiful and practical way."&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/windowsill_4f7016eabd.jpeg" alt="windowsill.jpeg" srcset="https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/thumbnail_windowsill_4f7016eabd.jpeg 234w,https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/small_windowsill_4f7016eabd.jpeg 500w,https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/medium_windowsill_4f7016eabd.jpeg 750w,https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/large_windowsill_4f7016eabd.jpeg 1000w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>“It's all about finding creative and practical solutions to make renewable energy a part of our everyday life.”</h1></blockquote>

Where else do opportunities lie when it comes to solar design?MA: “Opportunities lie everywhere, they are all around us. In fact, just one hour of sunlight can generate enough energy to power the entire planet for an entire year. There are numerous projects already underway, such as incorporating solar panels into streets, parking lots, bike lanes, roofing of sidewalks, walls next to highways etc. If we master the technology, we can use a lot more surfaces than we do now. Opportunities are endless.You can integrate solar cells into practically any surface in an interior and generate energy. This opens up a world of possibilities for incorporating this technology into our homes. Whether it's windows like ‘The Current Window’, walls, or even furniture, there are plenty of ways to seamlessly integrate solar power into our living spaces. It's all about finding creative and practical solutions to make renewable energy a part of our everyday life."A good starting point is to look at every surface as a potential surface that could generate energy. With that I mean walls, floors, windows and literally every surface that is exposed to light. Almost everything can be designed in a way so that it can harvest energy. On top of that I think it’s important to consider the potential of product design and solar-powered objects in creating more harmonious and integrated spaces. By incorporating well-designed and functional objects into interior design projects, they can create a more symbiotic relationship between fixed elements and objects in the space. A space can become more dynamic in that way. I also think that there will be more solar design in the future with which interior designers can work with and play in space which is quite exciting.”

<div class="raw-html-embed"><div style="padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/84964915?h=a8f1b0a0cd&amp;title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script></div>&nbsp;Your products are beautiful, but also exclusive. What are you doing to make your designs more available to a wider audience?MA: "Making them more available to a wider audience is, of course, the goal. It has been a challenge to create more affordable products designed with solar power. Unlike other fields of product design, solar design still remains a niche with unique requirements. Each of our products and projects uses individualized and specialized technologies, lacking standardization, which inevitably leads to increased costs. It's also a question of supply and demand; by offering beautiful solar designs, we can create a bigger demand for solar products, allowing production on a larger scale, and hence making solar power more affordable for a wider audience.With our autonomous solar light, Sunne, we took a first step in this direction. It's still on the more exclusive side, but it's a starting point for a series of products that will be more affordable for a wider audience and will help raise awareness of how solar energy can be integrated beautifully into our daily lives. The more designers embrace solar technology, the cheaper it will become to produce. And that's not just great for our studio, but for the entire solar design field and customers. As costs decrease, solar-powered objects will become more affordable for everyone."&nbsp;<div class="raw-html-embed"><div style="padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/523251883?h=97c00295ad&amp;title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script></div>

In addition to being an inventor and designer, you are also an author. How did the idea for the book come about?MA: "Solar energy is exciting and has lots of potential! There is so much more to it than just its technical side, which we're accustomed to. I wanted to write a book that shows this potential and showcases the latest and most exciting developments in the solar industry. We divided the book into three main parts: the past, the present, and the future. Understanding the origins and learning from the history of solar energy is important, but I didn't want it to be presented in a dry and boring way like many traditional history books. Instead, I wanted to make it fun and captivating by also including intriguing images and visuals that bring the history of solar design to life.&nbsp;The book delves into the present state of solar energy, exploring the latest advancements, innovations, and success stories. It offers a glimpse into the diverse applications of solar technology and its impact in the world today. Working as a solar designer, I met a lot of interesting people across the industry during the past few years whose ideas and experiences I wanted to include in the book. By featuring their perspectives, I aimed to provide readers with a glimpse into the minds of those driving innovation in the field of solar energy today.&nbsp;<img src="https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/Solar_Cover_Render_OK_1024x731_e003b96943.jpeg" alt="Solar_Cover_Render_OK-1024x731.jpeg" srcset="https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/thumbnail_Solar_Cover_Render_OK_1024x731_e003b96943.jpeg 219w,https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/small_Solar_Cover_Render_OK_1024x731_e003b96943.jpeg 500w,https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/medium_Solar_Cover_Render_OK_1024x731_e003b96943.jpeg 750w,https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/large_Solar_Cover_Render_OK_1024x731_e003b96943.jpeg 1000w," sizes="100vw">The book ends with a look into the future. By showcasing visionary ideas, groundbreaking research, emerging trends and dreams, I hope to inspire readers to imagine the transformative potential of solar energy in shaping our future. The book is not only written for designers and makers who want to play with solar technologies but for anyone interested in solar energy. I hope the book will help to change the perception of solar design, make it more attractive and exciting and serve as inspiration for everyday life."

<blockquote><h1>“By using our creativity and thinking outside the box, we can challenge the status quo and reshape the perception of solar panels into something functional and beautiful.”&nbsp;</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;What is your vision for the future or dream project?&nbsp;MA: "My dream is to move toward a world in which solar energy is the standard, and we live in a fossil fuel-free future. I love challenges and enjoy realizing things that are initially deemed impossible.One project that I am very passionate about and which remains a dream project is the Solar Biennale. It was initiated last year in Rotterdam in collaboration with fellow professionals in the field. Our main goal with the Solar Biennale is to accelerate the transition toward a fossil fuel-free future by showcasing and discussing solar futures and technologies, and by finding solutions together. One of our main goals is to create think tanks where we bring together people from all sorts of backgrounds, not just those in the industry but from different fields in society as well. We believe that by joining forces and collaborating, we can come up with interesting and impactful solutions. If we collaborate, we can think and implement ideas on a wider scale together.I truly believe that by changing our perspective, we can revolutionize and redefine nearly every technique. We have become accustomed to certain notions, such as the belief that solar panels are always unattractive, confined to roofs or large farms, and limited to square shapes in black or dark blue. However, if we take a step back and approach things with a fresh mindset, we can break free from these preconceptions. By using our creativity and thinking outside the box, we can challenge the status quo and reshape the perception of solar panels into something functional and beautiful. While our specialization lies in the world of solar design, I am sure that there is a lot of room for reinvention in other fields as well. If we, as designers and creatives, do so, we can contribute to making the world more sustainable, democratic, and beautiful at the same time."&nbsp;<div class="raw-html-embed"><div style="padding:125.58% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/630005912?h=94f8115b9c&amp;title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script></div>

What do you think is the biggest challenge in creating a fossil-free future?&nbsp;MA: "The biggest challenge in achieving a fossil-free future lies in changing our perception of renewable energy. We need to challenge the conventional status quo of relying on traditional energy sources and shift towards fossil-free solutions. While progress has been made, we haven't yet reached a point of complete independence.We have to redefine how we view solar power. Initially, the focus was on reducing costs and improving efficiency, and now solar energy has become the most affordable energy source in many countries. However, we still have the opportunity to make solar technology more accessible for everyone. We have many possibilities, and yet change needs to happen, and we are making progress. Not only with the climate crisis but also with social issues such as the war in Ukraine, we've seen the importance of exploring renewable energy sources to become independent and work towards a sustainable future. Exploring renewable energy sources for independence and creating a sustainable future has become inevitable.Another challenge we are facing is still on the technical side of solar energy. We need to find solutions to not only harvest the sun's energy in the most efficient way but also store the energy sustainably. There is still a long way to go, but we are on a good path."

What designs can we expect from you in the future?MA: "Designs on many different scales. We are working on a wide range of projects as we continue to embrace all sorts of challenges of solar energy. Our focus will be on creating solar-powered objects that integrate seamlessly into everyday life, making it more accessible for everyone.&nbsp;In addition to these smaller-scale projects, we are also committed to working on large-scale installations with which we want to raise awareness about the potential of solar energy. These installations will not only demonstrate the capabilities of solar power but hopefully also inspire others.&nbsp;We are also working on new editions of the Solar Biennale, which we are very excited about. We’ll have think tanks and workshops in different countries to discuss solar energy on an even wider scale."

<img class="image_resized" style="width:50%;" src="https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/Schermafbeelding_2023_11_06_om_16_54_30_9d3c8c9c16.png" alt="Schermafbeelding 2023-11-06 om 16.54.30.png" srcset="https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/thumbnail_Schermafbeelding_2023_11_06_om_16_54_30_9d3c8c9c16.png 121w,https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/small_Schermafbeelding_2023_11_06_om_16_54_30_9d3c8c9c16.png 388w," sizes="100vw">We're very proud to call NOOK one of our partners.&nbsp;NOOK is the official magazine of the Dutch and Belgian professional associations for interior architecture, BNI and AINB. The magazine offers in-depth content, inspiration, and opinions. NOOK is published quarterly in English.&nbsp;A version of the above interview was first published in NOOK, the Symbiosis issue (2023 / #2).&nbsp;<a href="https://bni.nl/nook/">Order a hard copy of the issue for €12.50, excluding shipping.</a>&nbsp;

Marjan.png

Dutch designer <a href="https://marjanvanaubel.com/">Marjan van Aubel</a> (1985) is shining some much-needed light – pun intended – on solar energy. With her studio, she creates designs that bring solar energy into daily life in the most aesthetically pleasing way possible. By combining elements from the fields of sustainability, design, and technology, Van Aubel aims to create lasting change and make solar power accessible to one and all.&nbsp;

MARJAN VAN AUBEL: SOLAR POWER TO THE PEOPLE

<blockquote><h1>“Skateboarding was definitely a creative outlet.&nbsp;The physical act of skateboarding is pure creativity.”</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;Were you always creative, even as a kid?ET: "I think so. But to be honest, I don't even know if I think of myself as creative. I guess I am, based on my life and what I've done. And people tell me I'm creative, but I&nbsp;don’t walk around thinking I'm a creative guy or something. It's all been problem-solving within given structures."&nbsp;What is your definition of creativity?ET: "For me, creativity is&nbsp;mostly&nbsp;building on existing structures. Let's say you want to create a completely new piece of music. Something&nbsp;nobody has ever heard before, something completely foreign. Chances are you're going to alienate a lot of people simply because&nbsp;there will be no reference point. There will&nbsp;probably&nbsp;be some people who will think it is genius. But most people would consider it too&nbsp;far out&nbsp;in left field.&nbsp;In my example you need&nbsp;an existing song structure with a beat and lyrics, and then you can play with,&nbsp;and tweak those elements. And to me, creativity lives in that structure."&nbsp;

I love the music analogy, but how does that correlate to your own work?&nbsp;ET: "Over the years, I've been asked to design skate shoes and the box they come in. And then you realize that within that structure, there's not a lot of wiggle room. I mean, a shoe is a shoe. There's not a lot you can&nbsp;do.&nbsp;You’re not going to reinvent the wheel there. In the end, everyone wants to have a shoe that works and that they can skateboard in. So all you're changing is the materials on the shoe, the look of the shoe, and then maybe the box. So it's extremely limiting in some ways. But that's where the creativity comes in.&nbsp;You try to come up with new ways to push what is possible within the given parameters.”&nbsp;<div class="raw-html-embed"><iframe width="800" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3ymKHBPVsKA?si=hbKFlJbdDwyIo4XJ&amp;controls=0&amp;start=7" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>&nbsp;So, creativity requires constraints?ET: "It doesn’t require them, but in reality most creativity is done within them. I'll give you another example. I make photo books. And so I'm constantly thinking about how to&nbsp;do something different with my books. I want my books to look different from every other photo book. But I also don't want to go so far where I'm just doing something crazy&nbsp;for the sake of it.&nbsp;So, I try to do something a little different. My bigger books are more traditional, like the recent one that just came out, but I do try to play with the structure of what's possible.&nbsp;But the book is only a conduit for the pictures themselves, it shouldn’t be about the book, but about the pictures. Again, very limiting, but that’s where the fun is, trying to make it your own. Deanna and I made this accordion-style book together, and I got a lot of praise for&nbsp;the fun design, but in all fairness, that wasn't me. My publisher came to me and said that one of his artists was making a very specific size book, which meant he was left with a big strip of paper&nbsp;trimmed off these giant sheets that would be wasted. He asked me if I had any ideas for that. So, I can't claim any creative genius there. It was just problem-solving. Someone came to me and said, hey, I don't want this paper to go to waste, and I happened to have a project that would fit nicely on the strip of wasted paper. It was a win-win situation: no wasted paper, and we got to make a cool book. Problem solved. But the&nbsp;amazing thing is that&nbsp;the photographs in that project were chosen to be exhibited at the Pier 24 Photography Museum in San Francisco, and eventually ended up in the collection of The Museum of Modern Art in New York!"

<blockquote><h1>“Creativity is also being ready for those opportunities&nbsp;when they come."</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;The ripple effect is in full swing.ET: “Yes. Creativity is also being ready for those opportunities&nbsp;when they come. With the book, a strange opportunity arose. If I hadn't had an idea, someone else would have taken that strip of paper and done something with it. But I was ready at the moment. And that's a big part of creativity: being ready for it. It's what athletes always say: be ready for the moment. Have projects you're juggling and working on and thinking about all the time so that when that opportunity arises, you have something to fill it.”&nbsp;Speaking of juggling work. You make books. You work as a photographer. You have your own skateboard company. You create works of art. In short, you have a lot of different canvases to work on. How does that work in your brain? Do you have an idea and then figure out what outlet works best? Or is your work much more compartmentalized?&nbsp;ET: "It is a little bit compartmentalized, although there's been a lot of bleed-over through the years in different ways. But the compartmentalization has almost always been part of it. The art I make for skateboard graphics is so different from the paintings I do or the skate photographs, which are much more grittier. So on the creation side, it is very compartmentalized, but it doesn't work that way in my brain: there, it's much more fluid.&nbsp;The thing is, all these outlets have a different audience. So when I'm doing a skate graphic, I get into a skateboard mindset, and I think about me as a, you know, a 15-year-old boy going into a skate shop. And how I loved looking up at the boards and checking all the graphics and everything like that. So when I get in my skate world, I get into my skate head. There have been crossovers where I'm doing something in the fine art world, and an idea pops up for a skateboard graphic, and there have been times when I've used drawings that I've done as skateboard graphics. So, my fine art practice blends into my skateboard practice. Funnily enough, it doesn't go vice versa a lot. I don't usually find something in the skateboard world that I bring into my art."

What does your creative process look like? Where do you get your ideas?ET: "I end up coming up with a lot of ideas in the shower. I think a lot of people have this experience. The shower is an important creative space because it's just you and your thoughts. Sometimes, if I'm trying to think of a new idea, I look forward to just taking a shower cause I know all distractions are taken away. You don't have your phone, and there's no TV. You're just&nbsp;standing there thinking about something, and a lot of times that creates the&nbsp;brain space to create a new connection."&nbsp;You mentioned athletes earlier on, and how creativity is similar to sports in that you must be ready when the moment comes. So, to continue the sports analogy: is creativity a muscle you can train and improve or something you are born with?&nbsp;ET: "I really think that you're either born with it or not. I don't think I was a natural skateboarder. I wasn't born to skate like some people whose style is effortless and easy. I was never that guy. I had to work. I had to practice. And I had to think about it. I had to try hard. All those tricks you see of me in a video were multiple tries and multiple injuries. And creativity works the same way. Some people are born with it and make it look effortless; others must put in the hours, train, and work hard.&nbsp;And when it comes to creativity, I suppose I fall in the 'was born with it' category, but I also put in the work. My brain is always thinking of something. I'm constantly creating graphics and thinking of graphic ideas."

<blockquote><h1>“If I have an idea to do something, but it might not sell very well, we'll do it anyway.”&nbsp;</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;And does that ever wear you out?&nbsp;ET: “No, it's fun. I would rather have too many ideas than have no ideas. I have so many ideas that I have to pick and choose what I will work on. There are crunch times when too much comes together at once, and I feel like I’m on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Or I get a terrible headache.”&nbsp;The work you do is very diverse. You make contemporary art but also run a skateboarding company. How do you strike the right balance between commerce and creativity?ET: "Commerce is always back of mind. But I feel lucky that in my fine art practice and even in the skateboard company, which is a purely commercial endeavor, I don't have to think about commerce that much. If I have an idea to do something, but it might not sell very well, we'll do it anyway. Like, every year, we do a Halloween deck. And we'll usually do something crazy, like a weird shape or something. It's impractical, but enough people will like it that we make a small run. So I don't feel&nbsp;hampered by the idea that we can't waste money on this or that."

And how is it having a spouse who is also creative? [ed. artist and photographer Deanna Templeton] I assume it's great because you continue to work together, right?&nbsp;ET: "Yeah, it's really wonderful actually. Street photography can be really weird: we walk around with a camera, pausing and trying to get a photo without people noticing it. But one of the great things about having a photographer wife is that she understands what I'm doing and is an ally. We help each other on the streets a lot, you know. I'll sometimes create a distraction for her. She'll see like a cool old man smoking, hanging out a window. And I'll walk up and pause and pretend I'm looking at my map on the phone like a tourist, and then she'll get behind me to focus and get her&nbsp;exposure right. And then maybe I'll move. And she'll come out and shoot. And she does the same for me. I'll be shooting a photo, and maybe someone sees me and gets a little weird, and then she will come in and say something like: 'Ohh, your dress is so cute, or something like that.' And that just breaks the ice. So yeah, we work together in that way. It's kind of interesting and fun."&nbsp;Is there any competition between you two? Like when one spots something before the other does?&nbsp;ET: “Yeah, that's the downside of working together. I usually let her have the shot, simply because I shoot so much more than she does. For the last couple of years, Deanna has been a lot more passive in comparison. For instance, we went to Europe over the summer and she shot 10 rolls of film, while I had 70. There have been times when we had little arguments about who shot what. And sometimes we just decide to both shoot something. And whoever shoots its best gets to use it.”&nbsp;<img src="https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/Schermafbeelding_2023_10_03_om_20_59_35_1ffd78d61a.png" alt="Schermafbeelding 2023-10-03 om 20.59.35.png" srcset="https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/thumbnail_Schermafbeelding_2023_10_03_om_20_59_35_1ffd78d61a.png 232w,https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/small_Schermafbeelding_2023_10_03_om_20_59_35_1ffd78d61a.png 500w,https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/medium_Schermafbeelding_2023_10_03_om_20_59_35_1ffd78d61a.png 750w," sizes="100vw">

What does the selection process look like? You use film rolls, so you only know what you have once you develop them.ET: "I just got all my photos from our European trip—all 70 rolls. And my first reaction is always super negative. I looked at everything, and I went *** **** it, I didn't get anything. Almost all the photos that I thought would be cool weren't, and then I got super depressed. And it's the same process every time. Then, I'll scan the proof sheets and start going through the process of archiving them&nbsp;digitally. And as I go through that process, I soften a bit, and I'll start finding things I like. Things I didn't notice the first time around.&nbsp;My wife wanted to throw away a bunch of her negatives. She figured that someone would find them after her death, judge her, and think of her as a crappy photographer. And I forced her to hold on to those negatives. So she put them into a separate album called her “crap book.” And&nbsp;now it's like this running joke between us because, over the years, she has found so many good photos in that&nbsp;album. The thing is, over time, things change. I might not have liked a photo then, but maybe now, for instance, the building in the picture isn't there anymore, so the shot has become interesting on a historical level."&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>“Shooting on film is more expensive, and it's kind of a pain in the ass, but I prefer it.”</h1></blockquote>

Why do you insist on working with film rolls, dark rooms, and a lengthy editing process when you can use a digital camera, take the shot, and immediately see your work?&nbsp;ET: "I just prefer film. I'm not anti-digital. Look at my Instagram, and you'll see I use my iPhone to shoot all the time. But my iPhone and film photos are wildly different just because of the technique and because the lens on the iPhone is so wide. Also, everyone has a phone, so it's almost like you're invisible while shooting. You can walk by people at full speed and snap a photo. But taking a picture with my thumb without anyone noticing it is different from raising a camera to your face. Everyone sees that and feels that, but no one feels an iPhone because everyone in the world has one in their hand at all times.&nbsp;I've been thinking about buying a digital camera to do commercial jobs. But the funny thing is that the people who hire me for commercial jobs hire me because I shoot film. And so they know what they sign up for, that it takes a couple of days to see results. But those commercial jobs can also be stressful because I don't know what I shot and don't know if I did the job correctly. It's one thing to shoot photos for myself. If I mess up, no harm is done or money wasted. But messing up a commercial job is scarier, so going digital would make sense.&nbsp;But the digital question is hard for me because I don't have any real answer other than to say I&nbsp;prefer film. Shooting on film is more expensive, and it's kind of a pain in the ass, but I prefer it. And I can afford it. I like the idea of film. I have a dark room at my house so that I can print the photo myself. And I enjoy the physicality of it. The realness. And I like that the print itself often becomes an object. I will write on the print or on the edges."

<blockquote><h1>“When I'm in my studio, away from the phone, I usually have a good time.”</h1></blockquote>

What would you consider creativity killers?ET: "My iPhone is the creativity killer. I spend too much time on that thing, and every time I'm done looking at it, I realize I just fried my brain because all I did was look at other people's creativity on Instagram. And then I get depressed because I just saw all this cool stuff everyone's doing. And it's unfair because you only see everyone's best projects and work. So I usually regret spending time on my phone, time that I could have used to make a book or a painting or read a classic book. And yet I return to that phone every single day."&nbsp;&nbsp;And what fuels your creativity, other than lengthy showers?ET: "When I'm in my studio, away from the phone, I usually have a good time. Painting is repetitious; you're just sitting there making these little strokes for an hour and listening to music or a podcast. Those are good kinds of moments. It's not that different from taking a shower.&nbsp;And then there's sleeping. It's like the equivalent of a shower: you lay there, and all the distractions are gone. And you close your eyes, and you're in that black void. Your brain creates things. It's all black, so you have to imagine everything. And so if you start thinking of something you want to do, be it a book, a graphic, or something new in an exhibition. Sitting in that black void, your brain naturally goes into a zone where you think of something, and that's how you grab it. That's idea formation. Your brain creates an anomaly. What sucks, though, is half the time I wake up not remembering the idea."&nbsp;You make books yourself: any books that have inspired you on your creative journey?"One of the most super inspiring books is Jim Goldberg's 'Raised by Wolves.' It's about runaway kids. And that book has been a touchstone for me, but I hate citing it because it's almost impossible to get a copy. You might find one online, but it might be like $1000."&nbsp;<div class="raw-html-embed"><iframe width="800" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8quyKLbUp5o?si=fKydMGqvh_AZxoDj&amp;controls=0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

Do you have any favorite albums or podcasts you listen to while working that help you to be more creative or productive?ET: "It sounds super boring and weird, but I'll often just have NPR on. [ed. NPR is National Public Radio, an American public broadcast service] It's really dry a lot of the time with news and local stuff. But to me, it's kind of like white noise. And it's the same with television. When I'm drawing in the living room, the TV will be on, and I'm sitting sideways from it. There will be some show on, like a rerun of The Office, but it's just background noise. But I never look at it.But then, once in a while, I'll be like, what the hell am I doing? And then I'll put on music, which has an immediate effect. It has even changed the way I paint. The attitude of a song changes my attitude as I paint, and I've actually felt myself take more risks with what I'm drawing while listening to a punk song."&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>"It's all been trial and error."</h1></blockquote>

You're a self-taught artist. What sparked your interest in art in the first place?ET: "In high school, I had an art class. But yeah, I never went to college or anything. Just the School of Hard Knocks. [laughter] I've always just had to learn from books and from looking at other paintings, and you know, you try something, and you see if it works, and sometimes it does, and sometimes it doesn't. It's all been trial and error.In high school, my grandparents would take us to the mall, and there was a Rizzoli bookstore there with a pretty good art section. And I found this little book on Egon Schiele, and my mind exploded. I thought it was really cool. My grandparents took us to museums, so I was aware of the famous artists and everything, your Van Goghs and Monets. But Schiele's work was such a departure from all of that, with the scraggly lines and angst in the works. I learned about Austrian Expressionism and became a big fan of all these Austrian painters from that period. And I still like those guys, but then I also discovered David Hockney, which resonated with me because of living in Southern California."

And let's remember that at the same time, you were making a name for yourself as a professional skater. Did creativity play a role in that as well?ET: “Skateboarding was definitely a creative outlet.&nbsp;The physical act of skateboarding is pure creativity. Can you imagine the creativity bursting out of Mark Gonzales’ brain in the early 80s when he invented half the tricks we all do today? I was constantly juggling all these different things. I was running Toy Machine while being a pro skater and couldn't do either to the best of my abilities. I was always hard on myself because I wasn't the pro skater I could be.&nbsp;And I still wonder sometimes, what if I just decided to stop photography and focus on my painting? Could I become a great painter?&nbsp;And vice versa with photography, or even Toy Machine.”

So why haven't you focused on one thing?ET: “I think choosing would be hard. I opened up all these accounts and now must maintain them. So I painted myself into a corner on that. But then also I think if I was only doing one of those things, I might burn out. And so I feel fortunate that I can go into painting mode for a while when I have a show coming up.&nbsp;And I go into skate graphic mode at times, etc.”&nbsp;

But all these pursuits require a different focus on your part. Spending a day painting in the studio is different from the day-to-day running of a skateboard company. That requires some flexibility and a different work mode or rhythm.ET: "That comes naturally. When I have an exhibition coming up, I have a goal: I need to finish a certain amount of paintings before the show's opening. So, I tend to go into an all-day mode where I wake up and paint all day. But on typical days, I might go in the studio and paint a little bit, then work on my photo archive for a while, and then work on skate graphics too."&nbsp;Speaking of archives, what are your favorite clips of your skateboarding?&nbsp;ET: "My favorite has always been the&nbsp;Emerica, ‘This is Skateboarding’ video. I was probably at the height of my power. That's the best skating I did as far as, like, physical tricks. I did a lip-slide on an 18-stair handrail, which was, at my age, pretty cool. Looking back, the tricks I did in that video were probably the best I could do. Although I never truly became the best I could be because, like what we discussed before. I never dedicated the time. If I look at my peers, they just lived and breathed skateboarding and realized their potential much more than I did. So I'm sad about that sometimes.&nbsp;<div class="raw-html-embed"><iframe width="800" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_smeiXix1Tc?si=KjdG98AOv1Cg-hBf&amp;controls=0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>&nbsp;The same applies to art. I could be a better painter if I devoted more time to it. Photography is different because I do spend a lot of time shooting. It's the one constant thing because I always carry a camera. But I might go six months without painting, and then I'll get back in the studio, and it feels like I'm starting all over again. And it's tough. Cause just like I'm not a natural skater, I don't think I'm a natural painter. I don't have that gift. I can't just make paintings happen. I have to work for it."

<blockquote><h1>“Self-doubt is a normal and healthy byproduct of putting your work out in the world for people to see. It’s scary, but you have to overcome it.”</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;Isn't that self-doubt an intricate part of the creative process? It certainly is something that most of the creatives I've interviewed experience.ET: "It's completely normal to feel this way, and I've come to terms with it.&nbsp;I tell myself that what I left behind is good enough. You'll always feel like you could do better, but I can look back at skating and go, OK, I don't think I reached my potential, but I'm still in the skateboard hall of fame! [laughing] I still was the world champion two times! At some point, you have to realize you can only do what you can do. I think self-doubt is a normal and healthy byproduct of putting your work out in the world for people to see. It’s scary, but you have to overcome it. Think of the people who have no self-doubt at all; they must be psychopaths."&nbsp;

Ed Self Portrait.png

California-native Ed Templeton (1972) is a lot of things. Professional skateboarder. Two-time World Skateboarding Champion. Owner of skateboard company Toy Machine. Renowned (street) photographer. And acclaimed contemporary artist. He was one of the original Beautiful Losers who helped shape and capture the skate scene in the 1990s and has spent the last 20 years on a unique artistic and aesthetic journey.&nbsp;

ED TEMPLETON: RAW CREATIVITY

Let's get right to it: What is creativity?&nbsp;HT: "My definition of creativity is staying true to yourself, not paying too much attention to external influences, and not being too hard on yourself. You should never strive for perfection."&nbsp;&nbsp;How does this apply to your way of working?&nbsp;HT: "When I started out, I worked solely in black and white. Using pen and ink, I'd draw these lines over and over. But then, I switched to markers and started working with flat shapes instead of lines. I began making small drawings just for myself as a form of relaxation. There was no pressure, no specific purpose. I told myself these drawings couldn't fail; they were just for me. I had one rule: I had to continue drawing till the whole page was filled, and then I could decide whether to continue with it or not. This shift allowed me to become a more relaxed type of illustrator. Ultimately, I let go of the strict pursuit of naturalism, which felt right."

Changing your medium of choice is quite a big step.&nbsp;HT: "It definitely was a significant change. I had bought a small set of markers and a sketchbook and just began making simple drawings, taking it step by step. I took the markers everywhere: on holiday, to the beach. The thing is, I can't sit still or lie in the sun for too long, so I would draw instead. It gradually became a kind of pastime. I didn't think this would eventually become my new style of illustration. It was just a hobby. Something I did in my spare time. It eventually became my new working method but that was a natural evolution. There was no preconceived plan."&nbsp;&nbsp;By then, had you already graduated from the Academy of Arts, or was this pre-college?HT: "I had already graduated by then. I recently looked it up: I graduated in 2009, and my first marker drawings date from 2016. I was already working as an illustrator by then and had clients who hired me specifically for my black-and-white line drawings. But then I started experimenting by adding color to my work."

Were you nervous about changing your style and possibly losing clients or work over it?&nbsp;HT: "Not really. And that's partly because I took up a part-time job at around the same time. In the early years of my career, financial worries were a real thing. But by getting this job I created more room for creativity. I no longer felt the constant pressure to illustrate solely for money, which inspired me to really start doing my own thing."&nbsp;&nbsp;They say you don't need money to be creative, but not having any money can be a significant block for creativity. Financial worries can undoubtedly affect your creativity, right?&nbsp;HT: "Absolutely, because at the end of the day, you still need to pay your rent and cover your basic needs."&nbsp;&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>Collaboration is about giving and taking, compromising, and being open to new ideas during the creative process.</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;When did you start painting murals?&nbsp;HT: "I spent a lot of time in Surinam, my father's country of birth. And over there I did quite a few murals, but I had never done one in The Netherlands. In Surinam, there's a culture of murals and advertising that I found fascinating. I even set up a collective with a friend there: we allowed young artists to paint murals on vacant buildings and old structures.&nbsp;I painted my first 'Dutch' mural during the early days of the COVID pandemic. I was asked to do a mural but by then my style had changed significantly, so I had to find a way to translate my new style to match the mural's requirements. In the end, it all began with a drawing that I blew up onto the wall."

From murals to textiles: Again, it seems like a giant leap, but you seem to make the switch effortlessly.&nbsp;HT: "I've always had a fascination for textiles. In fact, I used textiles in my graduation project in 2009 but didn't explore it much after that. When we were stuck at home due to COVID, I was painting in my studio, and that's when the idea hit me. I thought: ‘Why not transform my paintings into applied textile pieces?’ I started cutting the shapes from the fabric and making collages to create textile wall hangings. That's how it all began."&nbsp;&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>“I've learned that collaborating with other people gives you fresh perspectives.”</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;That's creativity at work, right there. Making do with what you've got. Finding inspiration in limitations and restrictions.&nbsp;HT: "Exactly. Restrictions can be inspiring, although that's something I realized later in my working life. In college, collaborating was challenging for me because I'd feel like, 'I have an idea, but I might not connect with the other person's idea.' Since then, I've learned that collaborating with other people gives you fresh perspectives. You may not initially resonate with their ideas, but when you work together, you find ways to make it cohesive and exciting for everyone involved."

How do you go about collaborating?&nbsp;HT: "For me, it's about working with people whose work I already adore. That means I can't always collaborate with everyone: the project needs to feel right. For example, I collaborated with Brian Elstak on a book. We both admired each other's style. However, we still needed to ensure the book had a unified look. So, I suggested sticking to a specific color palette to create cohesiveness; fortunately, Brian agreed. Collaboration is about giving and taking, compromising, and being open to new ideas during the creative process. Collaborations allow me to evolve as an illustrator and be open to new possibilities."&nbsp;&nbsp;Speaking of collaborations, what does a collab look like when the other party is a big company, like the work you did for IKEA? Usually, the one who pays has the final say.&nbsp;HT : "Well, in the case of the Ikea collab: the creative brief allowed for a lot of freedom. Ikea wanted to upcycle furniture, and I wanted to work with textiles, so it was a project where everyone could contribute in their own way with ideas and interpretations. Collaborating with companies can sometimes mean your work reaches a broader audience, and yes, it may become more commercialized. However, I've seen that people who are genuinely passionate about their art and craft will find their way. You need to have endurance and focus to sustain yourself in this world. It's not about just getting a continuous stream of commissions. It's about being genuinely passionate about what you do and staying committed to it."

You've developed a very distinctive and recognizable style. It must be challenging seeing others copying or trying to imitate it. How do you deal with that?&nbsp;HT: "I believe that when you stay true to yourself, you'll always be unique. I have my own techniques, color palettes, and themes that are specific to me. It's nearly impossible for someone to copy all three aspects. Also, if someone chooses to copy my style, that's on them. I might not like it, but ultimately, it's their choice. Also, I think my interests and my world are quite specific, making it challenging, if not impossible, to replicate."&nbsp;&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>Find your passion, stay true to yourself, and don't be afraid to explore and evolve your art.</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;Any words of wisdom for young artists who are just starting out?&nbsp;HT: "Find your passion, stay true to yourself, and don't be afraid to explore and evolve your art. Be patient, as it takes time and perseverance to establish yourself in the art world. Also, drawing inspiration from everyday life and staying connected with the society around you is extremely valuable. Spending time in places like Suriname allows me to step away from the fast-paced art world and be more relaxed and contemplative. Drawing inspiration from ordinary things, like the streets or daily life, keeps me grounded and connected to the broader society rather than confined in the art bubble. It's important to have that balance."

Disclaimer: This interview was conducted at the Illustratie Biënnale Haarlem, the illustration and graphic art festival. We’re proud to call the Biennale one of our partners. For more articles and design challenges check back soon.&nbsp;<a href="www.illustratiebiennale.nl">www.illustratiebiennale.nl</a>

HedyTjinPortrait.png

Hedy Tjin is an Amsterdam-based illustrator and designer. Since graduating from the Academy of Arts in Utrecht, Tjin has established herself as an artist with a trademark palette, an alluring aesthetic, and a strong social conscience. The world is Tjin's canvas, literally, for she designs anything from murals to books and from furniture to textiles.

HEDY TJIN: THE WORLD AS A CANVAS

Are you getting tired of everyone constantly bringing up your age?TJK: “Well, it’s a bit like: ‘Enough, already, we get it.’”&nbsp;I won’t dwell too much on your age, but aging comes with physical challenges. I can imagine that it's pretty depressing for a creative person to be limited in how you can express yourself.TJK: “Yes, that definitely isn’t fun. I still work every day, but around 3 o'clock, I get tired and sleepy, which I find incredibly annoying. In the evenings, I also get tired, which is such a great contrast to how it was: I used to be able to work all night; I would just keep at it. My hand doesn't do exactly what I want it to do anymore. That's very frustrating, and because of it, everything takes so much longer. What used to take me an hour to draw now takes three hours.”&nbsp;How do you deal with that?TJK: “It is what it is. There’s not much you can do about it. You can fight it and hate it, but it won't help, so why waste energy?”&nbsp;You could also decide to stop altogether.&nbsp;TJK: “No, that's not really an option. I enjoy it too much. Plus, it gives me energy.”

Have you always had that need to create?TJK: “I can’t remember ever not drawing, but I wouldn’t go as for as to call it a need or inner drive. That’s too big a term for it. I simply enjoyed doing it. It's fun to keep yourself busy. Plus, what else could I do? I could read or take long walks, but that doesn’t really do it for me.”&nbsp;You could go to the movies; as a child, that was your happy place, right?TJK: “I loved going to the movies. I intensely enjoyed immersing myself in a different world, daydreaming away. I particularly loved the acting part. I would study how actors portrayed different emotions. I’d observe how Joan Crawford would act when angry or sad.”&nbsp;Speaking of acting: is it true that you act out what you draw in front of a mirror?TJK: “Yes, that's true. I look in the mirror to see what happens with your face and body when you act out certain scenes or feelings and then make sketches, eventually choosing the best one.”

Never had the ambition to do something in the movie industry?TJK: “I would have liked to, but I'm not cut out for it. Making a movie involves a lot of people. I love being an illustrator and comic artist – in that role, you're essentially the storyboarder, the editor: you’re everyone and everything.I used to think it would be fun to create an animated movie, but that's beyond my capabilities because everyone only works on a very small part of a film. And I don’t like that.”&nbsp;You say you don't like to work on just one thing, but you also worked at the Marten Toonder animation and comic studio, where you were a cog in a much bigger machine.TJK: “Yes, but I didn't last there very long. I put my heart and soul into it and really enjoyed working there because it was the first time I worked on something that was actually being used and seen. I had previously made some book covers, but this was something entirely different.”

What does your process look like?&nbsp;TJK: “I need a story to get started. If there's no story, there's no work to be made. When on holiday with my wife, I would take my art supplies to create something from scratch, but that never really worked. I need some sort of briefing, deadline, or audience; otherwise, it feels pointless and aimless. I guess that’s the difference with real artists who feel this need to create.”&nbsp;It’s funny that you use the label ‘real’ artists. Like there is some sort of hierarchy in creativity. You started out by working in an industry that was long considered anything but artistic; what was that like?TJK: “Comics were frowned upon: they were considered stupid and aimed at dumb people. But I didn’t care what people said. I enjoyed making comics and loved to draw because it made me feel completely free.”&nbsp;&nbsp;How did having a family impact that freedom? Working as much as you did well into the night was no longer an option.TJK: “Not exactly. The rule was: don’t disturb Dad.”&nbsp;So your family allowed you to do what you love, which starkly contrasts your childhood. Your family then didn't care much for your artistic inclinations, right?TJK: “True, nobody thought much about my drawings. I was a shy child and didn’t have a lot of friends. I would just draw and draw and lose myself in the world I created. When I came to The Netherlands, I attended the Rietveld Academy for a while, but I guess it wasn't for me. My father said I should become an architect if I wanted to continue to draw. But that wasn't for me either. Then he suggested that I become an advertising artist or teacher. But I was way too shy to stand in front of a classroom. Ultimately, I had to find some sort of work because my study visa was expiring, and I didn’t want to return to Indonesia. I remember seeing the Tom Poes comic in the newspapers in Indonesia and figured that maybe I could work on something like that. I ended up working at the Marten Toonder Studio: they vouched for me, and that’s how I was allowed to stay in The Netherlands.”

And that’s how you ended up drawing comics. Much has been made about the cinematic aspect of your comics: from the lighting to the camera-like angles. All those cinema visits paid off, then?TJK: “They certainly did! When I was around 14 or 15, I watched all these Hollywood movies. I didn’t care much for British or French cinema: it all looked too ugly to me. In contrast, all those Hollywood actors looked beautiful. Even when they fell into the water, they’d come out looking perfectly styled. That intrigued me, and I used what I had seen in the cinema to create dramatic effects in my work.”&nbsp;Isn’t that precisely how creativity works? Combining something you have once seen, read, or experienced and applying it to a completely different medium or experience to create something new?&nbsp;TJK: “True. Everything has been done before, so when I'm working on something, I might recall something I stored in the back of my mind and use it. And then, while I'm working on it, new ideas come along, and the final result looks completely different from the original thought, idea, or concept.”&nbsp;So, what is your definition of creativity?TJK: “Creativity is about creating something: making something out of nothing. It applies to painters, writers – they all do it. There's nothing; when they’re finished, there's something—it’s about creating what wasn't there before."

And can creativity be taught, or is it innate?TJK: “I think it's a bit of both, somewhat innate. I'm not entirely sure.”&nbsp;Has your process changed?TJK: “I used to create stories based on everyday life experiences, but now I find that boring. I prefer drawing things that are not possible, like fairytales and myths.”&nbsp;Is that because those themes give you more creative freedom since there's less preconceived imagery?TJK: “Absolutely, I can be more imaginative and free in my creations.”&nbsp;Is there a difference between creating art for adults and children?TJK: “Yes, for adults' stories, I try to convey more complex concepts through visual metaphors and symbolism, while for children's stories, I focus on creating literal and straightforward images.”

What is your favorite medium to work with?TJK: “I used to work a lot with pen and watercolors, but recently, I've been experimenting with acrylics.”&nbsp;I love hearing that you still experiment. You could have stuck with what has been successful in the past but, instead, still explore new and challenging paths to discover something exciting.TJK: “Why would you keep repeating yourself? You never stop learning, and you can continue to find joy in the creative process by challenging yourself.”&nbsp;And how about the dread and insecurity most creatives experience when working on something new: do you still suffer from that?TJK: “That slight panicky feeling never really goes away.”&nbsp;Do you ever get creatively stuck, and if so, how do you handle it?TJK: “When I get stuck, I sometimes put the project aside for a few days. Taking a break often helps me see things with fresh eyes, and then I tend to find a solution.&nbsp;Any advice for young creatives?TJK: “I’m not one to give advice, but I guess something along the line of: do the hard stuff first because, after that, you can just have fun. Know that perfection can be found in happy accidents: things that turn out differently than expected but are still perfect. Also: take your time. Mess around a bit. And the most important thing, I guess, is: do what you love.”

portretTJK.png

Thé Tjong-Khing (1933) is something of a legend, although he is far too modest to agree with that label. He is one of the Netherlands' most famous and beloved children's book illustrators: literally, everyone has at one time seen his work. Throughout his almost 70-year professional career, Khing has created dozens of comics and thousands of illustrations for magazines, book covers, and children's books for which, in turn, he has received dozens of awards. But he has not let fame get to his head, and at the age of 90, he still draws every single day. The man’s a legend indeed.&nbsp;

THE TJONG-KHING: AN ILLUSTRATED LIFE

Chances are that, at one point or another, you’ve seen one of those blooper videos of someone trying on a VR headset for the first time before accidentally walking into a wall or hitting the ground face-first. Hilarious as these videos might be, their importance lies in the fact that they demonstrate just how good VR is at deceiving the human brain. "When you wear a VR headset, you have to work incredibly hard to convince your brain that you are not standing on a tall building because your stomach reacts as if that were the case. That is the power of VR on the emotional brain," says Margryt Fennema, Co-Founder of <a href="www.reducept.com">Reducept</a>, a company specializing in digital pain treatment.&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>“Virtual Reality therapy has a major effect on the emotional brain.”</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;Fennema explains that pain treatment in the Western world is highly medicalized: “You get some sort of pill, often with addictive properties, which numbs you to the experience of pain, but the root cause of the pain is not addressed." And that is a problem because pain is sensory and emotional: besides identifiable tissue damage, there is always an experiential component. "Your feelings and behavior towards pain impact the intensity of your pain. Most physical damage takes about three months to heal, but after that time, the experience of pain persists or even becomes more intense," says Fennema. The culprit, once again, is the emotional brain. However, paradoxically, this is also where the solution lies.&nbsp;Fennema: “Virtual Reality therapy has a major effect on the emotional brain. With VR therapy, you, as a patient, are taken by the hand, or better yet, by the head, and we make you walk through a brain so you can learn and recognize pain patterns. The therapy influences your emotional brain so that you end up experiencing less pain.” So far, the results are impressive, although it’s important to note that VR therapy isn’t for everyone. Fennema: “Some people are more receptive to it than others. Some people like to learn by experiencing things, while others prefer a more theoretical approach. That’s why besides VR therapy, we also offer more traditional therapy in book form.”

Virtual Reality therapy has really taken off in recent years, a fact supported by psychiatrist Wim Veling, who heads the <a href="https://vrmentalhealth.nl/">Virtual Reality Mental Health Lab</a>, a research team within the University Center for Psychiatry in Groningen. "VR has already proven effective in treating conditions like acrophobia (fear of heights) and aviophobia (fear of flying): people can board a plane again after treatment.” Thanks to advancing technological developments, more complex social interactions can also be simulated, making it possible to help individuals with more severe conditions like psychosis or paranoid personality disorder.&nbsp;Veling: "We can place people in various social situations, like in a cafe or bus. In this virtual world, we introduce avatars controlled by the therapist, who watches the session on a second screen and responds to the patient's actions.” This immersive approach allows therapists to create a controlled and safe environment for patients where they can confront and overcome their specific fears.&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>Positive experiences in the virtual world give people the courage to try things out in real life.</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;Designing virtual environments is a costly undertaking. And the more realistic the environment, the higher the development costs. Fortunately, research has shown that the virtual world does not need to be lifelike to have a positive effect. Veling: "The simulated world doesn't have to be lifelike; people still feel immersed in the virtual worlds we create and feel like they are experiencing something." Positive experiences in the virtual world give people the courage to try things out in real life, things that, in some cases, they haven’t done in years.&nbsp;Where Wim Veling's VR therapy takes people to a place they don’t want to be (think of people with agoraphobia or other social phobias), PlaygroundVR's software takes children to a place they love to be: the playground. "VR is the perfect place to be if you’re stuck somewhere you don't want to be," says Jason van Eunen of PlaygroundVR. "Think of children in hospitals: they’re physically in a place they don't want to be. We figured that VR could make their stay in the hospital a little more agreeable." A great idea, but at the time of inception, some seven years ago, the technology wasn't advanced enough to turn this idea into a reality – "back then, we were still working with cardboard and mobile phones." But then, some three years ago, the idea was revived.&nbsp;

Van Eunen: "In VR, anything is possible, which means that if you know what the target audience wants, you can create it! We asked a group of children what their ideal playground looks like. We let them create models and drawings. Almost every model included water and a lookout tower, so we made sure that those elements were also incorporated in the virtual world we built." In this virtual world, children in the same hospital can play together in a virtual playground.&nbsp;Van Eunen hastens to add that it is not a gaming experience: "Lisette van der Poel, a play therapist, taught us that you can actually play away your fear. So, we simulated that free, aimless play. There are no levels, no scores, or time limits. It’s an outdoor play experience: a virtual playground where we can place objects, like a branch for instance, that the children can then use for fishing or sword fighting.”&nbsp;While the effectiveness of VR in reducing stress and pain has been demonstrated through various scientific studies, Van Eunen refrains from making claims about the scientific impact of his software: "We see a smile on a child's face, and that's good enough for us. Recently, a girl’s surgery was delayed by half an hour, which is incredibly stressful. But she got to play in the virtual playground for half an hour; time flew by, and when she finally entered the operating room, she had no additional fears or nerves. How amazing is that?”&nbsp;

&nbsp;<img class="image_resized" style="width:50%;" src="https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/Schermafbeelding_2023_11_06_om_16_48_05_789877a165.png" alt="Schermafbeelding 2023-11-06 om 16.48.05.png" srcset="https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/thumbnail_Schermafbeelding_2023_11_06_om_16_48_05_789877a165.png 121w,https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/small_Schermafbeelding_2023_11_06_om_16_48_05_789877a165.png 389w," sizes="100vw">We're very proud to call NOOK one of our partners.&nbsp;NOOK is the official magazine of the Dutch and Belgian professional associations for interior architecture, BNI and AINB. The magazine offers in-depth content, inspiration, and opinions. NOOK is published quarterly in English.&nbsp;The above article was first published in NOOK, the Digital issue (2021 / #3).&nbsp;<a href="https://bni.nl/nook/">Order a hard copy of the issue for €12.50, excluding shipping.</a>&nbsp;

PlaygroundVR_Wereld.jpg

Virtual Reality isn't just fun and games; it is also used to do some serious good. Research has consistently shown that VR effectively elicits emotional responses and can positively impact behavior. Consequently, the technology has been introduced in various medical treatments, including pain management and behavioral therapy. Welcome to the wonderful world of Virtual Healing.

CREATIVITY AT WORK: VIRTUAL HEALING

Let's dive right in: do you think creativity is fixed and innate, or is it something that can be trained and explored?&nbsp;KW: "There are different theories that you could apply to this. There's one theory that is related to this idea of systems. Humans are a kind of system, and all of us are composed of all these other systems like the brain and the digestive system. But, at the same time, we're also part of more extensive systems, like societal and economic systems. Gordon Pask coined the conversation theory. The idea is that it takes two people, two actors, to interact with language and actions. But the key to that system is feedback. And so, the theory is that creativity always relies on some feedback mechanism, which could consist of thoughts we form in our head or feedback between two different entities.&nbsp;There's another theory by philosopher Daniel Dennett, who said that it’s not just people who create things, nature does as well. He looks at this in terms of design, so humans are intelligent designers, but according to Dennett, nature also undertakes this creative process through evolution. And that kind of creativity equals competence without comprehension.&nbsp;So where we, as humans, might be able to reflect on and comprehend the things we make, nature is doing the same thing through trial and error. Without, as far as we know, any intelligence or comprehension. In that definition, nature is also creative, and some people believe that all our creativity is just mimicking what happens in nature."

Does that mean that animals are also creative?&nbsp;KW: "In that definition, yes, because they're adapting to their surroundings and to things that happen to them, either during the lifetime of one animal or over a more extended evolutionary period. Another philosopher, Emanuele Coccia, thinks of this in terms of plants. Each plant is not only adapted to its specific environment but can also change that environment in some ways by creating flowers, releasing pollen into the air, etcetera. And the same applies to humans. We're not just part of our environment; we can also change this environment. We can't, however, be separated from this environment. Think of fish. You can't take fish out of the water; it's their environment. The same goes for humans and our need for air. When we breathe in, we're taking in some part of our environment, of the world around us. When we breathe out, we give back some part of ourselves to the world. So in that sense, we're inseparable from this world.&nbsp;Coccia argues that taken from his perspective, a fish is not so different from the environment it lives in. A fish is merely a different version of the water, a more solid version. It becomes interesting when you think about humans and creativity and this idea that intelligence is not just something inside our heads but distributed in our environment. For example, when I have to remember to take out the trash, I place the trash by the door. That way, I don't have to think about it anymore. The information is now in the environment. It's not in my head anymore. So that raises the question: how can we be creative by responding to and changing our environment?&nbsp;And to return to this idea of systems: look at a company like Google. When companies like that grow to a specific size, they cannot be so creative anymore. And so when they need new ideas, they have to hire people with ideas or buy smaller companies doing interesting creative things. They're bringing in creativity from the outside and introducing it into their own system."

You're a creative person using different means of expression, from theoretical writing to poetry. How does that work?&nbsp;KW: "I don't always intend to write poetry. Sometimes it just comes naturally. The same happens with ideas for an article. The best time for me to write is in the morning when I'm fresh. A Ph.D. student of mine said the best time for him is in the evening: after a couple of glasses of wine, he can be more creative. We're taught to work according to the clock, and in reality, we all have different stages of the day when we're more productive or creative. And those stages can differ per person.”&nbsp;

Left: Leonid Pasternak, The Passion of Creation. Right: Modern version of Pasternak's work made with AI.The technological world of AI and the world of poetry seem so far removed, but in your work, they aren't, are they?&nbsp;KW: "So I'm working on this current project where we use AI to help us structure a narrative. And we tried to train the AI system using poetry. So I copied and pasted these poems into a text file. A lot of poems. And I did this for a whole day, not even reading the poems. And I was looking at these poems all day, and by the end of that day, I felt like I was seeing the world as a kind of poem. Everything I saw, every object and every action: somehow, it came to me as a kind of poem, which was interesting. As if I became programmed by poetry. It’s not unlike what writers say: if you want to be a writer, you have to read a lot.”

It’s about input then. Which, brings us to AI. How do you think AI will effect creativity?&nbsp;KW: "I currently only use it to generate some unexpected connections, some randomness or some noise. Let’s go back to Alan Turing's original paper on Computing Machinery and Intelligence. In it, he talks about a classroom. Students can learn what a teacher wants them to, but true intelligence, and maybe we can say the same for creativity, is when we introduce something new, something different, something random. He says that for a machine to create something new, you must introduce some randomness or noise into the system.&nbsp;Some say that AI can never create anything new because it only knows what has been put into its system. But potentially we could train AI systems, which is what I’m currently looking into. Can it create something new and interesting that we wouldn't come up with ourselves? I urge my students not to just put in a prompt and then use the images generated, but instead use those images as a starting point. ChatGPT, for instance, is not very good at writing, so you can use it, but only as a first draft. You will need to do something else and use your knowledge and intuition to shape that text into something else. So I think it should be a collaboration."

Is human creativity still relevant in the future?&nbsp;KW: “If you define creativity or intelligence in a very narrow way, it's just a mental process that we can model somehow using an AI system. But to me, creativity is not just inside the head. It's not only a mental thing, it's also embodied. And that's where the difference is. So AI is good at doing digital things, things that exist on the computer and the Internet. But we live outside of the digital world as well.&nbsp;When I'm drawing something happens to me that's not just mental. It's the actions that I'm undertaking with my body. So we will always have this difference from machines in that sense. Now if machines were able to execute code and have a kind of memory, then it can start to have some actions in the world. And if it can execute code, if it can iterate and improve on its code, if it can start to be autonomous somehow, it can begin to impact things happening in the world.”&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>“To me, creativity is not just inside the head. It's not only a mental thing, it's also embodied.”&nbsp;</h1></blockquote>

Some people say the main difference between AI and humans is that humans have the urge to create an AI. But now you’re telling us that AI could have some autonomy.&nbsp;KW: "Yeah, well, the question is: can it have its urges? Can it have desires? I don’t see that happening. Then again, I spoke to a robotics engineer some years ago who created this super simple and tiny insect robot. It only has like two or three components. It has a light detector like a photocell and a capacitor. To store up the charge that it collects from the light. And that's it. And then the little motor moves it, so all it does is where it detects more light, it moves towards the light. So so this. Super simple system. It already has some autonomy because it's seeking out the energy, the morning, so it can perpetuate itself to survive. So maybe there's something there?&nbsp;There's one theory of creativity by this guy named Graham Wallas from the 1930s. And he said that you must first collect all of this stuff. All these visual references and things. But then. What you do is go to sleep. And you know if you're working on a problem late at night or something you need to sleep on it. I do this with programming. I'll be trying to figure out what the hell is wrong with my program. And then I wake up in the morning and realize I was missing a semicolon somewhere.&nbsp;Now I asked ChatGPT about this. I said sleep is essential for creativity, ChatGPT agreed. I asked for some research to support this claim. ChatGPT said there was a 2013 paper about this and another paper, but it didn't give the exact references. Then I asked if it could become more creative. Could you sleep? Do you sleep? And it said, of course: ‘I don't sleep. I'm an AI system. I'm just running all the time.’ And I said, well if you could sleep, you could be more creative. But I don’t think he got it, haha."

27.png

With AI being a hot topic, we turned to Kevin Walker to discuss AI and its implications for creatives. Walker, an Associate Professor of Immersive Media at Coventry University, leads a research theme, focused on AI and Algorithmic Cultures at the Centre for Postdigital Cultures. His research encompasses the intersection of natural and computational systems (more about that later). And with a background in anthropology, art, and technology, he explores his findings in theory and practice through software programming, exhibitions, events, and performances, as well as academic and creative writing.

KEVIN WALKER: CREATIVITY IN TIMES OF AI

Nancy’s&nbsp;work hasn’t gone unnoticed. <a href="https://amplifyher.me/">AmplifyHER</a>, the Women's Visibility Conference she started on the heels of the global pandemic, has sold out 2 years in a row. And together with Women Inc, BrandedU started a social media and PR campaign. Titled 'My Name is Peter',&nbsp;the campaign asked women to change their names on LinkedIn to Peter, in order to increase their chances of becoming a CEO. The awareness campaign, which made smart use of influential women to get major attention with hardly any media budget, won the Grand Prix at the Dutch Creativity Awards. High time we sat with this powerhouse.&nbsp;&nbsp;

What is your definition of creativity?&nbsp;NP: “Creativity for me is freedom. It's the freedom to explore and discover. I love history because it gives us context and shows us where we're coming from. But overall, I'm a very future-focused person, and I love the creative process of designing something new for the future. It could be a new sound in music or a new way of doing business, which I'm doing now. I built this business in a creative way. People told me that you could only be an entrepreneur when you have people working for you and follow certain rules that define entrepreneurship. But I said no, for entrepreneurship has to work for me. I was sick at the time and had to find a way to be an entrepreneur despite being ill.&nbsp;&nbsp;That meant not going to the office. I couldn't have the burden of constantly having to worry about paying rent or paying a fixed team of employees. I had to do it in a creative way and create as much freedom for myself as possible. And 10 years later, I'm still running this business on my terms. This creative approach also trickles down to everyday work: we just look at the problem areas and start fixing them. And that's basically what creatives do as well. If you work at an advertising agency, people come to you with a problem, and you come up with&nbsp;creative solutions. For me, creativity is about making yourself so free that the answers come to you."&nbsp;&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>“Artists never conform, and that's why they're my inspiration. They refuse to conform.”</h1></blockquote>

How do you do that?&nbsp;&nbsp;NP: "I love the quote: 'Be curious, not judgmental.' It's about thinking of what could be possible. How would things be if everything was completely different? It's the curiosity that we all have as kids. A lot of people have it knocked out of them. My parents had me when they were young, practically teenagers, and they raised me to ask questions and go against the grain. I was always asking 'why.'"&nbsp;&nbsp;You work with C-suite-level women, but your background is in music.&nbsp;NP: "I started out as a marketer in music. Marketing is about finding a target audience and selling a product. Branding is more about the 'why.' Why did we create this product? Looking back, we did a lot of branding in music back then; we just didn't call it that. We referred to it as marketing. But when we had a new artist we just signed, it was our job to make a connection with the audience. An emotional connection, because that's what music is. I can't sell Alicia Keys's record by running a poster campaign. You need to hear the music; you need the emotional connection. So it's nice to know the background info: why did someone write a song? It's about finding different ways of reaching our audience."&nbsp;&nbsp;You've also worked with international artists, and based on those experiences, you developed this Rock &amp; Roll Branding.&nbsp;NP: "For me, Rock &amp; Roll Branding is about showing yourself to the world and thinking about how you do it. The 'W' questions: Who am I? What do I do? Why do I do what I do? What's the value that I am bringing? And who am I doing it with? When you have answers to these five questions, you already have your story. I love storytelling, and artists are great storytellers. Why do you do what you do? And what do you want to be known for? It's about being conscious of your actions and the impact you try to make. You have to ask these difficult questions. If you are visible, then you can make it to the top. I want different kinds of leaders. If we want to turn women into the same leaders that men currently are, then what's the point? Then we might as well stick with the men. I want women to think about their leadership and know who they are. If you know who you are and why you do it, your self-confidence grows, and you are no longer afraid or embarrassed about sharing your story. Then you don't call it bragging but instead know the value of your story."&nbsp;

<blockquote><h1>“Music has always been my inspiration. I listen to music, and ideas come to me.”</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;On our site, we urge (young) creatives to share their story, process, and portfolio. Some are nervous or reluctant about tooting their own horn if you will. Seems like music artists have no problems promoting themselves and explaining their work.&nbsp;NP: "Not true. A lot of them do. Beyonce hasn't given an interview in years."&nbsp;&nbsp;OK, but she does know branding. And she uses it.&nbsp;NP: "Yes, because she's creative. And she figured out she didn't need journalists to tell her story. When I started in music, journalists and radio were gatekeepers. They decided who got access to their platform. Social media blew up the game. Creativity has exploded. Look at the number of TV shows, podcasts, and music. The gatekeepers are gone, so you no longer have to wait to be discovered."&nbsp;&nbsp;And that's a good thing?&nbsp;NP: "That's a great thing! But it also means that you must be creative in finding your audience. The true creatives will find an audience."&nbsp;&nbsp;Right, because while social media has enabled everybody to create a platform, the number of people vying for attention is overwhelming. How can you, as a &nbsp;creative, stand out and be seen?NP: "Stay as close to yourself as possible. When I started BrandedU 10 years ago, someone told me not to do it because there were so many similar things out there. But I knew I was creative enough to do it. Music has always been my inspiration. I listen to music, and ideas come to me. But I don't force it. I will spend three hours listening to Bob Marley songs. Artists never conform, and that's why they're my inspiration. They refuse to conform. When hip hop came up, some wanted to dictate what did and did not constitute hip hop, but artists said, '**** that,' and did their own thing. You can't compare Outkast to Eminem or Cardi B, yet it's all hip hop. That diversity and creativity are so inspiring to me. Music inspires me more than visual art because there's so much to dive into—the lyrics, the different sounds, the beats. They resonate with my soul and awaken something in me."&nbsp;

You make the creative process sound incredibly fun and inspirational. So, you never have any creative struggles?&nbsp;NP: "I do, but only when I think about what others expect from me. I need to stay close to myself, and I'm good as long as I do that. I'm creative. Creating an image is about making something that people expect from you. Personal branding is about you and your core values. It's the story that you want to tell."&nbsp;By the way, those feelings of self-doubt never go away. Every new project they’re there, but I’ve learned to lean into the discomfort. Leaning into discomfort makes you more intuitive, and I have learned how to use my intuition. I also learned from working at a record label that you must stop putting things in boxes. When I first worked with Alicia Keys, people in different countries said there was no single on the album. ‘Fallin’' wasn't considered a single. I didn't agree. And in the end, we were the first country in the world with a number-one hit and album. We got a fax from Clive Davis. So it made an impact.”&nbsp;&nbsp;With the events you organize, you also create impact. You often do things very differently than other business events: from live music to good food and a diverse line-up. And you are very hands-on. Why is that?&nbsp;NP: "I just want to create events that I enjoy. That's it. Pretty selfish, I guess, but I don't want to conform to what everyone else is doing. I want to bring my own creativity and make a unique experience for people. It's about being intentional and making choices that align with my values and vision. And that also means that everything from the playlist to the catering to the people working the event needs to align with my vision. I had an all-female stage crew and hammered on the fact that the catering crew needed to be as diverse as possible. Authenticity is key.”&nbsp;

portrettenso.png

Creativity isn't, and shouldn't be, limited to those working in creative industries. Meet Nancy Poleon, founder of <a href="https://brandedu.nl/">BrandedU</a>, who is on a mission for more gender equality at the top of the business world. How? By making women more visible through personal branding. Before starting BrandedU in 2014, Poleon worked as a marketing manager for BMG in London, and she worked with artists such as Britney Spears, Alicia Keys, and Pink. She used her experiences and insights from the entertainment world to develop the Rock &amp; Roll Branding method.&nbsp;&nbsp;