Hey, my name is Roald Sooijs, I’m a Dutch designer and I have my studio in Eindhoven. I have three branches in my work, all focusing on technical design with a high value appearance.
– freelance product development and product design in general;
– exploring the world of food, mainly focused on fermentation;
– out of these explorations I usually find limitations in the tools to use
and design them myself. These tools, I try to put into the market.
My exploration
At the age of 14, I started building my own ceramic smokers. A few years later followed by fermentation of cider and beer. This was the beginning of my ach developing ‘the next aroma’. During my studies, I have been trying to find the balance between design and food processes. And have been trying to solve the problem of the limitations of the standard hardware.
Exploring the aromas of tomorrow, pushing Dutch cuisine to the next level.
What can Dutch cuisine become? Regarding this subject, most of my ideas come from the culinary research that I’m doing in my spare time. I summon myself to find new ways to develop our Dutch culinary culture. I think there is a need for a new movement in Holland. The statement I made in the past is that the kapsalon (this is a fast food that combines Dutch and Middle Eastern fast food) is the last big new innovation in our food culture. Now it is time to do this on a profound level. Let’s show what Dutch food can become!
In this quest of trying to find the new fusions in our culture and other cultures I come across all sorts of limitations of tools and product which exist here in The Netherlands. So I try to change this by new techniques, fusions, aromas and using new tools.
Product Design
Core business of Ontwerpbureau Roald Sooijs (ORS) is product design with a wide base of interest. we are an innovative studio with an ever-changing team depending on the needs of the clients. We try to focus on smart simple design with honest materials. Usually with a little sparkle in the young minds we have. Our team consists of a network of young designers, we can use when needed on a case by case basis. For each project, we try to find the balance between young fresh new ideas and years of experience, in the teams we work with.
Let the young designers create your company’s future.
Product development
Ontwerpbureau Roald Sooijs (ORS) can do the whole process from design to production but we don’t stop there. I think it is a shame that a lot of designers are not involved in the whole process of launching a new product. And I think that this is crucial to have the best all-round design compared to our competitors.
ORS manages the whole package: from design to product engineering, to production, to you having the first production orders in the warehouse.
Start-up/lean production development
I’m a firm believer in launching a new product as fast as possible, with the utmost security in the development. I am working together with a few designers and partners to develop and bring new products into the market based on our lean production model, throughout the year. This way we can put a product into the market with adaptive power to keep the costs low and return on investment fast. This does not work for every type of product but when it does it is in our opinion the only way to start up something new.
Publications:
- 2017 – Frame Magazine
- 2016 – Wallpaper
- 2016 – Graduation catalogues Design Academy Eindhoven
Expositions:
- 2017 June; FOOD op de Heuvelrug, Doorn
- 2017 May; Mod – The New Kitchen, Rotterdam
- 2017 January; IMM Cologne 2017 – LivingKitchen, By Frame Magazine, Cologne
- 2016 November; Graduation Show Design Academy Eindhoven, Eindhoven
Work Experience
- 2017 September- until now; Start up the creative Distillery, By Sooijs In 2017 I started a creative spirits label to be able to express my definition of what strong drinks can become. I try to use unconventional ingredients from Dutch origin. Redefine Dutch spirits. This is part of my philosophy to rediscover the Dutch Cuisine.
- 2016 May – until 2018 January; Freelance industrial product designer and product development at Infento, Amsterdam At Infento I was in charge of all main product development. I was responsible for the designing the new product and for the product development and to put the product into the market. I worked a lot with manufacturers to produce the Infento product. Mainly via injection molding, aluminum forging, metal stamping and CNC processes.
- 2015 September – 2016 January; Internship as a lead concept designer for art event the Ontknoping, Oisterwijk For the Ontknoping I made the conceptual guideline and philosophy for the total event. The goal was to embrace the differences between people and cultures and not to compete. These guideline protected our philosophy but enabled the curators to have their creative freedom.
- 2015 January – until now ; Started the creative Brewery, Brouwerij de Mouterij
- 2014 January – June ; Working Freelance as a product designer for Ontwerpburo Bert Huls, Oisterwijk
- 2012 June – July : Junior Design and DriveWorks Programmer at Top Vision Group, Haarlem
- 2012 January – June : Internships at Top Vision Group, Haarlem
- 2010 January – April and
- 2010/ 2011 August – January : Internships at Infento B.V. Amsterdam | At Infento I was thoroughly involved in de designing of the products. I have drawn a lot of the components and made cad models and technical drawings. In specific area’s I was challenged in innovation and technical features. Also budget and production were of vital essences.
- 2009 April – July: Internships at Meccano, Naarden
- 2007 November: Internships at Springtime, Amsterdam
Education:
- 2012-2016 : Design Academy Eindhoven (diploma)
- 2011: Course self-promotion by Designboom
- 2008-2012: ROC-MN Utrecht, MBO level 4: Industrial Design (diploma)
- 2004-2008: A.Roland Holst College, Hilversum VMBO-TL(diploma)