Some time ago we talked about a young Belgian designer whose name was Florian Van De Voorde.                                                                          We told you that he was participating to The Youth Design Day in Japan within our Switch On Your Creativity contest.  But we did not tell you anything about his project so we are going to do it now.

We asked Florian to answer some questions concerning his design, which is deeply sustainability driven. Here the interview!

Switch On Your Creativity: “Florian, can you talk about your project and its sustainability?”

Florian: “In Belgium and other countries around the world a lot of parishes and churches feel compelled to get rid of the church interiors and chairs because they are out of date. With the Church Chairs concept, I tried to approach this in the same way: I took old church chair parts and make something new and more contemporary out of them. The outcome of this are two pieces of furniture: The Church Stool and the Church Bench.”

SOYC: “It really sounds a good opportunity for a lot of communities around the world to make their old churches and parishes pieces having a new life! Where does your concept take its origin and why you think your idea could play a significant role in our society?”

Florian: “Last year I did my internship with ONBETAALBAAR. This is a community of craftsmen (and women) who like to invite people to think about a more sustainable way about throwing away things and redefine what is thrash and what could be re- or upcycled. 

This experience formed the base on which I made these pieces. I started to realize that sometimes I don’t need to design or create things from scratch. Sometimes forms or shapes of classic and iconic pieces of discarded furniture can start a process of redesigning or reimagining new ones. By doing this I try to shine a light on our current consumer-driven society. Taking these chairs and turning them in some new and more contemporary pieces, I play with my countries own cultural heritage thus making something which is typical from Belgium.”

SOYC: “Florian, can we ask you one last question? What is, in your opinion, the connection between Design and Sustainability?”

Florian: “Of Course you can. I think it is important to rethink the way we design objects, furniture, buildings and our surroundings. Reusing and recycling materials are very important topics when we are thinking of sustainable design nowadays.

If we start designing and thinking about a purpose after the lifecycle of these things and objects won’t be harming nature and her resources as we do now. Asian Studies Group and Switch On Your Creativity chose a very important theme that will become a standard in Design practices all over the world.”

SWOYC: “Florian, we thank you very much for your inspiring words and we wish you will, one day, make all your beautiful ideas become reality!”

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