Daniël Bijmolen

A good day to tinker

A design project often starts with a personal vision or idea. A designer thinks of a specific shape or form and often has wishes for multiple materials and techniques. But unfortunately more often than not, the more complex a shape becomes the more waste it will also generate. Most readily available materials come in square sheets, and the more a shape differs from it and the more techniques needed to process it, the more cutting residue will be made in the process. This problem left me with the following question: How far can I go with one square and one technique?

What makes a day good for me is when small mundane things turn into something noteworthy. The way a flower dies can be as beautiful as its growth. The way rain drips down on the sidewalk can create beautiful patterns. I often look for similar patterns of “happy little accidents” like this in my process, and try to incorporate them in my work.

Instead of starting from a personal idea for shapes and materials, square root focusses on using one square piece of material, and one action to change its form. By setting this restriction at the start, a thinking by hands approach is needed. By endlessly playing and tinkering with a material in its most basic form, my focus is to fully utilize its potential, instead of immediately jumping to cutting out shapes that I like or using complex techniques. By applying simple changes and carefully observing how the material responds, a method evolves that prioritizes the material’s natural tendencies over the designer's willpower. The role of the designer shifts from commander to assistant of the material.