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Gijs Bakker: 5 things you didn’t know

APR 12, 2016 | By Sneha Ullal Goel
Call him the Yoda of Dutch design. Gijs is bigger than a natural force; someone who makes a statement by riding against the tide…see it in his interlinking ellipticals (a fixture now in modern baubles) in Plastic Bracelets, 1967 or the table with uniform holes playing with “our perception of its physicality”, made last year.
An alumnus from the Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam during the prenatal era of creative education, the wispy industrial designer has been a commanding voice of the movement that believes ideas should embrace irony and humour more than exaggeration of form. This expanded to Droog, co-founded by him, which opposed the bourgeoisie approach to design and proudly put his country on the map. We unearthed five interesting trivia about the renowned designer…
1. Coffee is compulsory. “I wake up on my own, without an alarm clock. Using a Pavoni espresso machine I bought from Milan in the early ’90s, I make my morning coffee that’s quietly savoured with a sandwich.”
2. He starts his day with an inspiring book. The time between 7:30 – 10 am is his “me time”, something he enjoys very much. “Currently I’m reading an interesting one by (18th century German writer) Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. News or magazines are preferably saved after a busy day of work when my energy starts to decline.”
3. Being clutter-free and systematic is a habit. You will always see his work desk empty, unless there are urgent projects. “If I start on a new project, a commission or a concept I developed, I clear out my brain by isolating myself far away from the Internet and other distractions,” he elaborates.
4. Loves spending time at art house cinemas. There are five cinemas within walking distance from his house, along with the Concertgebouw (concert hall) around the corner and the Stadsschouwburg city theatre. “If I’m not at any of these places, I’m at home watching TV before bed…viewing is limited to a short news programme or a good movie on Belgian TV, which usually plays without commercials,” he explains.
5. His summer indulgence includes spending the weekends by the lake, on my private little island very close to the city.
Website: www.gijsbakker.com
Also read: 5 things you didn’t know about Rossita Missoni