Floortje Bijvoet

The start of UTO

As a designer, I find it a challenge to do more with less. Small living spaces can be optimally used with multifunctional solutions. UTO (Unidentified Transformable Object) is a modular 6-in-1 piece of furniture that can be playfully adapted to the user’s wishes.

In 2014, I made the first miniature model of UTO (from skewers and craft paper). When I showed it to my parents they weren’t impressed (possibly due to the poor quality of this model) so I left it at that. When I wanted to practice with my new design program in 2019, I decided to make a 3D design and an animation video. I shared the animation on social media and was then overwhelmed by millions of views and hundreds of reactions. It was fun at first, but I didn’t really know how to deal with it at that time. I searched for a suitable collaboration for a long time, but this did not lead to concrete plans.

Video: First animation of UTO.

Protection of UTO by crowdfunding

Due to my lack of knowledge, money or a suitable collaboration, it remained difficult to further develop the design. In the meantime, I was approached several times by others that there were look-a-likes of my design in circulation. People on social media advised me to protect my design. I did not have enough money for this, but I still wanted to give it a chance, so I started a crowdfunding campaign. When this campaign succeeded, I felt super grateful for all the support, but I also thought it was a strange system. This way of protection seems to me to be mainly functional for larger parties that have enough money, and it is less focused on joint innovation and local production.

Participation in the tv program ´Briljant!´

In 2020, I was selected to participate in the television program ‘Briljant!’ on the Dutch TV channel RTL4. The participants had to present an innovative idea to a jury and had a chance to win 10.000 euros that could be used for the further development of the idea. The recordings were in the Dutch Open Air Museum, and I brought the very first prototype of UTO that I had made together with my father. Unfortunately, I was not chosen by the jury.

Images: Participation in the tv program ´Briljant!´.

Dutch Design week 2022

Because of everything I had experienced, I wanted to investigate how I, as a designer, can collaborate with multiple (local) makers. I then approached a number of parties to create a special variation on UTO. During Dutch Design Week 2022, I presented this project under the name ‘Designers X Makers’. In collaboration with Fiction Factory and ZOEM.bike, two special variations of UTO were created.

Image: Expo at the Dutch Design Week 2022.

Fiction Factory made a special edition of UTO from leftover wood

Fiction Factory is one of the first makers within ‘Designers x Makers’. In collaboration with Fiction Factory, a variation on UTO was made from waste wood. They used the leftover space of (various) wooden panels that were CNC-milled for other projects. This creation was exhibited during Dutch Design Week 2022. Also watch the moving video on my from my Instagram account bellow.

ZOEM.bike made a special edition and integrated UTO on an electric cargo bike

ZOEM.bike is one of the first makers within ´Designers x Makers´ In collaboration with ZOEM.bike, a variation on UTO was created ​​where UTO is integrated on an electric cargo bike. With this special cargo bike edition you can create a terrace, market stall or organized picnic anywhere. This creation was exhibited during the Dutch Design Week 2022. Also watch the moving video on my instagram account.