Hello👋
I am Jort, a first year Industrial Design student
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My vision
These days products define the world around us. The designers of these products can change how we produce and consume them, which shapes our society. Ensuring these products adhere to the same humane values that their customers do is something designers are responsible for. Humane values like environmental sustainability, equality and the fight against poor working conditions are my focus.
Close to my heart is environmental sustainability, but to me, it is clear that these issues are not separate. A systematic problem in modern society causes companies and designers not to think like humans but as accountants—cutting costs, increasing their company’s market cap, and working towards their monetary incentive. A proper motivation is the designer’s pride when they see their designs, helping people leave the world as a better place than how they found it.
Fixing capitalism is, of course, beyond my control. I can, however, state that my focus as a designer is on making products that reciprocate human values, environmental consciousness in particular.
Identity
A tough question to answer for me is if I already know what discipline I would like to focus on. This is such a tough question because it is hard to predict what the world will look like in 10 years, and what technologies are emerging. However, I have always had a profound interest in consumer electronics.
From an aesthetic perspective, I am a fan of the Bauhaus movement. I love how these designs embrace the material they’re made from. This gives the final objects a minimalistic look and premium feel. The designs are often described as ‘pure’ because they do not pretend to be something they are not. I think this is an excellent description. I tried to reflect this style in the template of this portfolio, however I am not that happy with the final result.
My biggest contribution to group projects is during the ideation phase. I come up with a big quantity of original ideas. I also tend to be decisive when no group leader is willing to step up. I think this is a nice combination of characteristics.
There is, however, a pitfall for me. When I think I have a really good idea, I can get kind of blinded by wanting to use my idea, which can lead to me not providing enough space for others with other ideas. It is my belief that if I want to become a better designer, I need to learn how to suppress this. Another pitfall is how my sense of responsibility can lead to an uneven workload between other group members and me.