Protecting what people carry, without losing the freedom to move.
One evolving backpack project: REK establishes the faceted shell; FleXC develops the relationship between protection, flexibility, and the body.
My contribution
Concept development, form exploration & prototyping
Perspective
Products for people, across disciplines
Design visualization
The useful question
Design starts with use.
A backpack is an object in motion. Protection needs to work alongside comfort, access, and the way a person moves through a day.
REK explored an angular hard shell through sketches and a physical visual prototype. FleXC followed as the next iteration, bringing a protective shell together with softer neoprene elements. The later concept drew on the protective qualities associated with the Volvo XC60.
Decisions behind the form.
Form, function & context
01
Start with form
REK used a distinctive faceted shell to make protection tangible. The visual prototype made geometry and scale tangible.
02
Combine hard and soft
FleXC moved the exploration toward the relationship between a rigid exterior and flexible sections next to the body.
03
Develop the direction
REK received a top-ten selection and €5,000 completion grant. FleXC progressed to a finalist selection and Dutch Design Week Public Favourite recognition.
Two iterations / One direction
From protection to flexibility.
01 / REK
Faceted geometry makes the protective idea visible. Foam blocks and heat-sealed bags supported a visual prototype for the competition.
REK · First iteration · Design visualization
02 / FleXC
The concept develops into a hard-and-soft construction, bringing the shell, neoprene, and harness into one form.
FleXC · Second iteration · Design visualization
Development gallery
From REK to FleXC.
Sketches, materials, and physical prototypes across two iterations of the backpack.
01 / First iteration
REK
Early sketches and form exploration.The REK prototype, worn at full scale.Carrying the concept beyond the studio.REK in an urban setting.
Developing the FleXC form and construction.Material selection and construction details.The physical prototype and its carrying system.FleXC in an exhibition setting.
Next useful question
What I would test next.
The next useful step would be a wear-and-access study: load the bag with everyday objects, observe reaching and cycling, and compare comfort over time. Water resistance would need its own physical test.