Hugo van der Loo

conceptueel - design - film

My name is Hugo van der Loo. I design furniture and objects, make installations and collections and work on fiction films and series. This is a wide spectrum of activities, but that is because with every project I try to find the medium that best fits the story I want to tell. Of course a project doesn’t start with choosing a medium, it usually starts with a fascination for the background and origin of a topic. Every object, technique, material, building, or any small design detail that might seem insignificant, tells a story and can provide context about our culture, and ways of seeing and behaving. I tend to see these design features as signs that point out certain aspects of our past and present. The interesting part for me as a designer is to find a way to transform these signs into a design metaphor. These design metaphors can then be used to convey the story you want to tell in a more accessible and tangible way.


Faking a function - 2018_Small exhibition of objects that I selected to illustrate the cultural phenomenon skeuomorphism. This collection of objects was part of the research that I did for my graduation project at the Willem de Kooning academy._ Due to evolving technology and/or legislation, the objects around us change. They become obsolete or are improved. Often this change does not concern the entire product, but just one of its design fea¬tures. Most of these features are just scrapped from the design, but some manage to survive as they have surpassed their mere func¬tional origin. They have gained a cultural and sometimes aesthetic value. When such a feature in a design is still present, even though its original function has become obsolete, it is called a skeuomorph.
Our cultural archive - 2018_ As a group of designers with a traditional Dutch background, we investigated our own cultural archive and tried to visualize it by using childhood memories like national holidays, visiting theme parks and watching Dutch television. These images and videos are shown in an installation that evokes the idea of a control room. Inside this room the visitor can listen to two audio tracks. One headset provides statements made by politicians about a national identity. On the other headset the same statements are being made, but narrated by a Dutch citizen with, for example, a Surinamese or German background. This accent contradicts the political statement, and shows the exclusive effect it can have in our society. These two audio tracks each provide a different approach towards the image of the “Dutch identity” which is shown on the screen. >> In the 2017 Dutch election campaigns, politicians from the whole political spectrum, were talking about “the Dutch national identity crisis” Quotes like “ losing the Dutch identity” and “ the normal Dutch citizen” where used. When listening to these politicians you sensed a cultural bias of what the Dutch identity consist of. Talking on the basis of their personal idea of the Dutch identity that is highly influenced by aspects like their childhood, religion and the place and date of birth. With these quotes they create a baseline of what the Dutch identity is, but also what it is not. A baseline not everyone can relate to. This cultural archive in our brain makes it impossible for anyone to be one hundred percent objective concerning the topic of the national identity. An important step towards objectivity could actually be acknowledging the influences that this cultural archive has on your opinion.
Experiments with wood splitting and bending - 2021_Experiments with wood splitting and bending. During some experiments with splitting and bending wood I developed a method of wood joinery. After some more experiments where I used steam to soften the wood I was able to make a sustainable wooden construction using these wooden joints. I had the possibility to design a table for a client on the basis of this technique witch allowed me to continue experimenting with the technique. Currently I am looking for ways to use the technique for a more elaborate wooden construction apart from furniture.
Existe! - 2019_Existe! is a short film that I wrote and developed together with Luca Zuberbuhler and Phillippe van der Loo. Apart from co-writing the short I was the production designer and responsible for designing the sets._ A fragile theatre building is about to be destroyed by a real-estate company. When strange noises emerge from the vaults, the demolition works are momentarily halted. Slowly, the construction worker Lucien walks inside the building to find out where the sounds are coming from. He finds a secluded artist who refuses to leave and tries to lure him into one final play.
Lieve - 2019_Korte film Lieve van regisseur Vincent Groos. Ik was bij deze productie betrokken als Production designer en het was mijn taak om de visie van Vincent te vertalen naar de vormgeving van de sets. _ Als kersverse thuisverpleegster trotseert Lieve (Joke Emmers) op haar bromfiets vol moed weer en wind om haar patiënten bij te staan. Ze wil haar best doen om de wensen van haar patiënten zo goed mogelijk te vervullen. Haar grootste uitdaging: haar eigen grenzen leren respecteren