english - Studio Vertijet – product design

photo: Stefan Thomas Kröger

The Vertijet design studio was founded in 2000 by interior designer Kirsten Hoppert and product designer Steffen Kroll.

After studying together at the Halle/Saale University of Art and Design, the pair immediately decided to go into business independently. They chose the name “Vertijet”* to reflect their curiosity, their experimental working methods, and their passion for expressive, unconventional forms.

Studio Vertijet is devoted to product design, product development, interior design and strategic design consultancy. The pair both describe themselves as “form-builders”, specialised in transforming the intangible spirit of an idea into a tangible form. To do this, they find forms whose force of expression is able to convey the core substance of a topic. They believe that the idea, the concept, and even the meaning of a man-made product cannot be communicated adequately in the absence of an expressive form.

The two designers’ “Trojan form” concept is aimed both at the human subconscious and at the human emotional level. This combination of mysterious undeterminability and self-explanatory form generates a fantastic aura which in turn allows unconventional designs to be implemented.

Kirsten Hoppert and Steffen Kroll describe products like this as “identification products”. These are products which uncompromisingly reflect an existing corporate philosophy or a new trend within this philosophy. The product which is created is an innovative object which goes on to have a shaping influence on subsequent commercial production series.

Both Hoppert and Kroll currently live and work in Halle/Saale. As well as carrying out work for well-known clients, they also develop products for their own label. They also carry out freelance projects, allowing them to elaborate on their thought processes.

*Vertijet: Experimental American aircraft from the 1950s

Range of services

Concept development, product design, product development, strategic design consultancy, interior design, experimental model construction and implementation

Studio

Studio Vertijet works together with a network of specialists from many different areas, including specialists in the fields of art and design, and in various technologies including woodworking, porcelain, 3D printing, metalworking, plastics, leather and textiles. This allows design, product development, 3D visualisation and data preparation, and model and prototype construction services to come from a single source. The team has its own model construction workshop which is used for constructing prototypes.

Awards

1998 Bavarian State Award for shoes

2002 Red Dot Design Award for sofa Scroll

2003 Red Dot Design Award for easychair Hob

2004 Red Dot Design Award for carpet Campo

2004 easychair Hob is nominated for the German Design Award 2005

2005 IF-Award for bag series Akashi

2005 carpet Campo is nominated for the German Design Award 2006

2005 Red Dot Design Award „best of the best“ for bag series Akashi

2005 sofa Nuba becomes part of „Schöner Wohnen – Neue Klassiker“

2005 Art Award of the state Saxony-Anhalt

2006 Akashi is nominated for the German Design Award 2007