Fruit on Wheels, 1993

Fruit on Wheels

As a designer I’m always searching for useful materials. One evening I was cycling through Arnhem and saw an old, dumped washing machine. I re- moved the door with my Swiss army knife. I was interested in the glass eye, adding a metal frame and little casters from a tea trolley underneath, and then I had the prototype of the Fruit on Wheels fruit bowl. I soon had a list of orders. It turned that all the washing machines at thrift stores had different sizes of glass window, so I couldn’t work with them. I then purchased a serviceable glass bowl from a wholesaler and later we had this form produced in new glass. Sometimes upcycling is just like restoring an old house: it’s easier and cheaper to build a new one.The company that wanted to produce Fruit on Wheels was sold off, subsequently went bankrupt and was then restarted under a different name. As a designer you can be loyal to companies you work with, but companies are not always loyal to designers, even though a fine collaboration between a designer and a company can certainly have advantages for both parties in the long term. Fruit on Wheels eventually ended up with a Danish company, which decided to have it made in China, where all kinds of disasters happened. First came the version that I call ‘High on Wheels’, which is set far too high on the wheels. This was meant to be a prototype, but it transpired that they had already produced a whole batch. This production run had to be destroyed, but eventually the production problems were resolved and Fruit on Wheels was put back into production and marketed internationally.

Light-up (Oplichter)
When the candle burns, it gets lighter and therefor will lift up in the air.
Stacking Lamps made of old vases and bowls, 2007
Stacking Lamp made of old vases and bowl, 2008
Stardust Watch, designed for Pierre Junod, toghether with Simon Barteling
Close up of Stardust Watch
Stardust Watch glows up in the dark
Soft Toilet