Niels Peter

Niels Peter Flint, based in Copenhagen (Denmark), studied Architecture, Design and Stage Design in Denmark, UK and in Prague where he worked with the stage designer Josef Svoboda at UMPRUM. He started his professional life in design working for the designer Ettore Sottsass in Milan in the 1980’s. During his work with Sottsass he got more and more aware of the growing environmental problems humanity was facing. He consequently proposed a group of young designers in Milan to form what later would become O2 International – a network for designers dealing with design and environmental issues. It was here that Niels Peter and Jörn Behage met.

About

Niels Peter has been envisioning new innovative sustainable often very radical solutions for 35 years on how to create a more prosperous and yet sustainable world. Together with him we are in a continuous brainstorm, gathering inspiration from real life and human necessities that we can transform into functional and beautiful products.

Goal

To have a pragmatic and positive approach to sustainability. To live amazingly with less while still enjoying life to the fullest and allowing future generations to do the same.

How

By designing the things, we don’t know we need. As through smart and innovative design, we can reduce overconsumption and live more sustainably. By designing on the intersection of need, functionality, aesthetics and emotions.

Hope

Niels Peter hopes that designers will become revolutionary again. That they profoundly will understand and respect “the system”, namely nature, animals, humans, the planet and how these interact with each other. Everything in this system and on this planet is alive, everything interacts and depends on each other. This understanding is vital for designers, because only then can they become truly exceptional and respectful creatives, again supporting “the system”. But how do you go forward and do things that are different in a world looking for solutions? That is a question we hope to answer together.

Behind Niels Peter's work

Paint On – Design of flooring

This concept called Paint On / Signatureworks was developed for the world’s largest carpet tile producer Interface.

The concept is an example of how to design flooring where the users can interact actively by decorating carpet tiles to be used for example in homes or offices. The hypothesis is that this could / would induce the users to appreciate their flooring more and thus maintain it better.

By involving the consumers in the process of design and creation of products, you can possibly motivate them to care more about the product(s) and thus prolong their life.

Ceramic Projects

Niels Peter is currently developing a new tableware concept for the Portuguese ceramics company Molde. The vision of this project is to design tableware that will give the user creative possibilities to eat in a more beautiful, sustainable and healthy way. A Japanese cultural tradition supposes that “eating with your eyes first” supports your sense of feeling full – you simply eat less when you “eat beautifully”.

The project will contain many new innovative elements that will allow users to interact in new and different ways with food and with the act of eating – proposing a much more respectful approach to all processes. As part of Niels Peters ceramic explorations, he is also developing unconventional ceramic tiles that become part of equally different murals. Ancient Portuguese traditions mixed with Nordic creativity.

Big Visions – Worldby – Envisioning how we can live amazingly with a lot less

Worldby is a Big Vision concept for a “vertical living structure” where you “micro live”– a kind of village on pillars. A major issue today is that we are using way too much land for housing – we are also expecting huge floodings. By living on top of each other – and in much smaller units / houses (micro houses) – we can save precious land and nature, and, if the land gets flooded, we are safe since the entire structure is placed on pillars. This way of making “villages” or “living structures” will also develop more nature since each platform will be a garden where food is produced on the platform.

All human feces, animal manure, organic waste etc. is composted and makes new soil for the gardens and the greenhouses. Aquaponic systems based on reusing the water in the structure also provides food (fish), nutrients, algae etc. and cleans water at the same time. The platforms are accessible through a spiral system, which means you can bike all the way up. There would also be vertical and horizontal elevators inside the structure.

Developing Sustainable Art

Niels Peter has been doing various kinds of artwork his entire life. He started very early –in public school he did theatre design, experimental videos etc. He is expressive and unconventional in his choice of materials when making art. He uses various (sustainable) materials such as linoil based paints which he makes himself and he also uses recycled materials and many different kinds of other materials such as earth, dust, soot etc. – all waste. He showcases his work in his own gallery called LOKAL, located in Denmark and France.

Want to learn more about Niels Peter Flint? You can read more about him here.