Profile
The studio form:f - critical design & art is runned by Jo Tiffe.
The Beginnings
Ever since I remember my life was guided by creative joined-up thinking and making. I glued scale 1:1 paper submarines, painted cellar floors - to the "delight" of my parents - and built sculpures. The path to product design was more or less mapped out. The passion for mobility and furniture shaped it even more precise. After university I got the opportunity to work for Cagiva meanwhile studying automotive design in Milan supported by a DAAD scholarship.
Furniture versus e-Mobility
A mixed period of 3D-modeling, product, graphic and UI design followed. Beside working for clients in Italy and Hamburg I created the patented funiture line "tarp cases" presented at Salone Del Mobile Milan and other shows. But instead becoming furniture producer with the help of an EXIST-scholarship, life took it's own turns. In the end of the millenials the e-bike industry was on the rise and pulled me back to mobility. I founded the studio form:f - industrial design and developed e-bike components and graphics for Ultra Motor, Klever Mobility, Emco and other clients.
Reorientation
In highschool we already discussed upcoming climate issues. So one important reason to work for the e-bike industry was to find a sustainable niche in a janus-faced working field (mobility). My ideal by heart was (and is) to change the world by design and not to style it for business purposes. Researching on the future of e-bikes in 2012 I realized that climate challenges became more and more crucial. As consequence the studio alined missions. In parallel of working as freelancer for a Berlin based design company, I adjusted the basic direction into critical design and initialized the sustainable open source e-bike project circular bike. In 2019 I participated in an IASS project and was part of the expert group of #umwelt.werkstatt, BMU. Last but not least: based on my experience, the iF Taipei Cycle Awards team appointed me to its jury.
Roadmap: ART!
As for many creatives, corona brought a turning point. It offered the chance for a carte blanche. I took advantage of the peace and learnt Linux followed by Nextcloud administration. Above all, I focussed on what I dreamed of in school: art. The accelerating digitalisation finally allowed me to combine my passions: My affinity to technology with an unbridled desire to create. I got into technology-based ART. Bringing ANNs & art together turns out to be my main focus now.