8 years etcetera
…a story in our own words.
Why we started etcetera…
Rob Henderson: The end goal for both of us has always been to start a company of our own. After living and working in New York for a few years, around 2010 Ariane and I moved to Amsterdam to work at UNStudio. There, we worked on various large research, cultural, and infrastructure projects. For some of these specific product development was possible in the project. This allowed me to build a network of suppliers.
Ariane Stracke-Henderson: The main reason for starting our own firm was to take on projects from start to finish, to see the end result of an architectural or design project that we had put so much effort into. Additionally, working for oneself also gives you the opportunity to build long-term client relations. When it comes to consulting, I share the same sentiment. It's much more satisfying for both us and our clients to remain involved throughout the entire project, rather than leaving after a few rounds of consulting.
Rob: After working at UNStudio, we started Etcetera in 2017. I already had some contacts of my own, so Ariane and I decided that I would be the one to try to secure our first client, while she remained at the firm. Eventually, Ariane also joined full-time, bringing her contacts along. We both quickly noticed that the consultancy services we used to provide for architectural projects and clients could also be beneficial to businesses in other fields. It was around this time that I began searching for something I would enjoy doing for the rest of my life. Losing a friend to a stress-related illness made me even more aware of the importance of this. Finding a model of work that you also find enjoyable is an essential key to entrepreneurial happiness.
Ariane: I agree, and would add that by working for yourself, you have more influence on the products and projects you are working on. This creates space for projects that we believe are important from an ideological perspective. Examples of this are the Settings interior design project we did for Codic and Grow, a progressive housing competition we entered. Studying under Zaha Hadid in Vienna formed me in various ways. First of all, it made me realize that architecture is much broader than I had imagined before starting my studies. The way she carried through, from painting, architecture, to product design, is still an inspiration. And then not shying away from things that have not been done yet, if you cannot create a particular shape, find the technology that can. This is what we try to do at Etcetera as well: think ahead and develop possible solutions. Combining our passion with forward thinking is what creates good design. An example of this is the use of fiberglass after WWII and the rise of (industrial) 3D printing in our era, where technology supported new and innovative design possibilities.
Rob: Etcetera combines my talent of tweaking and evolving existing ideas and designs with Ariane's love for working off a blank canvas and seeing a design come to life.
Ariane: In a way, designing a building and consulting are not so different. In both cases, you design a vision. In architecture, this vision translates into one building or an interior. Consultancy is a more process-oriented collaborative relationship. Here you secure the vision over time of a project through multiple layers, providing the different expertise that is necessary. In design, architecture, and consulting you consistently reflect on whether you’re still working in line with the original idea.
Rob: As I said before, from experience, we know that finding a business model that you is also enjoyable is an essential key to entrepreneurial happiness. At Etcetera, we support our customers and partners in finding solutions that work for them, developing business models, and creating spaces that they enjoy.
Rob: We began as a design consultancy in 2017. For our first clients, we did various things: textile product designs, research projects and projects for industrial clients. To be honest, we said 'yes' to almost any commission.
Year by year, we transitioned, undertaking more design work ourselves alongside our consultancy services. During those years, we’ve participated in a couple of projects from Horizon Europe, the EU's key funding program for research and innovation. This allowed us to collaborate with other companies, conducting research in the fields of biobased building materials and systems, as well as AI and robotics in construction.
Ariane: And then there was the feasibility study for the province of Noord-Holland (the Netherlands), about the future of 3D printing in architecture.
On the design side, we entered a product design competition with our Puzzl Cups, a playful decluttering system for the office and home. We also presented our vase, the RoVas Mega, produced by Caracol, at Milan Design Week 2024.
What we were up to…
What’s going on…
Rob: We still regularly enter architecture competitions because, well, that's what we are: architects. We were approached by a developer to design a space planning system for an office. This became Settings; our vision for the workspace for the (near) future. We also recently enjoyed working on designs for a private residence in Cologne and have put a lot of effort into our darling project: the 3D-printed Septa Chair, which will be launched soon. The AI research projects are ongoing, and after eight years, we decided it was time to treat ourselves to a new logo design.
Ariane: The private residence in Cologne formally housed a business. The client wanted it converted into an apartment, but to keep the feel of an atelier. The exterior of the building can't be altered, as it is protected under a monumental law, which is why we retained and exposed the large steel window frames. Because of this, the natural light falls in beautifully. We also tried to find a flow, a movement through the entire ample high-ceilinged space. The second floor has private quarters, and upstairs are extra bedrooms. We also created enough space in the apartment to showcase art.
Now where do we go…
Rob: We genuinely enjoy investigating new technologies (like 3D printing or biobased products) and how they affect the world of design. As a result, we were able to truly help a leading company in the construction industry understand the power and peculiarities of design.
Ariane: A journey of eight years has led us to various interesting places and insights. We now aim to help companies understand the sensitivity of the design process, especially when it comes to product design. We have developed a language to communicate design strategies. We will continue to use this skill in future projects, whether its cutting edge architecture or product design.
