SIGU is the design studio founded by Dutch industrial designer Sikko Valk, offering (co-)creation for, or in collaboration with, like-minded companies, organizations & professionals.
The quest of SIGU design studio is to help make the world better, more genuine, meaningful & qualitative through impactful design.
Purposeful, layered design that encourages people to stop | see | sense | value | realize, and aims to positively inspire, while connecting and bonding a deep & intrinsic level.
DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT
Whether its defining design strategies, value propositions, concept creations, or design development for manufacturing, SIGU offers expertise in Design Thinking and Design Doing engaging each subject or challenge from a holistic, integral design approach.
Starting from scratch, a fuzzy-front or a particular vision / goal / brand / technology / material / production / opportunity / challenge / brief / etc, to creating next gen propositions and impactful designs.
DIVE
DISCOVER
DEFINE
DESIGN
DEVELOP
DELIVER
DIFFERENTIATE!
To provide a concise overview of SIGU’s main activities:
DIVE
Subject immersion, Research & Analysis, Empathize with main user & stakeholders
DISCOVER
User centric knowledge & experiences, Context driven parameters, Unique insights
DEFINE
Interplay & Ecosystem, Future vision, Problem solving strategy, Design direction, Meaning & Added value proposition, Materialization & Production, Development roadmap, Lifecycle,
DESIGN
Ideation, Concepts, Performance, Usability, Character, Interaction, Aesthetics, Formlanguage, Experience, structural brand DNA, CMF, for durability
DEVELOP
USP’s, Proof of concept, refined CAD, Pre-engineering for manufacturing, Prototype & Testing, Quality
DELIVER
Impactful design, Solution, Inspiration, Presentation, (Pre-)production (CAD) files, Visuals
DIFFERENTIATE!
ABOUT
Sikko Valk MSc.
Award-winning industrial designer,
founder & designer @ design studio SIGU®
Based in Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Graduated Cum Laude MSc in 2009,
at the faculty of Industrial Design Engineering
of Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands,
with master specializations ‘Design for Interaction‘ & 'Automotive Design’.
His work features a deliberate broad spectrum of subjects, industries & markets, with the ongoing purpose of finding intersections in those fields, gaining new insights, to create intriguing fusions, innovations, and unconventionalities.
Sikko's design-mindedness in a nutshell:
Admiring simplicity
Intrigued by contrasts
Inspired by craftsmanship
Driven by making a difference
Striving for the never before seen
Creating meaningful experiences
Passionate about aesthetics
Focusing on character
Pursuing timelessness
Believing in quality
Building worlds
SIGU DESIGN-LABEL
Next to doing projects for, or collaborations wíth companies & other professionals, Sikko develops independent ‘signature-designs’, by means of his design manifesto, with the goal to realize ‘Timeless Heirlooms’:
Impactful, purposeful, timeless products, items & immersive experiences, that aim to positively inspire.
Working from the mostly ‘ignored’ base-principles and effects of natural environments, materials and sensations, we as humans, are ”designed’' to be surrounded by, seeking their beneficial sensory input & elements that have deep impact on our well-being.
Balancing function, natural materials and essential, clean lines & forms that ultimately result in grounding, tactile & visual sensations with layered meaning.
Creating comfortable, soothing ‘habitats’ —> Integral, coherent & synergetic design of furniture & items, and interior spaces,
Ultimately: offering experiences that are thought provoking, re-energize or focus you.
COLLABORATIONS
List of organizations & brands Sikko Valk collaborated with as independent designer or design consultant (2015-present):
DESIGN AGENCY WORK
While employed by (2010-2014) industrial design agency FLEX/design, formerly known as FLEX/theINNOVATIONLAB.
Sikko, together with fellow project members, designed and developed new products, design strategies, and intellectual property for brands, among others the ones listed below. A selection of marketed projects, is summarized in the porfolio section of this website.
