{"id":28692,"date":"2020-02-27T10:16:24","date_gmt":"2020-02-27T10:16:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/about.35.197.208.187.nip.io\/?p=28692"},"modified":"2025-07-16T18:03:07","modified_gmt":"2025-07-16T18:03:07","slug":"rihards-vitols-woodpecker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zealous.co\/about\/spotlights\/rihards-vitols-woodpecker\/","title":{"rendered":"Woodpecker"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Rihards Vitols, Woodpecker<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Congratulations on winning Zealous Stories Design! Your work,\u00a0Woodpecker<\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>explores the possibility of replacing the bird species with artificial ones. What encouraged you to design this device?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am very interested in seeing how my devices will interact with the environment for which they are designed. This always pushes me to finish my work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You see your role as a mediator between the environment and your work. Are your observations of these interactions key to your practice?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes. I can\u2019t wait to put them in the environment to see what will happen; will wildlife interact with them? What will people do if they see them? Until now I have had only good experiences with it, although there were some sad moments where the weather destroyed some of my work. But then it is just part of the interaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rihards Vitols, Woodpecker\u00a0<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What is the main goal for the Woodpecker<\/em>? How do you believe it will be utilised in the future?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I created them to explore communication among trees, insects and birds with a goal to see if it is possible to replace a certain species in nature with artificial ones to maintain a natural balance. Part of my work includes a video<\/a>, demonstrating how I imagine them to be set up in a forest. They still need to be maintained, so it is something that a person would set up and take down for maintenance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Woodpecker<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Could you tell us a little more about the process of creating Woodpecker?
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I started by talking with an entomologist about how to collect data and how to address documentation in a forest during woodpecker time. Then, I started to design electronics and developed a code for it. By accomplishing that step I knew how big the body of my woodpecker would be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I knew that I did not want them to look like a bird, so i went with something more simple. I started with a regular box and after making the first one and setting it outside, I was faced with all the issues. I worked on them and then repeated the process multiple times until I found a shape that would work in multiple different weather conditions. I used HDF for the body, solar panel to charge batteries and solenoid to hit a tree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rihards Vitols, Anniu 2019\u00a0<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You have created several other designs including Anniu, <\/em>a ship which will slow down ice sheet melting. Are all of your designs focused on tackling environmental issues?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It has been my interest for the past 7 years. Woodpecker and Anniu are two works that explore the possibility of extending the life of forests or ice sheet melting. My work CloudFarming explores the possibility of a new type of agriculture, one where people would have farms that could collect clean water from clouds. At the moment I am working on new work that investigates creating a new tree species that would replace existing ones using machine learning to adapt to new earth environment conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Woodpecker<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Woodpecker<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>was manifested to maintain ecological balance; however it is also an artwork in its own right. Are the aesthetics of your designs as significant as their purpose?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, the goal was to make it simple and practical and so when I made the kits, it was important for me to use a bark design to represent its purpose.  With Anniu, I designed it to represent an actual ship, creating a more realistic experience. All my choices in design depend on the overall goal of a particular work. What emotions, feelings, experiences etc I want to bring to viewers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a major challenge that you face as a designer and how do you overcome this?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Figuring out how to make things work. Most of the time at the beginning of a project I have no idea how I will execute it. I spend a lot of time talking to friends and people from different fields to figure out a way that would allow me to make what I have imagined. The only way to overcome this is to be patient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Woodpecker\u00a0<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Rihards Vitols\u2019 work, Woodpecker, was selected by industry guest judges from Takram and Creative Circle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Link to video<\/a>
Follow Rihards on\u00a0Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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