Viktor Hubbertz is a designer educated at HDK-Valand Campus Steneby, where he completed his Master’s studies with a focus on wood oriented furniture design. His practice operates at the intersection of craftsmanship, material exploration, and advanced digital design tools, investigating how these domains can be meaningfully combined within contemporary design processes.
His master’s project explored the integration of topology optimization (TO) and finite element analysis (FEA) into craft-based furniture design. Addressing the gap between engineering, design, and making, he developed a hybrid workflow in which computational methods and material knowledge inform one another. The research was realised through two case studies—a lounge chair and a table—which test how simulation-driven design can translate into physical objects shaped by real material behaviour.
At the core ofViktor’s work is a search for balance: between numerically driven decision-making and the intuitive, imperfect qualities of the human hand. Rather than positioning digital tools as autonomous generators of form, he treats them as supportive instruments within a broader, materially grounded design process. Craft knowledge—understanding of wood, production techniques, and embodied experience—remains central in interpreting and applying computational outcomes.
Wood is his primary material, valued for its variability, structural performance, and tactile qualities. Through processes such as steam bending, Hubbertz maintains a close connection to the material, allowing grain, flexibility, and natural irregularities to shape both form and construction.
Ecological and ethical considerations play an important role in his work. He prioritises locally sourced materials and emphasises material efficiency, while also questioning the implications of the design process itself. His thesis reflects this position by proposing a workflow where transparency, intention, and responsibility guide the use of computational tools, ensuring that technological methods remain in service of thoughtful and sustainable design.
Victor was awarded the Gunda Svedung Ulla and Niilo Havu Scholarship from the J.A. Grundberg Foundation for Furniture Design in Wood, recognising his independent, experimental, and sustainability-oriented approach.
