Daan Klaver is the co-founder of Build in Amsterdam, a digital design studio working with clients such as Vitra, Mammut, Polaroid, Adidas, and MOOOI. His work moves between strategy, design and execution. We speak with Daan about making, fatherhood and the role of simplicity in a world that rarely slows down.

[THERE IS SO MUCH POWER IN SIMPLICITY]

REFERENC: Daan, is there an object that tells your story?

Daan: Yes. It’s the cheapest artwork I own: I got it for free. I went to a weaver to buy a piece of art when I saw a white woven canvas in a frame. I told him I loved it. He said it was his canvas, and that he hadn’t done anything with it yet. But for me, it was perfect.’

‘At that moment in my life, I had just separated from my wife. My life felt like a blank canvas again. Something I could fill in myself. I hung it prominently in my house to remind myself that I shape my own life. There’s power in its simplicity. It has a strong frame, a solid base. That’s how I see my own life too. There are people around me who form that base. From there, I can create, take risks, and look for adventure. But I always return to that foundation.’

REFERENC: Does your environment reflect who you are?

Daan: ‘Yes. My environment is a reflection of who I am, because I shape it myself. I designed my own house. I think about every detail, even though it’s not my profession. I have a lot to do with design. I feel like a designer in my core. So yes, every small detail counts.’

REFERENC: How would you describe yourself today?

Daan: ‘I’d describe myself as an entrepreneurial father. Or a father who happens to be an entrepreneur. Family has always been very important to me. Together with entrepreneurship, it has always been my system. Finding the right balance between the two is what I strive for.’

REFERENC: How’s that balance coming along?

Daan: ‘I hope I never feel like I’ve arrived! I believe you can always improve and keep learning. Every phase, especially parenthood, brings new lessons. Entrepreneurship is the same.’

REFERENC: Are you more of a thinker or a maker?

Daan: ‘I’m both. A lot of thinking goes into what I make. Behind every good concept, there’s strategy.’

‘That thinking happens in moments of silence. Under the shower, while walking, or when thinking about my company. Where are we going? How do I guide people? How do we advise our clients? I really believe I combine those two.’

REFERENC: Where does your creativity come from?

Daan: ‘From my parents. My father can do anything with his hands. Furniture, sculptures, paintings. I helped him in his workshop every school holiday. My mother works in fashion. I grew up around making, materials, and aesthetics.’

‘My father used to say: “I don’t work. I only have hobbies.” That always stayed with me. Work should be something you’re passionate about.’

REFERENC: What inspires you?

Daan: ‘This may sound strange, but I’ve never really had one person or designer that inspired me. I learn everything myself. Maybe I get inspired by life itself. By everything I see.

At school, I learned the difference between looking and seeing. Looking is forgetting. Seeing is absorbing. Because of my background, I really see a lot. And that inspires me constantly.’

REFERENC: How would you describe your design style?

Daan: ‘I create clarity by leaving things out. Minimal design, but always with tension. Otherwise it becomes boring. I like things to feel beautiful without an obvious reason. The small details you don’t see, but feel.’

[THE FERNABEE IS THE ANCHOR OF MY CLOSET. I WEAR IT EVERY DAY. A SIMPLE DESIGN, EXECUTED VERY WELL. THERE'S SOMETHING TO THAT. IT'S COMFORTABLE, IT HAS BODY, IT'S ELEGANT AND PLAYFUL AT THE SAME TIME. I DON'T REALLY NEED ANYTHING ELSE.]

REFERENC: Does that apply to how you dress as well?

Daan: ‘To a certain extent: yes. I like timeless clothing. Basic pieces, high-quality materials and of course a good fit. Always a balance: sophisticated and elegant, but I like a bit of ruggedness too.’

REFERENC: How did your digital career begin?

Daan: ‘A bit forced. Online was just emerging. I came from a graphic design background and noticed the demand. I embraced it quickly and saw the beauty of it.’

‘I started as a junior art director during an internship. My first day ended at four in the morning. Within two weeks, they offered me a job. I quit my final year of studies. Everyone said I was crazy, except my parents.’

‘Within a year I started my own digital agency. That later merged into a bigger one. That’s when I met Tim, my partner. We worked together for eight years. After that, Build in Amsterdam started from my attic.’

REFERENC: How does your work process look?

Daan: ‘We start with strategy. Everything needs a rationale. Design needs something to hold on to. Every decision we make can be traced back to strategy. From there, we design all channels, with a strong focus on e-commerce. We design the platform and then build it. We take responsibility for the full process. I want to be the best. Not just locally, but globally. When you think you’re done, you’re probably not. You can always make things better. That lives in the details.’

REFERENC: Where does your best work happen?

Daan: ‘It’s not place-bound. Thinking happens in silence. Under the shower, in bed, on a walk. ‘The making happens in silence too. When I go into execution and perfection, I need calm. Often at night, when there’s no distraction.’

REFERENC: And what if chaos or change happens?

Daan: ‘I try to embrace it. Change is the only constant, as they say. Cliché, but true. With chaos, I try to create order by staying calm. Taking a step back. Sometimes literally lying down and doing a body scan. To calm the mind and regain clarity.’

REFERENC: Your work has won many awards. Have you reached the top?

Daan: ‘I think so. We’ve won many global e-commerce awards. We work for international brands. I think we reached the top.’

REFERENC:So, what’s next?

Daan: It’s funny, but I feel like I’m back where I started. In the beginning, I worked alone. Then Tim wanted to partner up. I hesitated at first. Then he said: “Those who can’t share, can’t multiply.” He was right.

I feel like we reached that point again. So, we shared again. We joined a larger international entity. To grow further, together.’

This portrait was captured at Daan's house, the construction site for his new place, and the Build in Amsterdam office. Special thanks to Daan, his daughters Madé and Nima, and the BiA team for welcoming us into those moments. Words by Jan-Willem Wesselingh. Videography by Joël de Haan. Styling by REFERENC and Daan Klaver.