{{short description|Austrian/Bulgarian industrial designer (born 1978)}} {{orphan|date=May 2017}}
'''Valentin Vodev''' (born 1978) is an Austrian-Bulgarian industrial designer. He creates design solutions{{buzzword inline|date=May 2019}} for consumer goods with a focus on urban mobility products.<ref>Adam Štěch: [http://www.europeandesignstories.com/valentin-vodev-on-mobility-design/ ''Valentin Vodev on Mobility Design''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170406022644/http://www.europeandesignstories.com/valentin-vodev-on-mobility-design/ |date=2017-04-06 }}, European Design Stories, 2010-11-11</ref>
== Life== Valentin Vodev was born in 1978 in Sofia, Bulgaria, to painter Maria Duhteva and opera singer Jordan Vodev. In 1998 he moved to Vienna and studied Industrial Design at the University of Applied Arts. After graduating, he completed a master's degree in Design Products at the Royal College of Art in London.<ref>[http://www.rca.ac.uk/students/valentin-vodev/ Royal College of Art]</ref> Vodev designed products for international clients, amongst others, in the area of transportation, furniture, interiors, lighting designs and other consumer goods.<ref>[http://edno.bg/en/sofia-design-week-2011/curators/2 Sofia Design Week] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170401055147/http://edno.bg/en/sofia-design-week-2011/curators/2 |date=2017-04-01 }}, Edno, 2011</ref> In 2013 he partnered with Valerie Wolff to found the company VELLO, which specializes in the development of bicycles and other mobility products.<ref>[http://www.jumpthegap.net/en/jury_484 Jump the gap] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331211211/http://www.jumpthegap.net/en/jury_484 |date=2017-03-31 }}, Roca international design contest, 2016/2017</ref>
== Works== Vodev collaborated with the industrial designer and architect Ron Arad<ref>[http://www.barbican.org.uk/music/event-detail.asp?ID=10138 Barbican], 2010</ref> and the designer Sebastian Conran. In 2011 and 2013 he curated the Sofia Design Week<ref>[http://edno.bg/en/one-design-week-2014/team/1199 One design week] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150211184824/http://edno.bg/en/one-design-week-2014/team/1199# |date=2015-02-11 }}, Edno, 2014</ref> and in 2014 he was part of the Creative Team at the international design festival One Design Week.<ref>[http://edno.bg/en/blog/workshops One design week Workshops] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150211194316/http://edno.bg/en/blog/workshops# |date=2015-02-11 }}, Edno, 2014</ref>
thumb|Roller Buggy One of his first internationally renowned{{buzzword inline|date=February 2023}} products was the Roller Buggy, a stroller that can be transformed into a kick scooter.<ref>Nate Archer: [http://www.designboom.com/design/valentin-vodev-roller-buggy/ ''Valentin Vodev: Roller Buggy''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331205549/http://www.designboom.com/design/valentin-vodev-roller-buggy/ |date=2017-03-31 }}, Designboom, 2010-05-24</ref> Other mobility products include the Pullchair, a baby carriage that fits into a laptop case, the Biquattro, an electric bike that can be transformed into a tricycle with a loading surface<ref>[http://www.designboom.com/project/biquattro/ ''Biquattro by Valentin Vodev from Austria''], Designboom, 2009-09-12</ref> and the Vienna Bike, a compact and foldable tricycle.<ref>Tafline Laylin: [http://zit.co.at/awareness-information/das-wiener-forschungsfest/forschungsfest-on-tour/vienna-bike.html "Valentin Vodev’s Partially Electric Vienna Bike Can Carry a Trunk Load of Groceries”]{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, inhabitat, 2011-10-14</ref> The Vienna Bike, launched at London's eco-rally in 2011,<ref>Marie Hudson: [http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/valentin-vodev-vienna-bike ''The Valentin Vodev 'Vienna Bike' is Stylish and Strong''] Trendhunter, 2011-08-03</ref> was chosen by the European Commission to represent Austria in one of 27 ecological success stories<ref>Daniel Nutz: [http://www.die-wirtschaft.at/revoluzzer-auf-drei-raedern-123653.html ''Revoluzzer auf drei Rädern''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311124946/http://www.die-wirtschaft.at/revoluzzer-auf-drei-raedern-123653.html |date=2016-03-11 }}, die Wirtschaft, 2012-12-06</ref> and published in the book ''100 Best Bikes'' by Zahid Sardar.<ref>Zahid Sardar, 100 Best Bikes, 2012, Laurence King. {{ISBN|978-1780670089}}</ref>
In cooperation with Lohner, Vodev designed the electric scooter LEA which was showcased at the Vienna Design Week in 2013 and the London Design Festival 2015, by reinterpreting the design of a scooter model from the 1950s.<ref>London Design Festival: [http://www.londondesignfestival.com/events/silent-passion-experience-urban-mobility ''Lohnerwerke Silent passion - experience of urban mobility''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331210017/http://www.londondesignfestival.com/events/silent-passion-experience-urban-mobility |date=2017-03-31 }}, 2015</ref> In 2015 his design product VELLO bike, an urban bicycle with a patented magnetic folding mechanism, was introduced into the market.<ref>Dezeen: [http://www.dezeen.com/2014/10/07/vello-folding-bike-valentin-vodev-vienna-design-week/ ''Valentin Vodev’s VELLO bike folds with a simple kick''], 2014-10-07</ref>
Vodev is a three-time winner of the International Bicycle Design Award and was the recipient of the Red Dot Concept Design Award in the category mobility in 2009.<ref>[http://www.jumpthegap.net/en/jury_484 Jump the gap] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331211211/http://www.jumpthegap.net/en/jury_484 |date=2017-03-31 }}, Roca international design contest, 2016/2017</ref> For the VELLO bike, he won the Red Dot: Best of the Best 2015, the 2017 European Product Design Award,<ref>Red Dot 21 world design: [http://red-dot-21.com/design/vello-bike/ ''Vello Bike''], 2015</ref> the Good Design Award 2017 <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chi-athenaeum.org/green-transportation-2018/2018/04/12/vello-bike-2017/|title = The Chicago Athenaeum}}</ref> and the Austrian National Design Prize 2019 (Staatspreis Design).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.staatspreis-design.at/ |title=Home |website=staatspreis-design.at}}</ref> Vodev's design products were exhibited at design shows and fairs such as Salone del Mobile in Milan, London Design Festival, ICFF in New York, 100% Design in London and Tokyo and the Vienna Design Week.<ref>[http://www.viennadesignweek.at/player.php?id=171 Vienna Design Week]</ref>
== Further reading== * ''360° Ein Designpanorama'', Universität für angewandte Kunst, 2005, {{ISBN|3-85211-122-6}} * ''Official Daily'', The 20th Taipei International Cycle Show, 2007 März 24.-27, Taiwan External Trade Development Council * ''Red Dot Design Concept Yearbook 2009/2010'', Red Dot, Singapore, 2009, {{ISBN|978-3-89939-109-1}} * ''Blueprint. The Magazine for leading Architects and Designers'', Nr.249, 2006, Wilmington Media * ''The Bulgarian Nouvelle Vague'', Edno, 2012, {{ISBN|978-954-92044-5-2}} * ''Azure'', Oktober 2007, Azure Publishing * ''Frame'', Issue, 64 Sept/Oct, 2008 * ''Luna'', Nr. 10 Winter 2007, MEDICOM Gesellschaft für Medien Köln, ISSN-NR: 1860–3696 * ''Temporary Museum for New Design'', April 2012 Nr.3, Superstudio Group
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links== * [http://valentinvodev.com/ Website Valentin Vodev]
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vodev, Valentin}} Category:1978 births Category:Living people Category:Austrian industrial designers Category:Businesspeople from Vienna