ABOUT STUDIO BACKS
STUDIO BACKS is a forward-thinking industrial design studio shaping the future of physical products. We bridge complex technologies with human-centered design to deliver visionary product solutions drawn from deep experience.
OUR BACKGROUND
STUDIO BACKS is built on founder and Creative Director Jochen Backs’ extensive experience at leading design consultancies. His career spans design leadership at IDEO in Silicon Valley, building and leading Design Continuum’s San Francisco industrial design team as Principal Industrial Designer, and formative work at TEAMS Design in Germany. Today, he brings this depth of expertise and a clear creative vision to every studio project.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
Our design process is centered on questioning, innovation, and reimagining existing paradigms. Rooted in an aesthetic of European minimalism, we possess a unique ability to quickly understand and distill highly complex technical problems, translating them into elegant, functional forms.
By balancing harmony and innovation, we create meaningful solutions that are bold, iconic, and built with timeless integrity.
CLIENTS PAST & CURRENT
Ethicon Endo Surgery (subsidiary of J&J)
EverCase
Flow Neuroscience flowneuroscience.us
f’real
frog design
Freewire Technologies (now owned by OptiGrid)
Gibson
Haier homecrux.com cnet.com
Hanergy hanergy.eu
HannSpree
Huati Lighting
IDEO
Imperative Care
Incase
Inpipe Energy inpipeenergy.com
Landor
Logitech
Medtronic (designed the first Portable Pacemaker Programmer 9790) medtronic.com
PARC (Xerox donated Xerox Parc to SRI) sri.com
ParkPod
Auris Health (now J&J). jnjmedtech.com
Akura Medical. akuramedical.com
Aperia Technologies aperiatech.com
Avisa Pharma
AccuVein accuvein.com
bCode
Benvenue Medical (acquired by IZI Medical Products and Spinal Elements)
Berkeley Lights (now Bruker Cellular Analysis)
bioMérieux biomerieux.com
Bio-Techne bio-techne.com
Bittel bittelamericas.com
Boston Scientific
Caldo Restaurant Technologies
Camelbak camelbak.com
Ceiva Logic ceiva.com
Cisco Systems cisco.com
Crest (owned by Procter & Gamble)
Digirad (now Catalyst MedTech)
D2M
Enphase Energy enphase.com
Pepsi
Prodeon Medical prodeonmedical.com
PuraCath Medical
Puretergent
Outset Medical outsetmedical.com
Owlcam (now owned by CallPass)
Rocky Talkie rockytalkie.com
Samsung samsung.com
Sano Curatio LLC
Scott Labs scottlabs.us
Spurcycle spurcycle.com
St Jude Medical (now part of Abbott)
StimScience (Somnee was created by StimScience)
Swivl
TiVo tivo.com
Think2Build
tomorrow partners
Vaska
Vestel vestel.com
Virtuix Omni
Zyomed
DESIGN AWARDS
We measure success not by awards in and of themselves, but as validation of the clients and people we have helped through our work.
Jochen has earned numerous awards during his 30 year career, including iF Hanover, the "Red Dot" for the Highest Design Quality at Design Innovations, the Braun Prize, Design Champion at the Design Center Stuttgart, Best Design Of Europe at the International Biennial in Kortrijk Belgium, Design-Team of the Year, Appliance Manufacturer's Excellence in Design and several I.D. Magazine Annual Design Review awards and Business Week's IDEA Gold, Silver and Bronze awards. Communication Arts Interactive Annual 8 for the STUDIO BACKS website design.
GOOD DESIGN for Freewire Technology Boost Charger Pro Series 2024
GOOD DESIGN for InPipe Energy - HydroXS Recovery System 2024
SPARK Platinum Winner, Category: Clean Tech for FreeWire Technologies BoostCharger 2020
iF Design Award for Owl Car Cam 2019
GOOD DESIGN for Owl Car Cam 2018
GOOD DESIGN for Swivl 2018
IDA Gold for Swivl C Series 2017
GOOD DESIGN for Vessel Kitchen 2015
GOOD DESIGN for Benvenue Medical KIVA 2014
IDA Bronze for f’real Frozen Beverage Blender 2014
IDA Gold for Product Designer of the Year 2014
IDA Gold for Vessel Kitchen, Kitchen Furniture 2014
IDA Gold for Vessel Kitchen, Home Interior Product 2014
IDA Gold for Virtuix Omni Locomotion Device 2014
IDA Silver for Accuvein Wheeled Floor Stand 2014
SPARK Bronze for Benvenue Medical KIVA 2014
GOOD DESIGN for Samsung 3D HDTV 2013
GOOD DESIGN for Virtuix Omni Locomotion Device 2013
IDA Honorable Mention for bCODE MP300 2012
IDA Silver for Crest Toothbrushes 2012
IDA Silver for Swivl by Satarii 2012
IDA Silver for The North Face Packaging 2012
“Last Gadget Standing People’s Choice Award” @ CES and “CES Innovation of the Year for Laptop Magazine” 2012
IDA Gold for Samsung 3D HDTV, Media and Home Electronics 2011
IDA Gold for Samsung 3D HDTV, Home Computers 2011
The Shaggies, Honorable Mention for Samsung 3D HDTV 2011
Winner of the “Innovation Design and Engineering” award @ CES for Samsung 3D HDTV 2011
Editor’s Choice “Best of Show” and “Best New Technology Product” for Bittel Telephony 2010
VASKA packaging selection at AIGA 365 Design Annual and exhibition at AIGA National Design Center in New York 2010
IDEA GOLD for Samsung 19” LCD Monitor SyncMaster 971P (IDEO) 2007
Red dot design for Samsung 19” LCD Monitor SyncMaster 971P (IDEO) 2007
iF Gold Award for Samsung 19” LCD Monitor SyncMaster 971P (IDEO) 2007
Appliance Manufacturer's "Excellence in Design" for Medtronic Portable Pacemaker Programmer 9790 (IDEO) 1997
Red dot design for Medtronic Portable Pacemaker Programmer 9790 (IDEO) 1997
iF Design for Medtronic Portable Pacemaker Programmer 9790 (IDEO) 1996
Annual Design Distinction from ID Magazine for NEC Versa 2000 Notebook Computer (IDEO) 1996
Business Week’s IDEA Gold for Samsung’s “TotalMedia” (IDEO) 1995
IDEA Silver for SEGA Game Controller (IDEO) 1995
IDEA Bronze for Diablo Research E-Lamp (IDEO) 1995
iF Design for SyncMaster 15Gli, 17Gli and 19Gli CRT monitor (IDEO) 1992
Design-Team of the Year (TEAMS DESIGN) 1990
Braun Prize winner 1989
PATENTS
Studio Backs holds 60 design and utility patents.
EverCase Inc - Method and Apparatus for Supercooling Perishables
Imperative Care - Systems and Methods For Multivariate Stroke Detection
Camelbak - Beverage Containers & Carrier Reign™ TeamSports
Camelbak - Container Cap Pivot™ Bottle
Camelbak - Beverage Container Eddy+Kids™
Camelbak - Beverage Container Eddy+™
PuraCath Medical Inc - Point of care ultraviolet disinfection system
Samsung Electronics Co - Printer
Samsung Electronics Co - Printer
Federal Express Corp - Drop Box
Benvenue Medical Inc - Handle for a medical delivery device
Samsung Electronics Co - Notebook Computer
Samsung Electronics Co - Tablet Computer
Samsung Electronics Co - Tablet Computer
Samsung Electronics Co - Tablet Computer
Samsung Electronics Co - Printer
Samsung Electronics Co - Printer
Samsung Electronics Co - Keyboard
Samsung Electronics Co - Monitor
Samsung Electronics Co - Monitor
Samsung Electronics Co – Notebook Computer
Samsung Electronics Co – Notebook Computer
Samsung Electronics Co – Notebook Computer
Federal Express Corp - Display Panel
Samsung Electronics Co - Notebook Computer
Samsung Electronics Co - Notebook Computer
Samsung Electronics Co - Notebook Computer
Samsung Electronics Co - Portable Computer
Samsung Electronics Co- Portable Computer
Samsung Electronics Co- Portable Computer
Samsung Electronics Co- Portable Computer
Samsung Electronics Co- Portable Computer
Bittel Americas - Telephone
Vaska Inc - Container
Thursday Innovations LLC - Computing Device case with integrated stand
Logitech Europe S.A. - Camera support having kinematically reconfigurable legs
Hannspree Inc - Television Set
Hannspree Inc - Television Set
Logitech Europe S.A. - Camera having recessed lens with generally rectangular cutout opening
Logitech Europe S.A. - Camera Base
Cisco Technology Inc - Telephone Indicator System and Method
Steelcase Inc - Furniture Storage Unit
Logitech Europe S.A. - Camera
Cisco Technology Inc - Adjustable Telephone System and Method
Logitech Europe S.A. - Video Camera Support Device
Logitech Europe S.A. - Camera Support
Logitech Europe S.A. - Camera Base
Logitech Europe S.A. - Video Camera
Logitech Europe S.A. - Video Camera
Logitech Europe S.A. - Camera
Logitech Europe S.A. - Video Camera
Logitech Europe S.A. - Video Camera
Logitech Europe S.A. - Video Camera
Logitech Europe S.A. – Camera
Logitech Europe S.A. – Camera
Logitech Europe S.A. - Video Camera Support
Logitech Europe S.A. - Video Receiver
Logitech Europe S.A. - Video Receiver
Logitech Europe S.A. - Video Camera with adjustable legs
Tivo Inc - Remote Control
JUROR
2014 Spark Award Juror Product & Health Design
2015 K-Design International Juror (S. Korea)
2017 Spark Award Juror GUI UX/UI/Wearables Design
2019 Spark Award Juror June 14 in San Francisco Student Design Spring Semester
2019 Spark Award Juror November 18 in San Francisco Product Design, Health & Medical Design, Graphics, Experience, Digital & Transport Design