“Tree of Motion” is the first brand and research project dedicated to “Branchboarding“. The goal is to make it more accessible and easier to experience for others and to apply the insights gained in developing new approaches or products that will help us continue this research more efficiently and safely.
Crystallizing universal natural principles and merging them with the right methods and technologies, the aim is to craft unique alternatives that embrace lifestyle and design as well as cultural elements, prioritizing mass individuality over mass production. Also, focusing on individuality rooted in nature, self-experience, symbiosis with the environment, and the combination of an active lifestyle with the fascination of free movement as a form of expression.
It is important to understand that this project encompasses the whole phenomenon of Branchboarding and not just the design and sale of a product. It is about establishing a new genre, developing a complex infrastructure around the whole phenomenon and documenting what is being explored within the community and of course by ourselves.
Milestones / Timeline
2010-2015
The period before Tree of Motion; detailed information available at www.NicoRayf.com
2016
– Official naming and founding of Branchboarding and Tree of Motion
– Registration of Branchboarding.com and Treeofmotion.com domains
– Publication of the DIY building instructions (Branchboarding also as Open Source and Cultural Project)
– First Article about Branchboarding comes out
– Emergence of the Branchboarding video (on Facebook – 4.7M views)
2017
– Creation of the third generation of Mimics / Art Edition “Limited 9” (cooperation with Angewandte Robotic Lab)
– Exhibition „Ästhetik der Veränderung” at MAK, Vienna, Austria
– Branchboard “The Clone” (Mimic – 01/09) sold to the Collection of the University for Applied Arts, Vienna, Austria
2018
– Branchboard “The Clone” (Mimic – 02/09) sold to a Private Collection in China
– Exhibition “Creative Robotics” / ARS ELECTRONICA CENTER, Linz, Austria
– Exhibition “Innovative Product” / International Wood, Saw, and Forester Fair / Klagenfurt, Austria
– Branchboarding – SPEED RECORD (75km/h or 46mph) on “The Clone” Mimic Art Edition
– Funding for the project from Bildrecht Vienna, Austria
– Application for Funding (Art and Design) by the BKA – Federal Chancellery Republic of Austria
– Research and collection of information about extension-options of the project.
– Registration of “Tree of Motion” as an official Brand/Company.
– Branchboard “The Clone” (Mimic – 03/09) got stolen (Night of 2nd September, 7th District, Vienna, Austria)
2019
– Application (as a Startup) for Funding by the Vienna Business Agency
2020
– Second Application (as a Startup) for Funding by the Vienna Business Agency
2021
– Application (as a Startup) for Funding by the AWS – Austrian Wirtschafts Service
– Tree of Motion gets a Room / HEADQUARTERS of BRANCHBOARDING (2nd District / Vienna, Austria)
2022
– Further development and continuation of the Project
– Creation of the third Catalog/Visualization (a book for internal use only)
2023
– Application for Funding (Design) by the BKA – Federal Chancellery Republic of Austria
– Branchboard “The Clone” (Mimic – 04/09) sold to a Private Collection in Vienna, Austria
– Working on new materials, websites, infrastructure,…
2024
– Publication of the new websites
– Further development
The vision, philosophy, and a very detailed picture of our goals are already in place. Currently, we are in the phase of visualization, communication, and partially, also material or physical realization or implementation. We are striving to handle as much as possible independently while remaining open to finding the right support in various forms.
Tree of Motion but also Branchboarding itself was initiated by Nico Rayf, who build his first Branchboard over a decade ago. You can find all detailed information on his personal website: www.NicoRayf.com