From Carpenter to 3D Designer
Text: Paul van Vugt | Photography and Images: Peter Mohnen
In 2018, carpenter and furniture maker Peter Mohnen received the unfortunate news that he had been declared 80% unfit for work. Not wanting to stand on the sidelines of society, he decided to pursue a training program to become a 3D designer. Today, the first Volvos are rolling out from his digital pen.
Searching for Suitable Work
Mohnen was hit hard when a combination of health issues prevented him from participating in the workforce. Fortunately, he remained positive and, with the help of the Dutch Employee Insurance Agency (UWV), started searching for suitable work. Unfortunately, he was often judged based on his medical history.
Years before being declared unfit for work, Mohnen had already taught himself 3D modeling on the computer. Out of that interest, he had purchased and mastered the SketchUp program. With UWV’s support, he could follow an official SketchUp training course. During the training, he excelled to such an extent that he qualified as an official SketchUp trainer.
After completing the program, he decided to start his own business while keeping his benefits. UWV gave him one year to prove whether his business was viable.
Hotel Rooms
Fortunately, he was soon able to work as a freelancer for Sutherland Design, a company specializing in designing hotel rooms and hospitality spaces for major hotel chains. One of Mohnen’s designs was even selected as the standard room for a large hotel chain—a personal highlight in his career.
Passion for the V70 Classic
Currently, the talented 3D designer regularly receives smaller assignments from friends and acquaintances. In addition to his SketchUp work, he has also ventured into the automotive world, with a special passion for the V70 Classic.
Unfortunately, no high-quality 3D base model of this Volvo is available for editing in SketchUp. As an alternative, Mohnen chose the 850, which he modified into the version that matches his dream specifications.
