Consumed by Cyberspace

Håkon Gullord Krogh - Head of Engineering for Crystallize

The internet is my foundation. Every time I open my computer, or talk to someone about the latest online developments, the room feels electric. How could something that is always evolving ever get boring? It keeps me on my toes and is always pushing me to grow. My job is to design, create and dream for the world of tomorrow. I could not imagine myself being anywhere else.

Like Legos, but Better

My background is in ‘robotics’. Otherwise known as combining hardware and software to program small devices. Funny enough, my first project was actually a computer. I built the thing out of wood because it was the only material I knew how to work with. And no, wood is definitely not an efficient material. Anyways, it was so big that I couldn’t even fit it out of my bedroom door! Some years later, I tried again and built a second wooden computer. This time I used an old Mac as my design-inspiration. And this time, it could fit out the door!

Creating, assembling, crafting: I love it to my core. It is the rocket fuel of my life.

I ended up living in Denmark for seven years. Here I worked a corporate job making e-commerce websites. During meetings, I remember zoning out to draw and doodle in my notebook. Needing a much cooler job, my search bar and I started to explore the creative world of web design. With my partner head-deep in her medical textbooks, I had a lot of extra time to start fine-tuning my skills. Never a chore, I cherished these hours of research, personal projects, and self-assigned readings. That is because one day, I knew it would help me land the job of my dreams.

Building a Better Tomorrow

Then I found Crystallize. A small, forward-thinking company that encouraged its employees to embrace creativity. I loved it then, and I still love it now. So much that I struggle to dive deep into other hobbies. Besides my kids, running is my go-to activity. It’s a good way to get out of my head and into my body. I have also dabbled in climbing, which I plan to continue to pursue well into the future. But at the end of the day, the internet and all its messy glory is my main interest. The darn thing grows so fast, you know? If I were to step away for a moment too long, I could get left behind!

The internet is such a thing of incredible beauty. Not only in its history, but where it stands today and where it is going tomorrow.

I find a lot of joy in teaching others about the internet. Did you know that every time you visit a website you release CO2? Did you also know that it's possible to decrease those emissions? The New Normal Group website is a great example where this has been put into practice. As we speak, Crystallize is also improving their services to decrease data usage and increase delivery speed. This means with every click, the user's actions can be a bit more sustainable. As you can see, it is a very exciting time to be a web engineer. I cannot wait to see where the internet is going to take us next!