Jonathan A Gibb

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Jonathan A Gibb ("JAG") for their original perspective and innovative approach to design as well as their creative lifestyle, we are very pleased to share our interview with our distinguished readers.

DL: Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?

JAG : Trained as a draftsman to understand the practicalities of what makes Architecture but always the interest in Design and its power of turning the ordinary to extraudinary.

DL: What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?

JAG : All day, every day looking and appreciating other design, but most importantly a desire to create, to make more accessible the everyday, and re imagining from differing angles a designs possibilities to come up with something that both satisfies at a cerebral and practical level.

DL: Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?

JAG : It was more it hit me. The feeling that I could create was overwhelming, the freedom to do so within constraints gives such strength to the latent possibility of an imagined or real world project.

DL: What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?

JAG : The love of a well designed house, to big ideas from a commercial building to a master planned design, and back to the smallest detail... sound greedy but everything between.

DL: What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?

JAG : Find passion in what you do. It’s purely personal and must come from within. Once you have this you can collaborate with other designers or professionals to achieve a vision.

DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

JAG : It is the vision. Making real the unreal and pulling from the air almost magically ideas to solve a problem.

DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

JAG : Can be on so many levels. From practicality, to been your favourite colour... it is and always will be the initial integration to the human condition, look, feel, action and ease of use.

DL: What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?

JAG : Design often becomes background when it is part of life, a bread cutter or lemon squeezer, that you have and don’t necessarily think on as it is part of a daily ritual. Seeing if course an object or a architecture for the first time and feeling and understanding its use, it’s power to transform thought.

DL: What would you design and who would you design for if you had the time?

JAG : Scale aside it’s the joy from a project. A house, a church to an office building to warehouse to urban scaled master plans...

DL: What is the dream project you haven’t yet had time to realize?

JAG : A reactivation of everyday, bridges and what space above they have for interconnected architecture... stay tuned...

DL: What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?

JAG : Desire, feeling joy, anger, passion to a design. Making it breath by envying emotion to each fold, corner, choice of material and the way it casts shadow...

DL: Who are some other design masters and legends you get inspired from?

JAG : Always the omnipresent Le Corbusier, Louis Kahn, the measured steps of Herzog & de Meuron, and the spirit of design by Steven Holl, and the metaphysical instinct of John Hejduk.

DL: What are your favorite designs by other designers, why do you like them?

JAG : The recent project by Herzog & de Meuron for the Hamburg Elbphilharmonie Concert Hall.

DL: What is your greatest design, which aspects of that design makes you think it is great?

JAG : The pure geometry and sacred aspect of The Box Chapel, is a touchstone to the feel of what it is to create an object.

DL: How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?

JAG : Put yourself forward to be seen, heard, and for your work to stand next to others.

DL: If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you have done?

JAG : Most likely a gardener, of course tilling the soul would still have a desire of design from the smallest drop of soul to hedge placement.

DL: Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?

JAG : Family and teachers. Those too that I have studied regarding their rise, passion and projects.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

JAG : Just the simple joy that creates passion for a design, idea.

DL: How do you think designers should present their work?

JAG : Pubically, in competitions and promotion... let yourself be heard.

DL: What’s your next design project, what should we expect from you in future?

JAG : Presently many projects but also re invigorating the desire and joy of drawing through many charcoal drawings...

DL: What’s your ultimate goal as a designer?

JAG : To create usable projects, leave a mark on the world for others to follow, use.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

JAG : Thoughtful design can help many aspects of life, and act to foster understanding, and bring people together.

DL: What are you currently working on that you are especially excited about?

JAG : A project that brings together our ancient and modern society together. A project which spans 2000 years.

DL: When you have a new design project, where do you start?

JAG : From the simplest of things, a single line on paper...

DL: What is the role of technology when you design?

JAG : Assists but does not hijack the design.