Andrei Korsun

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Andrei Korsun ("AK") 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?

AK : I have more than 7 years of experience as a designer in various spheres. I have worked as an interior designer, a furniture designer, and a designer of consumer goods (mostly plastic products). I have two educations: one from the Aviation Institute, a hydro-aerodynamic engineer; the other from the British Higher School of Arts & Design, interior design.

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

AK : The main motivation is the satisfaction of the visibility of the result of work. It gives a powerful charge of energy. Plus, this is just as important, there are no limits in this profession, you have to learn and improve yourself every day, it's cool. I became a designer because it is a very curious combination of creativity, technology, interaction with people and no frames. I've been interested in making things with my hands since I was a kid, and I was genuinely happy when something good came out. I try to keep that feeling from my childhood even now.

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

AK : It was a completely conscious choice. It seems to me that a designer, like a few other professions, is one in which you cannot succeed if you are not passionate about it.

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

AK : I try not to get hung up on any one direction. But probably the most interesting things to design would be lighting and furniture, especially lounge chairs. The interest in designing lighting is understandable - it's a terrific play with light as part of the design. And chairs for lounges are interesting primarily because of the infinite range of shapes and materials, I think this is an area in which there are almost no rules, it's inspiring)

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

AK : Since I am not a design legend at the moment, I can only briefly present this path. It consists of constant involvement in the profession, of the endless search for inspiration in the world around me, and most importantly, of the non-stop process of creating concepts, fulfilling orders, and making as much effort as possible to promote my ideas and myself as a brand.

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

AK : I think what distinguishes great designers is their ability to create a design that is relevant at any time... We look at the Barcelona by Mies van der Rohe, and there is no question as to whether it is beautiful or relevant - it's a perfect example of the greatness of the creator. And accordingly if a designer is able to create more than one such item, he is undoubtedly a great professional.

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

AK : As I said, in my opinion, it may be the relevance of the product over time, and non-standard, innovative solution to any problem, if the product is made simply, high quality and intrigues the user - it's good design.

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

AK : The value of design is in the emotion it evokes, in the comfort it gives, in the solving of a problem, these things can't be free or cost next to nothing. It's painstaking work by professionals, and the more people invest in it, participate in it, the more amazing products will surround each of us. It is, after all, a wonderful opportunity for everyone, to fill their world with beauty in every object.

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

AK : I'm afraid I'll get tired of enumerating) Of course I would be happy if my SWAN faucet would interest big manufacturers of sanitary ware, like Devon&Devon or Gessi etc... Also, I would be very happy to design a series of lamps for AxoLight, I am very impressed by their selection of lighting. If it's a large-scale idea, I'd be happy to design an armchair for Knoll or an interior luminaire for Flos...

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

AK : Oh, that's a great question, as design is interesting to me in all areas, a dream project from way back in my childhood to work on automotive design. At the moment I am very far from creating it. But I hope a great desire sooner or later will make this childhood dream come true)

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

AK : I think it's a trivial desire to look at a problem from a different angle. I can't say it's the secret ingredient, but it regularly helps you come up with something original. Sometimes you should take it literally: you need to come up with a chair- turn yours over, then walk around, it helps and it's pretty fun)

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

AK : I have great respect for the Bauhaus school - Walter Gropius, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Marcel Breuer; also Gaetano Pesce, Joe Colombo, Ron Arad; especially Eileen Gray and Le Corbusier stand out for me... The list of endlessly talented people is very long and each of them, in their own way, can push me to create something new, which inspires me)

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

AK : I'll give you just a couple of examples, although there are actually more than a hundred) Bibendum by Eileen Gray - timeless, playful yet very austere, a stunning chair. Well Tempered and Big Easy by Ron Arad - unimaginable mix of art and functionality, breathtaking. Hamaca-bath by Splinterworks - very modern, catchy and also on the verge of art, I like the atypical choice of material

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

AK : There is no such thing, because it would mean that the subsequent items fall short or worse in some way, and I hope that everything I do will be distinguished by excellent design) Luckily it's not for me to judge)

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

AK : It's very simple - you need to look around as much as possible, to be interested in different areas of life and creativity, not to get hung up on one thing. Always have a thirst for new things.

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

AK : I think it's impossible) Maybe I'd be in related fields to design, engineering, but I'd still end up coming to design.

DL: How do you define design, what is design for you?

AK : It is a multifaceted beauty. Good design is the totality of a huge number of components, all together and individually they represent beauty.

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

AK : My whole family is like a huge incentive and endless support. And my art history teacher, Olga Rozet, who gave me my first incentive.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

AK : A constant thirst for knowledge and learning about the world around me. And perhaps just as importantly, I don't look at design as a job. Design is an inseparable part of me.

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

AK : I don't want to get too far ahead of myself, but it will be another faucet and a number of furniture elements)

DL: What people expect from an esteemed designer such as yourself?

AK : I can't imagine, I guess, that my projects will be better every time)

DL: How does design help create a better society?

AK : I think it carries an enlightening and innovative banner. Design can push technology forward, can bring beauty and convenience into everyone's life. To diversify people's lives.

DL: Which design projects gave you the most satisfaction, why?

AK : For example, the baby bathing couch project. This is a wonderful experience. You have to make the most thoughtful, functional thing possible. And, most unforgettable, for a very young person, thinking about ergonomics and attractive appearance. It is a delightful experience and a total satisfaction of the work done.

DL: What would you like to see changed in design industry in the coming years?

AK : I would love to see how the industry will change under the influence of modern technology, especially neural networks. I think we are witnessing a very interesting technological breakthrough that will affect all areas of human activity, which is inspiring.

DL: How long does it take you to finalize a design project?

AK : It highly depends on the project itself and the goals it pursues. If we are talking about Swan (kitchen faucet), it took no more than a month.

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

AK : Everything starts before the market analysis, only having received the introductory information from the customer I make a few sketches, the first thing that was born in my head. In the future, after analyzing, identifying problems and solutions, working through the idea, I try to keep that bit of inspiration, it makes the product more alive.

DL: Do you think design sets the trends or trends set the designs?

AK : Good design sets the trends itself, in contrast to the mass, everyday design, which follows trends.

DL: What is the role of the color, materials and ambient in design?

AK : These are the key components. You can come up with a great shape, but if you position it inappropriately, selecting materials incorrectly, you get more like a caricature of what you originally intended. Good design is always a competent, scrupulous approach to all components, it is always reverent attitude to detail.

DL: What do you wish people to ask about your design?

AK : I would be interested in questions about the choice of materials, the style of the piece, and the nuances in the details.

DL: Which people you interacted had the most influence on your design?

AK : It was at the very beginning of my conscious creative path. I was lucky, I had an absolutely extraordinary history of art teacher, Olga Rozet. A woman who sincerely loved her profession and gave infinite enthusiasm to all her students. In addition to practical knowledge, she gave me the confidence to make interesting designs.

DL: Please tell us a little memoir, a funny thing you had experienced as a designer?

AK : The very first thing I designed was the entrance group to the office building. It's more of an architectural project. There was a сurious case with that project: the company was not offered to participate in architectural supervision. Instead, the customer decided to save some money and arranged a fine finish without finalized drawings, solely based on renders. As a result, the workers who laid out the tiles in the hall decided that the black stripes running along the floor from the columns were in fact some other black tiles and made diagonal stripes across the entire hall. In reality, these stripes are shadows. The entire lobby had to be remodeled...

DL: What makes your day great as a designer, how do you motivate yourself?

AK : Knowing that on any given day I can come up with something new and intriguing, something that can then be implemented and seen by other people is a giant motivating factor. And of course I always strive to make my family proud of me, so that my little son, seeing my hard work, would also strive for more.

DL: When you were a little child, was it obvious that you would become a great designer?

AK : I'm not sure that it was obvious that I would be a good designer, but it was clear at once)). When adults asked me if I wanted to work in a bank, I answered firmly as soon as I learned to speak - no).

DL: What do you think about future; what do you see will happen in thousand years from now?

AK : It's an interesting question, I think, and I hope humanity can fully realize itself. And work together to explore the unknown.

DL: Please tell us anything you wish your fans to know about you, your design and anything else?

AK : I will make a promise to myself to everyone - not to slow down, and strive to do great things, not to lose my passion for learning and always progressing.