Tamas Csiszer

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Tamas Csiszer ("TC") 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?

TC : I think my incentive to design is not accidental. Composers and painters can be found among my ancestors so the creativity and artistic orientation have spanned generations in my family. As regards the education I became an expert by myself through the years without attending any universities.

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

TC : I started my career at around the turn of the millenium with designing displays for optical stores. then I got involved in designing and executing the optical shops from the first step to the very end. Since then I have left my mark on 300 stores. Later on besides optical stores, restaurants, hotels, and dozens of companies of various profiles have opted for my services.

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

TC : Since my childhood I was interested in designing. When I was 14 during socialist era the unanimity was annoying for me. Each flat in a block of flats was similar to an other. No uniqueness. Same wallpapers, same carpets and same furnitures were applied in each flat. So I was motivated to interrupt this conformity in order to create an interesting, unique ambience and to surround myself by new things. I think the sense of the selection of materials and colours derives from that time.

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

TC : I think a good interior designer can contribute to create a harmonious, pleasant and practical space, but a great designer can create something new, specifique and unique and timeless.

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

TC : To design a moder church is one of my deam project.

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

TC : Arne Jacobsen who is famous for his sense of proportion. Charles and Ray Eames are noted for the bent plywood designs. Jonathan Ive who provides minimalism design using simple and natural forms. I like Trussardi too who value the combination of sophistication , elegance and comfort using materials and colors I prefer.

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

TC : As much as you work you meet different kind of demands and challanges provided by clients. As an interior designer you have to sometimes cope with the restrictions of the strict expectations and other times complete freedom of design. More work experience makes you better designer.

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

TC : The design means big ideas and the art means the realisation when you manage to put it into practice. The design even an interior design is an art when I transformed my idea or my conception into a real, valuable, functional, meaningful final product. The art is when the idea can work as an artwork.

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

TC : My biggest supporters are those customers who give feedback to my clients even from abroad.

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

TC : I am currently working on Apheresis Centers that means a new challange for me. The brief was to design an environment which is less associated with the strict atmosphere of healthcare.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

TC : Your castle is my playground where we play together. You will be left alone with your toy in the end but you shall not feel lonely as more and more will come to play for noone has a castle like yours.

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

TC : I think the design sets the trends.

DL: What kind of design software and equipment do you use in your work?

TC : AutoCAD, Rhinoceros, Rhino3D, Illustrator

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

TC : Once we ordered an enormous lustre for a retail store from abroad. After waiting long time the shipment arrived. Then we opened the huge package and it was a funny surprise that it contained a big Buddha statue instead of the lustre.