Etem Deniz Temucin

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Etem Deniz Temucin ("EDT") 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?

EDT : Right now I am studying at Mimar Sinan Fıne Arts University from where my father is graduated from. Almost my entire family members are artists, architects or designers.

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

EDT : I can say that I have never seen any other job in my life.

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

EDT : I both coosed it and kind of forced to as any other job would hard for me.

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

EDT : I would rather designing things that people can wear or can put in their homes.

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

EDT : I am a young designer too, not a "design legend."

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

EDT : Good designers products sells well, great designers creates icons.

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

EDT : As long as products which are not make harm to anyone else and be good to the nature, good designs will always come up.

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

EDT : Every designs value add to the designer. A good design is a designers pride.

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

EDT : Luigi Colani, Raymond Loewy, Phillippe Starck, Dieter Rams, Joe Colombo, Hartmut Esslinger, Fran von Holzhausen are the first ones that comes to my mind.

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

EDT : Raymond Loewys pencil sharpener. I think forcing an object that much for the trend which he adopts shows a designers sagacity. But this is just an example. How can we say that this one is my favorite while there is a design history which is full of great objects.

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

EDT : My coffee machine is the one that I was most satisfied with which is one of the reasons why i sent it to this competition.

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

EDT : I guess I would be an architect or a painter.

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

EDT : To create a mass production artwork.

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

EDT : My family, especially my little sister.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

EDT : I don’t think that I am a great designer yet. There are many more things that I should learn before I can call myself one.

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

EDT : My next project is a semisubmarine. I want to design an iconic product in the future.

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

EDT : I want to be lead designer in a great company.

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

EDT : My coffee maker is the most satisfying project for me beacuse coffee is one of my passion.

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

EDT : I am waiting for a cheaper 3d printer technology, ıt has an enormous potential.

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

EDT : It depends on the size of the project.

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

EDT : It always starts with blank paper. I love to sketch before asking anything to anyone or making research about it. After that, I add on to my original project the things that i found by researching and asking around.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

EDT : Desining without harming anything.

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

EDT : Great designer defines trends, good designers follows it.

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

EDT : For me ıt is very useful for visualisation. Digital prints are very useful while making research.

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

EDT : All of them has different affects on human psychology. That is why I shape my designs to whatever I want to my project to make feel for the people I make them for.

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

EDT : I would want to the product to describe itself without need any questions.

DL: When you see a new great design or product what comes into your mind?

EDT : Why haven’t I done this?

DL: Who is your ideal design partner? Do you believe in co-design?

EDT : I believe in co-design, I always want to have engineering team by my side to help my design projects.

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

EDT : My project advisors are from my university.

DL: Which books you read had the most effect on your design?

EDT : I don’t think that I have read any book that impacted to my design directly but I read many science fiction novels which I think that is improved my imagination.

DL: Irrelative of time and space, who you would want to meet, talk and discuss with?

EDT : I would have liked to meet Leonardo da Vinci.

DL: What is your favorite color, place, food, season, thing and brand?

EDT : I don’t have a favorite colour but i prefer matte colours. My favorite place is Home. I love winter.

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

EDT : I think muscle for will lose its importance. It seems that machines will do most of the work. Only things that require creativity like desings will continue to be made by us.