Nick Pitscheider

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Nick Pitscheider ("NP") 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?

NP : As High School I did Artistic studies in my region of North Italy. then I moved to Urbino, central Italy, where there was the only one University in Graphic Design at the time, the ISIA of Urbino. I had my first-class honours degree there, then moved to Milano after the compulsory military service.

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

NP : I had the belief that things well designed can make the difference. And I have it today. Good design makes the difference, and you as a designer can make the difference. It's always a challenge, but after all we need challenges to sparkle life, don't we?

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

NP : I chose it. I always had a passion for sketching, drawing, designing and at high school I initially wanted to draw comics.

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

NP : I like sketching anything, really. Designwise I have expertise in several different directions and I appreciate doing different things rather than concentrating in doing only one.

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

NP : I am passionate and what I don't do too much is looking at my watch. I think that to be a designer requires a lot of dedication and it's definitely a tough job many times. But the trick is living your life colourfully, enjoying the beauty of what you do. In other words, if you do have passion, then you can be a designer. If you don't, you can't. So the answer is love, passion and generosity for what you can do, challenging yourself. And if you can enjoy this, it can be a very good fun too!

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

NP : The will to be improve, to get greater and better than we are. As a person and as a professional.

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

NP : Well my thinking is the other way round. Many times, a very good design is completely seamless. Good design is something that makes your life better, easier, lighter, richer, more colourful, more energetic. Good design makes you feel good. And when we feel good not always we realise that such feeling is thanks to something very well designed. Instead, a bad design is always very sharply noticeable. Always. An uncomfortable fork or chair, or a book not well paginated, immediately makes you feel an effort, a discomfort, a negative sensation. Good design? if you feel good, it means you are interacting with good design.

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

NP : Because good design is what can make the difference between success and failure.

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

NP : I became a designer specialising in branding, but I always wished I could make experiences in industrial design.

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

NP : Making my own furniture. I have ideas and one day I will make my own pieces of design for my home.

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

NP : There is no secret ingredient. The key is always curiosity and will to discover, will to create, enjoyment. The idea that, as designers, we create things that before were not there, excites me a lot and can make my work very enjoyable.

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

NP : During my university studies I had the fortune to have great designers as teachers. I will mention just one for all: Alfred Hohenegger. Then, there are many international designers, from Neville Brody to The Designers Republik, and industrial designers such as David Lewis or Jacob Jensen, and architects from Gio Ponti to Zaha Hadid or Tadao Ando. I feel fascinated by their talent. I have many books at home, by designers of all kinds. From typography to car design. Many years ago I fell in love with a pen: the Pelikan N.1 by Luigi Colani. Looking at that pen, still today I see his genius. There is not just a master. We have so much to learn and discover, that we have to explore what great designers of any kind have done.

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

NP : The list is long. But generally speaking, if it's for myself I prefer very minimal styles.

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

NP : The word greatest can have different meanings. It could be a unique prototype of something I am working on privately, or a largely diffused bank brand. Anyway, Cedea water is definitely one of my favorite projects.

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

NP : Design is creation. Creativity and skills don't develop staying still. We all need to gather as many inputs and stimulations as we can. Our brain needs to elaborate, to process. I love exploring places, music, landscapes, and also the insights of people. I love the physical touch of surrounding objects. If you wanna grow, you need to feed your brain with the right food and not always the same. You will grow your creativity, your talent and also yourself as a person.

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

NP : Probably would have carried on some family business.

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

NP : Design is something that can change things in better. It's something that makes us enjoy life more. Something that makes our lives more beautiful and easier. Human beings need design.

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

NP : Many people who trusted me, many people I learned from. It's quite a list.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

NP : Advice and support by my superiors, but also my determination to keep my point of view when someone else tried to pass over me in bad ways. Unfortunately, these things happen.

DL: What were the obstacles you faced before becoming a design master?

NP : Other people intentions against me. Again, it's sad but these things happen. And sometimes, to keep steady is hard.

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

NP : A designer's work should reflect his or her personality. The success of a designer is very much related to the kind of person he is and it's actually very much a matter of trust and good feeling, not only of good items in portfolio.

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

NP : There is no just a next project, they are multiple. And many times some new project that seem not very exciting can become really cool and very good fun!

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

NP : Oh, my dreams are very much down to earth.

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

NP : Expectations are always high. Effectively, especially the first project presentations are challenging because you have to convince your client that they made the right choice to hire you. But what I can definitely say is that people and clients appreciate not only the project developments, but their feeling that in such projects there is your energy.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

NP : Everything can be improved, always. And design improves kind of everything.

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

NP : Something in beauty and aesthetics.

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

NP : Difficult to say. Some projects were paid more than others, but others were a great fun! So, there are definitely different kinds of satisfaction!

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

NP : Generally (this means that there are different cases)I would love the Italian industry to be more aligned with the better standards that often we find abroad, speaking in terms of will and belief to invest in design as a primary asset.

DL: Where do you think the design field is headed next?

NP : Well, the development of the digital world offers definitely more directions.

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

NP : It depends on many factors, but it's mostly a matter of management of the project, and the client has always an active role in this.

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

NP : Analysing the client to understand as deep as possible the big picture that needs to be faced. Then, strategy and planning, to pin point the starting flags of the communication project needed.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

NP : Have fun!

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

NP : It's a circle, isn't it?

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

NP : Technology has a primary role, of course. But I always, always, always start with a pencil, or pen, or marker, or whatever happens to be in my hands to bring ideas on a sketchbook.

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

NP : Mac only, and the usual Adobe package, mainly the print applications. And FontLab for typo design and some 3D software. Beside the presentation apps obviously.

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

NP : Design involves everything.

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

NP : How did you think of that?

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

NP : I think that every time you see something well designed, you learn something.

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

NP : Of course I believe in it! And I enjoy it a lot too!

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

NP : Not only one, every book opens your eyes in different ways.

DL: How did you develop your skills as a master designer?

NP : I believe that you mostly learn how to work... Working. And challenging yourself.

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

NP : Some successful designer from a century ahead.

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

NP : I like fashion brands making a lot of black. Because I only wear black or greyish colours. I tried many cooking styles travelling and living abroad, but in the end I love Italian food. I love all seasons. They all give you different feelings.

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

NP : Many years ago, once I had been working very very late, I got closed into the office building by the guards, not knowing I was still there. So I left through a window to the inside gardens and got out of the building by a secondary door, after I long looked for a way out. The door was alarmed and the alarm got off! But I made it home, while the police were on the road rushing to the building. The day after the whole building was talking about some intrusion, believing that someone wanted to steal equipments or what. I was too ashamed to say anything and left those colleagues and people to hang around the offices for a couple of days trying to understand what happened. I quite enjoyed it, ahah!

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

NP : We either have to find or create fun within what we do, to feed the sparkle!

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

NP : I had drawing skills. That's why I thought I could draw comics.

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

NP : Just think of something impossible now. Likely, it will be possible.

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

NP : I respect every piece of design I buy. I own things since many years a go: things that I value as good pieces of design, that I keep as new. I like treating well objects, thinking that someone made them.