Nora Voon

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Nora Voon ("NV") 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?

NV : University of Toronto - Fine arts Post Graduate degree at Inchbald school of design in London Uk

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

NV : I've always loved architecture and design since I was young and after working in an entirely different field after University I went back to do my post graduate in Design. Being able to make or design something and see it come to life is very satisfactory.

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

NV : I chose to become a designer after being in the banking industry for many years.

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

NV : I design interiors both commercial and residential, but I also design products and lighting.

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

NV : Go to trade shows! You must educate and update your skills and knowledge within the design community and learn about what's new, innovative and materials available in the current market and industry.

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

NV : a good designer does a job well, a great designer resonates with you.

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

NV : A good design means it flows, user friendly, good quality and craftsmanship, lasts longer, and is timeless.

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

NV : when you invest in good design means you get to have a product that is well made, and sometimes it can increase in value over time.

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

NV : I would love to design a residence for an eccentric artist whom I can collaborate with, it will be super fun and creative with a lot of bold and unique details.

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

NV : My dream project is designing an aircraft or space ship!

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

NV : I think the secret to success in design is really your individual style that you develop over time and experience, and going to trade shows! I can't stress that enough, it's important to go to these trade shows to expand your knowledge on the industry and also travelling, travel will hone your eyes to see the details and learning a new culture or place will also help you as a designer to better your understanding of your surroundings.

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

NV : There are so many, Carlo Scarpa, Mario Bellini, Frank Gehry, Vincent Decotis, Jaime Hayon, Kelly Weartsler, Axel Vervoodt, Marcel Wanders, Peter Marino, Joseph Dirand, Pierre Yannovavich.

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

NV : oh dear too many to count - I love vintage so my dream is to own a vintage piece from Kagan or Bellini would make my day!

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

NV : I'm loving my collection Take a Pill as that is a passion project. I love working with artisans that know the craft so well and also preserving a dying art such as hand blown glass. I also love this collection because of the story behind it, referencing our society and the role pharmaceutical companies play in our lives. It's definitely sending a message.

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

NV : Don't try to be anyone else, develop your own sense of aesthetics and style which eventually will help you elevate your profile by being specific in your field. That way you have a clear identity to your brand.

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

NV : probably an artist

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

NV : Design can change lives and evoke powerful emotive feelings so for me design needs to move me.

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

NV : Other than my team of designers I work with, I guess I owe it to them for helping me with a lot of my success. :-)

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

NV : I go to a lot of trade shows every year (3-4) to update myself on what's new in the current industry. I also travel extensively to see and discover new cultures, art and spaces.

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

NV : Getting the confidence from clients to hire you and getting that dream project that can push you to the next level was difficult, however once you get over that threshold

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

NV : I think it all depends on what kind of design one is presenting. If it is interior I like to present my ideas and concepts digitally with sample boards and also mock ups if applicable.

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

NV : I'm working on my next collection of home accessories for Noda. It's going to be a funny one and I'm excited to showcase those once we get the prototypes going.

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

NV : My ultimate goal is to have my own luxury lifestyle brand that consists of doing events, collections for home interiors and also do interactive art installations/projects.

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

NV : I think people generally looking for authenticity, uniqueness in style and also how realistic you are in executing a project such as meeting budget and time/schedule constraints.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

NV : As mentioned earlier, design can change lives and evoke powerful emotions. Good design can better society for example, look at how far the mobile phone has come along. It used to be

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

NV : I'm currently waiting for the prototypes of my lighting from the Take a pill collection - these are being made in Murano, Venice by artisans and I'm super excited to see them.

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

NV : I think for me designing a product gives me the most satisfaction because a lot of work goes into the research and development of

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

NV : I think we should have new building codes whereby we should be using sustainable materials as a requirement instead of optional. If we are going to help preserve our world for the future, we have to start somewhere.

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

NV : I think we are now heading into a time where people are valuing more on quality over quantity. So more artisanal and local craftsmanship.

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

NV : It depends on the scale of the project. It usually takes awhile as our projects are always very intricate or larger in scale.

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

NV : I start by looking at the

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

NV : You buy shit you pay twice.

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

NV : It depends, generally I would rather design sets trends but sometimes it's not the case. For example, remember when Phillipe Starck

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

NV : It's important for designers, we can't do anything without technology! Drawings, rendering, 3d modelling these are all essential to our design process.

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

NV : we use autocad, vectorworks, rhino, 3ds max, corona, photoshop and also adobe suite.

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

NV : Color, materials and ambient in design play an important role because when designing a space, you want to create a space that has character or personality and through colours, materials and ambient can achieve that, in addition it can also add certain feeling such as intimate/coziness and textures.

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

NV : This is so cool! hahahah

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

NV : This is so cool, let's check out the details.

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

NV : I sometimes collaborate with other designers when the project is big. I think it's great to co-design, you always

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

NV : I think my fellow designers - it's always great to bounce ideas with other designers to hear their opinions and ideas.

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

NV : Design books and magazines.

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

NV : Through lots of mistakes and practice!

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

NV : I would love to pick the brain of Carlo Scarpa or Mario Bellini. These guys were legends.

DL: How do you feel about all the awards and recognition you had, is it hard to be famous?

NV : I enter every design competition with no expectations, I think that's the best way to go into it that way if you win, it's great

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

NV : Favourite: colour - you know that's not a fair question to ask a designer! Let's just say I'm seasonal to my colour mood. place - Italy Season - summer Thing/brand - currently in love with my latest painting I purchased from the Saatchi gallery by Alo.

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

NV : I once solicited a celebrity as a client through Instagram. I thought that was very funny and lucky!

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

NV : When there are no interruptions and you can design in peace.

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

NV : Not really, I did however wanted to be in design at a very young age.

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

NV : I hope there is a future a thousand years from now given the environment the world is currently going. If the world does exist a thousand years from now

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

NV : I don't do white kitchens. lol