Ryszard Manczak

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Ryszard Manczak ("RM") 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?

RM : I graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Poznań, Department of Industrial Design. Before that, I studied mathematics and physics at a general secondary school, which influenced my approach to geometric design.

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

RM : When Poland was under communist occupation, I frequently travelled to Germany. There, I saw a colourful world and dreamed of the same in our country.

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

RM : I wanted to change my world for the better one and designing gave me this opportunity so in this way I have become a designer.

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

RM : I enjoy designing things that we personally adapt to our needs. This makes my designs universal, timeless, and accessible to diverse communities.

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

RM : I don't consider myself a design legend, I just do what I like and I recommend it to others as well.

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

RM : This is a designer who doesn't limit himself culturally, and his designs are acceptable to the broadest possible community on our planet.

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

RM : This is what happens when a design is not only a model for use but also possesses internal and external values.

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

RM : Good design is timeless, eliminates barriers, and considers ecological materials for the sake of our planet.

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

RM : I would be happy to design another mobile piece of furniture for a brand that recognizes the needs of globalization while respecting the ecosystem.

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

RM : It's more like combining a product like Tango Pouf with an interactive sales platform that allows for real-time purchase configuration via App Store, but this requires ambitious investors.

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

RM : The design should provide additional benefits and a pleasant experience during purchase and use.

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

RM : The monumental Alessandro Mendini, the minimalist Giulio Cappellini, the colourful Pantone with a touch of the madness of Karim Rashid or Philippe Starck and a gentle note of Salvador Dali.

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

RM : This is a design for a variable-height shelving unit by my mentor, Rajmund Teofil Hałas. It's an icon of Polish design. The shelving unit is timeless, simple, and allows for the height of the shelves and the entire unit to be adjusted.

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

RM : I consider the Tango Pouf my best design so far because it offers so many possibilities and solves so many problems.

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

RM : Everyone should find their own path; it stems from their childhood, dreams, and personality. It should develop along with your academic and professional path. I was helped by the Department of Bionics in Design and the Department of Inspirational Design at the Academy of Fine Arts.

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

RM : I might have become an actor at the Łódź Film Academy because I was very sociable, but I also played a lot of sports, so the second option was the Physical Education Academy.

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

RM : The art of creating a unique atmosphere created by our exceptional designs.

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

RM : My greatest support came from my mentor, Rajmund Teofil Halas, from the Department of Inspirational Design at the Academy of Fine Arts, and from my parents.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

RM : Searching , noticing, and solving various social problems from everyday life.

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

RM : I constantly have to prove that ambitious projects that solve many problems require ambitious and courageous investors.I constantly have to prove that ambitious projects that solve many problems require ambitious and courageous investors.

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

RM : In the way investors demand.

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

RM : I would like to create another geometric multifunctional piece of furniture that would provide even more fun and adaptability in the home and garden space, called Szarada but I need brave investors for this.

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

RM : To satisfy as many lives as possible.

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

RM : I think they expect my designs to be as accessible as possible.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

RM : Design helps teach aesthetics, ergonomics, and even logical thinking, depending on the type of solution.

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

RM : I am currently working on a global multicultural project called Szarada which I mentioned and I am looking for an investor.

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

RM : I was very satisfied with the design resembling the contour of the LoveSeat Grazia lips, which was included in my own exhibition at the Temporary Museum For New Design in Milan, because the exhibition was curated by Giulio Cappellini and Gisella Borioli.

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

RM : The most important thing is the awareness of investors who, to reduce costs, often buy only photos of furniture and adapt them for production themselves. This changes the character of the furniture and interferes with its ability to use the right materials and production efficiency.

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

RM : I hope that we will not reach the paranoia of producing visualizations instead of building furniture in accordance with the basics and standards of ergonomics with respect for materials and care for our planet.

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

RM : It all depends on how complex the project is, what problems it is supposed to solve and who it is aimed at, what the target group is. In addition, the implementation capabilities of the company, the level of production, the type of sales, the target markets - all this influences the time of its implementation.

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

RM : I start by drawing and analyzing all the aspects that accompany it.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

RM : Less is more

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

RM : First, you have to create something that becomes a trend, so that design can then spread.

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

RM : Technology is very important because it influences the use of materials, which is reflected in the form and shape of the design.

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

RM : My designs are made using Corel Draw, 3D Studio MAx and AutoCad, but at the beginning I sketch and make models in 1:10 scale.

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

RM : Color and materials are crucial for achieving the right atmosphere for the furniture, its intended use, its visual appeal in interiors, and also its tactile pleasure in everyday use.

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

RM : The greatest satisfaction for a designer is when people ask about your design.

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

RM : I'm satisfied that other designers are also doing great work.

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

RM : There are many projects that require co-design because they involve different material technologies and applications, so I believe that we should complement each other and do what we do best.

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

RM : Above all, my greatest influence on my design was my professor, Rajmund Teofil Hałas, from the Department of Inspirational Design and Industrial Design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Poznań. He showed me the meaning of subtlety, conciseness, and addressing multiple needs in a single subject. Thanks to this, my designs achieve more for less.

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

RM : I really enjoyed the book "Futerał O urządzaniu mieszkań w PRL-u" about Polish design in the post-communist era of the Polish People's Republic, where material shortages influenced minimalist design. Thanks to this, the design thinking was very good; unfortunately, due to the lack of ecological technologies, it was destroying the natural environment. However, the way of thinking about solving practical problems was unique.

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

RM : Above all, I loved nature and active sports. This instilled in me a respect for the materials I use in my designs. That's why I chose the Bionics in Design Department at the Academy of Fine Arts in Poznań, because it allowed me to interpret and adopt the best solutions our planet offers us.

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

RM : Since my LoveSeat Grazia has created new design canons in the form of lips, I'd love to discuss this topic with Maestro Salvador Dali in our vivid imagination.

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

RM : I'm very pleased that my designs are recognized worldwide and appreciated by leading design experts. This is an invaluable asset. I don't seek fame because I design with others in mind, not myself, and my own personal gain is secondary.

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

RM : My favorite color palette is orange and blue with a touch of white. I enjoy every season because it brings the necessary changes. This is why I love the mountains in winter and seaside walks in summer. This deepens the culinary experience, as each region has its own delicacies. In the mountains in Poland there's oscypek cheese and in the Baltic Sea there is a flounder fish. My favourite brand is Alfa Romeo and that is why I own one of the sophisticated car of this automotive concern.

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

RM : It was after the Milan exhibition. Gisella Borioli featured my design on Grazia.it platform as one of the ten most interesting objects in the exhibition. And then I was inspired to name my LoveSeat Grazia by the following recommendation which turned out to be a bull's eye, for which I am very grateful.

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

RM : I find the most energy and motivation when I open the patio door to the garden. There, over my morning coffee, I can listen to the sounds of nature teeming with life among the trees. And the breeze and sunshine warm my mind to action.

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

RM : When I was a little child, I dreamed of becoming a designer because I wanted to change the monotonous inaccessible world around me. If something is born from the passion of dreams, it can achieve exceptional results, and only the satisfaction of other people gives us the feeling that we have done something good.

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

RM : I hope that our civilization will survive this turbulent period of history. It will rise to the heights of its potential and open up even new horizons for us. But this will not happen without respect for our Mother Earth.

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

RM : I am always extremely pleased when I can satisfy my recipients with my projects.