Egor Sihniienko

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Egor Sihniienko ("ES") 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?

ES : I graduated from DonNASA and hold a Architecture bachelor’s degree. I also studied drawing with members of the Union of Artists of Ukraine. At the same time, I worked as a visualizer in an architectural bureau.

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

ES : I love beautiful things and enjoy creating them. It’s my passion and hobby. That’s why I became a designer. Although I am an architect by education, I found designing buildings boring and monotonous, so I turned to design.

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

ES : It so happened that many members of my family were connected to design in one way or another. My uncle was an artist, my grandfather and father were engineers, and my mother was an architect. I guess I had no other choice but to follow in their footsteps.

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

ES : Currently, I work in graphic design, but I am very drawn to product design. I would like to design objects that people use in their everyday lives—lamps, furniture, household appliances. However, I don’t want this to become routine, so I haven’t fully shifted to that field.

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

ES : Just work. Create a lot, observe what others are doing, and perhaps produce a lot of "work for the drawer." The rule of 1,000 hours, even if some don’t believe in it, works. But to become a true professional, you need to work your whole life. The first 1,000 hours are not the finish line but just the first step.

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

ES : The difference between a good designer and a great designer lies in your environment. You can become a good designer on your own, but to become great, you need to learn from others. It’s important to find people you look up to, strive for their level of mastery, and learn from them.

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

ES : A truly good design not only solves the problem of aesthetic perception but also addresses the task it was created for. Good design should be convenient and effective to use. It should help, not just please the eye.

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

ES : Good design is always functional design. By investing in good design, you gain additional benefits beyond basic functionality. This could be incredible convenience or the aesthetic satisfaction of using a unique item.

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

ES : I would like to create things that I would use myself. For example, comfortable furniture or practical work tools. To make a perfect item, you need to deeply understand the user. And who do we know better than ourselves?

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

ES : A dream project implies that once it’s completed, I’d say, “That’s it, I’ve done everything I wanted.” But I don’t have such a project. Life constantly throws new challenges at me, and I’m happy to take them on.

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

ES : There’s no secret. Just daily work and the support of the woman I love. She has no connection to design, but I always take her criticism to heart, and it has never let me down.

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

ES : Definitely Dieter Rams, Arne Jacobsen, and Le Corbusier.

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

ES : One of my favorite works, which always catches my eye, is the Lounge Chair by Charles and Ray Eames. It has remained relevant for many decades and, after 70 years, is once again at the peak of popularity.

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

ES : I believe I haven’t created my greatest design yet; it’s still ahead of me.

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

ES : I think the best advice is to learn from professionals. Absorb their experience, copy, and analyze the work of those you consider experts in their field. Over time, you’ll develop your own vision, which will help you grow.

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

ES : I would have become a beekeeper. That’s a bit of a joke, but my grandfather became a beekeeper after retiring, and as a child, I was fascinated by what he did.

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

ES : Everything is design. A flower is nature’s design; a city is the design of architects; a phone is the design of engineers. Every day, we encounter design, often without realizing it. Design determines why the things around us are the way they are.

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

ES : The people around me helped shape me—through their right or wrong actions, they made me who I am. But the greatest help came from my wife, who always gives me her honest critical opinion.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

ES : Only work and passion for what I do.

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

ES : The main challenge at the start of my design career was the lack of time to work on my own projects, as I had to spend all my time fulfilling client orders.

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

ES : A designer should guide the audience through a story about the problem, the solution, and the importance of that solution. Only in this way can they prove its value.

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

ES : I don’t know which project I will showcase next. Every day, I work on various projects for clients, but I can’t always disclose information about them.

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

ES : I don’t want to be someone who sets a goal, achieves it, and then retires. I want to create every day for the rest of my life.

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

ES : It’s hard to speak for others. Perhaps they expect me to surprise them in some way.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

ES : This question covers a lot of ground. Design creates a more comfortable and convenient space for people. As a result, it frees up time that people can spend on self-development or with their loved ones.

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

ES : In addition to my primary work, I’m currently designing pendant lamps.

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

ES : One of my favorite projects is the authentic "Pintarcam" camera, originally designed for 3D printing and later crafted from wood and brass. This project brought me joy primarily because I use it myself.

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

ES : I would like to see greater adoption of generative design. It could help create unique properties and functions for mechanisms, making them lighter and stronger.

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

ES : I think 3D printing will become widely used, from household appliances to buildings. Right now, it’s mainly startups or specialized production, but in the future, it will become very common.

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

ES : It depends on the project. Some can take a few hours, while others might stretch over several months.

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

ES : It starts with research—finding references, defining functionality, and listing requirements. It’s essential to create a clear project brief (technical assignment).

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

ES : Once, I came up with the phrase, "Everything is design"—whether it’s a small flower or a complex mechanism, it’s design, regardless of whether it’s created by nature or humans. Years later, I found out this phrase was also said by Paul Rand.

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

ES : Designers definitely create trends. Of course, not out of thin air—they must be immersed in the context. But the design comes first, and then the trend follows.

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

ES : Technology plays a significant role in designers work. It’s everywhere—from software used for designing to the latest advancements in manufacturing.

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

ES : I use a variety of software. This includes graphic editors like Photoshop and Illustrator, 3D software like 3ds Max, and CAD programs such as Fusion and SolidWorks. A 3D printer is an essential tool, along with compass for drawing, knives, airbrushes—everything depends on the task at hand.

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

ES : Every element can influence how a design is perceived. For example, the same piece of furniture finished with rough fabric or smooth vinyl can completely change its perception and affect the atmosphere of the space. Objects can either blend into the surroundings or become focal points.

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

ES : "Did it help solve your problem? Did it help you achieve the desired result?"

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

ES : I always want to understand what makes that design great, so I might apply it in my future projects.

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

ES : The ideal partner is someone who is a professional in the technical aspects of the product being developed. I believe in synergy.

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

ES : Many people I’ve met or whose work I’ve studied have contributed to my ideas and influenced my work in one way or another.

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

ES : The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman Thinking with Type by Ellen Lupton Design as Art by Bruno Munari These books didn’t fundamentally change me, but they gave me some interesting ideas.

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

ES : There’s no secret—just a desire to create something new and daily hard work.

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

ES : I’m proud of my achievements; they reassure me that I’m on the right path.

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

ES : My favorite color is green, my favorite place is by the sea or a river, my favorite food is steak, my favorite thing is camera.

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

ES : One day, while I was working at a printing house, the waste pigment container of a very large industrial printer overflowed, but I needed to finish printing a batch. There was no one else in the office except me and a colleague, so we decided to clean the container ourselves. When we removed the container, it opened up, and black powder spilled all over the room. This powder is extremely fine and behaves like wate-it spreads over every surface, fills every crack, and is very difficult to clean. Only specialized personnel were authorized to service the equipment, so to cover what we did, we spent the entire night cleaning the floors and furniture. In the morning, when the company management arrived, they noted that we had worked all night and gave us a bonus. Little did they know that we had spent the whole night trying to hide the traces of our "crime"

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

ES : Engaging work makes me happy—feeling that things are going as planned or that I’ve figured out how to solve a particular problem.

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

ES : Maybe. From a very young age, I loved drawing, taking apart and reassembling toys, and observing how they were made

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

ES : I don’t have the most optimistic vision of the future, but I still hope we’ll learn how to disassemble and reassemble molecules into the desired order to create objects, food, and clothing at home—similar to the replicator from Star Trek. This would solve many issues, such as waste management, food delivery to remote areas, and even space travel.