Gueston Smith

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Gueston Smith ("GS") 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?

GS : Design has always been ingrained in me. I used to enjoy playing my playstation as a child. On the game, I would design everything. I designed my own characters, cars, shoes and environments. I pursued architecture to satisfy the combinations of my curiosity of art, physics and math. I studied design at the School of Architecture at University of Southern California, a top 10 architecture school at the time. I also explored footwear design at Pensole Footwear Design Academy, run by prolific designer, D’wayne Edwards. I have experience designing + building shipping container / modular homes, backyard offices / pool houses, logos / brand identities, footwear and experiential environments.

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

GS : I design to create a cool, empathetic, healthy & more empowered world.

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

GS : I was called to design. There are few things that bring me more satisfaction than bringing an idea to reality.

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

GS : I design shipping container homes, mobile business trailers / pop up shops and affirmation apparel. I design to help others. I like to call it "designing first impressions." I wish to design more projects that leave a positive impact through inspiration, utility, convenience or empowerment.

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

GS : Open your eyes. Look at the world around you. Pay attention to what can be improved that interests you and figure out a way to do it to the best of your ability. Have fun. Create the world you want to see.

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

GS : Consistency, experience, growth mindset, empathy, and having the eye for balance / form / shape / symmetry.

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

GS : Good Design is useful, functional, aesthetic, simple, empathetic, durable and innovative.

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

GS : Good design is creates good feelings. Good feelings lead to a better reality. That sounds like something worth investing in to me.

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

GS : I would design my family estate compound so my loved ones can live safely near me. I want things like a basketball court, in-ground trampoline, lofted living units, and lots of plants.

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

GS : I would like to bring a state of the art mobile classroom, the Magic School Box into reality.

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

GS : Keep going, Keep growing.

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

GS : Walter Herbst. Tadao Ando. Mies Van Der Rohe. Kanye West. Tinker Hatfield. David Adjaye. Leonardo Da Vinci. Steve Jobs. Bruce Lee. Benjamin Franklin. D'wayne Edwards, Quintin Williams & more

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

GS : I love the Barcelona Pavilion by Mies Van Der Rohe & also the Lost House by David Adjaye. Those are awesome designs that exude modernity, detail, thoughtfulness and natural lighting.

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

GS : I designed a 9920 SF Home made from 34 High Cube Shipping Containers for an NFL Player. It was approved for construction this year by the state of Florida. If constructed, it will be the largest, most thoughtful container home in the world. It is the perfect blend of cost efficiency, luxury and holistic design strategy.

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

GS : Be honest with yourself on where you are today. Determine the direction that you're trying to get to and get to work. Be patient. Be diligent. Be creative. Find Mentors. Put in the work.

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

GS : I would be an Amateur Boxer and/or Kickboxer, a real estate developer, a stock trader, & an entrepreneur. I am working towards realizing all of these.

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

GS : Good Design is a creatively solved problem. Good Design can improve any industry, any market, any sector. Design is the combination of thought, strategy, execution, functionality and visual consideration.

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

GS : My family, supportive friends, mentors & God.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

GS : The desire and will to create the world that I’d like to see. A more empowered & empathetic world.

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

GS : I don’t consider myself a master. I am only 31 years old. I have much to see & much to Learn. I am developing and growing within my craft through experience and a multidisciplinary skillset. I desire freedom. I sought more creative freedom at my first job. I had ideas to improve the campus that I worked at. I wanted to bring value to the entire campus but I was shut down. From there, I didn’t see my purpose there anymore. I wanted to make a real impact very early instead of just waiting until I earned the power to create the change I wanted to see. Similar to the experience Kyrie Irving had when we played with Lebron James. He wanted to challenge himself in ways that he didn’t feel that he was able to receive playing alongside Lebron James. I felt the same way. I knew that my ideas would make a difference. I found another path for myself to design shipping container spaces and today I’m extremely proud of the decision I made. Growing pains are inevitable. There will always be unknown unknowns. How you respond to a situation matters more than what happens.

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

GS : Authentically and unapologetically.

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

GS : Luxury movable business spaces. I'm looking to disrupt commercial real estate to give business owners more flexibility and control over how they introduce their business to the market.

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

GS : To create my own environment, my own reality & to empower / inspire others through design.

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

GS : They don’t know what to expect yet. As a conscious designer, I am evolving, growing and inspired by the world around me. I strive to exceed expectations and show up with new ideas and new patterns of thought.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

GS : Great Design Thinking is empathetic problem solving. The great designer’s mindset with a growth mindset is useful to society. Great design considers others, elicits thought / feeling and is aesthetically pleasing.

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

GS : I am working on a Guesscreative luxury movable space. Movable spaces are the future. With the way technology has been exponentiating lately, decentralized building spaces will redefine building / property ownership, enabling both building owners and rental. This space will also serve as a mobile pop up shop & education space.

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

GS : My Guesscreative Don Obsidian Signature Sneakers (available https://www.guesscreative.com/luxurysneakers). They are beautiful. I wear them all the time. The combination of materials allow me to wear the sneakers in different settings.

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

GS : I’d like to see more designpreneurs leave their mark on the world.

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

GS : Designpreneurship. Let’s Create Value for the World.

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

GS : It depends on the project.

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

GS : I start by asking questions to understand who I’m working with, what I'm working on and the problem that needs to be solved.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

GS : Keep Growing, Keep Flowing.

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

GS : One implies the other. Trends set mediocre design. But Good design comes from authenticity.

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

GS : Technology is a tool that needs to be embraced but not relied upon. I use Tech to support me in brainstorming, generating ideas, clarifying insights, & creating design proposals / pitch decks.

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

GS : AutoCAD, Google Sketch-Up and Flow. I use a laptop and iPad. VR glasses will be next.

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

GS : These considerations affect mood, feeling and the perception of a space. They create the "soul” of the space essentially.

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

GS : “How did you come up with this design?”

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

GS : Those are the first things that come to mind. I consider “Why did they chose to design the product in this way”

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

GS : I’d like to partner Major Brands globally who look to bring innovative solutions. An ideal design partner would be a Microsoft, Apple, Google, Willscot, Nike, Anta, the NBA, the NFL, etc. The list goes on. I am also interested in working with changemakers. The successful entrepreneurs who have vision. Co-design can be powerful especially if there is synergy.

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

GS : There is no one influence. I take what’s useful and what resonates with me and leave the rest. I find inspiration from successful entrepreneurs and incorporate my design skillset.

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

GS : Think & Grow Rich - Napoleon Hill, The Strangest Secret - Earl Nightingale, The Win Without Pitching Manifesto - Blair Enns, The Architect & Entrepreneur, car design books, shoe design books, etc.

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

GS : To master any skill, one must believe in self. One must stay consistent. One has to be able to articulate their vision clearly. A master designer is empathetic. One must be willing to fail and learn the lessons that follow. One must never quit but still needs to stay adaptable and humble enough to move with the past of least resistance. To master design, one must practice awareness. One must know how to ask the right questions to understand the design problem that needs to be solved. One has to connect their mind to their “pen”.

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

GS : I’d love to speak with an old Atlantean King named Thoth. He founded an ancient Egyptian colony and he was recognized for his wisdom and understanding of life. It is speculated that he designed and built the Pyramids of Giza, one of the most impressive architectural / design feats that we’ve ever seen. I'd like to ask about his interpretations of the world we're in now.

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

GS : I’m just getting started.

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

GS : My favorite color is green. I don't want to imagine a world without it. My favorite places so far have been Lisbon & Barcelona. I'd love to go back. My favorite foods are crab legs, creamy pasta and a medium rib-eye steak. Delicious. My favorite things are my jewelry. Accessories make a difference in your presentation. My favorite season is spring. Everything comes alive. My favorite Brand is Guesscreative. My Brand. We grow & flow.

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

GS : I find it funny that design is still not truly respected in business when it is a clear value add. That'll change.

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

GS : I enjoy the things that are free in life such as my family, my body, my health, my mindset, the sun, the plants in my office, meeting new amazing people & new opportunities.

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

GS : It was. I created my first efforts of pneumatic architecture, sustainable architecture and tensile architecture through the forts I’d make using the furniture around me as a child. I learned how to use architectural design programs at 12 years old.

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

GS : I see significant technological integration into our everyday lives. I see an improved life experience through the efforts of the continued awareness and empathy for themselves and the generations that follow.

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

GS : Find more about me at www.guesscreative.com