Emilia Durka-Zielińska and Walenty Durka

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Emilia Durka-Zielińska and Walenty Durka ("EDAWD") 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?

EDAWD : We both graduated from the University of Technology in Poznań, but it was only after graduation that our real learning began. Internships in small and large architectural offices undoubtedly contributed a lot to our education, but it was the construction of our own ecological house in passive technology that gave us real experience in the profession. The house was awarded by the Green Building Council as the best ecological facility in Poland in 2011. This gave us the confidence that we were going in the right direction.

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

EDAWD : We motivate each other. Working as a partner is not easy, because you spend 24/7 together, but it's perfect for us. Being in nature also has a creative impact on us. Every project requires concentration and silence, and this is undoubtedly what nature gives us. We chose a place among lakes and forests as a place to live and work. This is an undoubted and invaluable advantage

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

EDAWD : Since childhood, we both felt a great need to create. It was natural that we absorbed what our parents did... As a child, Walenty was passionate about what his carpenter father did, and I, i.e. Emilia, submitted projects to my dad and watched with enthusiasm what my dad was doing. Besides, we have always had an irresistible curiosity about the world and creation. I guess we were born with it.

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

EDAWD : We design ecological wooden modular buildings and their interiors as an integral part of our architecture.We wouldn't want to have to design differently. The challenges of the current world naturally lead us to ecological architecture.

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

EDAWD : There is never a recipe for success. It takes a lot of work and patience, but also a bit of luck... meeting good people and situations that will be favorable to you. The rest is a mystery...

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

EDAWD : Reliability...We had the opportunity to work with many people, but when they did not pay enough attention to their work.. it was only good, not perfect. Work and one more work... being a designer is a constant inquiry.

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

EDAWD : Good design is well thought out in every aspect. No question about him comes as a surprise. In addition to the effort put into its creation, it also has this undefined something brought by the character and soul of the designer. And this can no longer be described precisely.

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

EDAWD : In the case of architecture, good design is, in addition to its beauty, also its usefulness. A building is not created in a vacuum. It is created for a given place, for a given person/people... it solves a task and then he is good.

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

EDAWD : If we had time... we wouldn't design anything and just go to the forest :) One day there will come a time to stop designing and then our head must be filled with something... We can draw from doing nothing and silence... Who knows, maybe then something completely different, new and exciting would be born.

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

EDAWD : This is a modular house built for us in Italy. We envy our clients their houses designed and built in our factory and in their dream places. Time will tell whether such plans will be implemented.

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

EDAWD : Truth... be true in what you do.

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

EDAWD : We think there are many of them... Philip Johnson, Le Corbusier, Ludwig van der Rohe, Walter Gropius and Richard Neutra, Charles and Ray Eams, Steve Jobs... and many others. We have made observations a daily ritual. We are constantly learning and confronting with the world.

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

EDAWD : Our favorite is Philip Jonson's Glass House design. Just like we tried to do in our projects, this house blurred the line between the inside of the house and the outside. We like to blur the space that divides the interior with the surrounding nature. Living in such a house teaches respect for nature because we become part of it.

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

EDAWD : We believe that so far this is the project awarded the A'Design Award in 2004. In fact, we believe that the best one is yet to come. We consider the awarded house design to be one of our best because the client gave us a free hand in the entire design process and in the end he is delighted with the house. His satisfaction is our reward

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

EDAWD : Designing is passion and a lot of work. You have to stick to it to get better... getting better.

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

EDAWD : There are many answers to this... Emilia always wanted to sail on the seas... and Walenty wanted to ride a bike in the forests. Many professions would be included in this... we have never lacked alternatives. We like nature and that is why our interests revolve around it.

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

EDAWD : Design is creativity. It's a constant need for improvement, crossing boundaries and solving problems. It is as broad a concept as the sea and how the sea provides an open horizon for creation.

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

EDAWD : We were supporting ourselves. Separately, we would not have achieved what we have. When others told us that it wasn't possible, that it wouldn't work, we believed in what we set out to do. We trusted each other. We helped each other.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

EDAWD : I don't know... it's hard work, I guess. No client knows how much work has to be put in, this incalculable number of hours to achieve something good... something that is close to perfection, something that will be a model for you and others for years to come. Trusting yourself helps like nothing else. Each project is an integral part of the designer's personality... part of his experience, work, intuition and something that is inside him but cannot be defined. This something we are born with.

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

EDAWD : The obstacles were lack of self-confidence... money... and health, the loss of which seriously undermined our lives. But thanks to these difficulties, we are who we are and we turned them into something good.. the good things are the healthy and ecological houses we produce. We designed the first one for ourselves. Who knows what our professional path would have been if it weren't for our bad experiences. They paved our way for us. There was no turning back now. We have changed our way of thinking forever...

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

EDAWD : We think the internet is the king now in this regard. Designers should not be afraid to show their works to the world. The belief that you won't like it is not the best thing. Courage helps you achieve a lot. After all, everything on earth is made for man by man.

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

EDAWD : We are currently implementing another DA house in Masuria. This is a new challenge for us because we put together unusual parts of the building. This project also had to comply with the principles of the regional style of Masuria Region.We will continue to build our ecological homes as best we can. The dream is for each of them to be zero or plus energetic and to be a role model for other designers.We believe that we now have all the tools to create only ecological buildings.

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

EDAWD : Our dream is for our ecological houses to be role models for other designers and builders. Our role will end someday. We dream that our knowledge and experience will not be lost and will be a knowledge base for others

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

EDAWD : Our clients want to entrust us with the construction of their dream place to live. So we must expect each other to trust each other.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

EDAWD : Every project and project carries a lot of responsibility. In times of global warming, the carbon footprint of each product is extremely important. When we took on the challenge of designing and building ecological houses, it took us years of preparation and learning. We get great satisfaction from this and feel proud that we managed to achieve it for the general good for better society.

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

EDAWD : We are currently working on another ecological modular house. We are equally excited about every project. Each one is slightly different and presents a new challenge.

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

EDAWD : The hardest ones... It's easy to accept the reward after hard work. It is not valued so much when it is easy to get her.

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

EDAWD : In the face of many mass projects of low quality, we would like the designer's rank to be higher. We hope to work in partnership with our clients and have a lot of trust. Unfortunately, it is not easy in a world where authorities are falling... to be one of them for someone.

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

EDAWD : We think it aims to convey design to artificial intelligence. But we hope that in terms of art, which undoubtedly is architecture, there will remain space for human creativity and a sense of beauty. We can already see how prefabrication of houses will replace traditional construction. We are part of it ourselves. Where processes can be simplified, implementation time and costs shortened, unification will prevail. However, we are an example that unification did not destroy the artistic tone.

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

EDAWD : It looks very different. As a rule, however, we return with the client to the first concept, the one that grew from our intuition.

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

EDAWD : We start by setting limits. Just as working with a small space is extremely difficult, each project has its own framework that cannot be omitted. Houses are not built in a vacuum. A house will be built somewhere, for someone... how to build it, how to use it and how to finally remove it with the least possible impact on the environment are the challenges in our design.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

EDAWD : Less means more. Cleansing the project and unnecessary things in our lives, at least in our case, gives the desired effect.

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

EDAWD : We believe that projects set trends. This was also the case with us. Before the simple shape of the building and the materials we use became a permanent trend in our market, we had been designing them for many years. People started imitating us and the trend became noticeable. We are very happy about this.

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

EDAWD : Technology is key. How and from what you build your product will depend on how much of a burden it will be on the planet. As our case shows, the construction technology gave us scope to show off and made the project innovative and created for the present and the future.

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

EDAWD : Someone once invented plastic... then beautiful plastic chairs... but it is the current generations who have to bear the bad consequences of these projects

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

EDAWD : The role of color and material is very important. It affects our feelings and makes us feel either good or bad. Each color affects our well-being and the material affects our health. Choosing them correctly is a big responsibility and not fun.

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

EDAWD : We don't know... I guess it's about whether it's healthy and ecologically sustainable. Nowadays, too much attention is paid to whether something is pretty and prestigious, and not to how it will affect us and others.

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

EDAWD : Did it solve any problem. Is it fully thought out?!

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

EDAWD : We support each other and we are really lucky that we design together and complement each other. We usually have similar views on a given project.

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

EDAWD : We interacted to each other. Our shared experiences have shaped us.

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

EDAWD : oh my, there are many of them. Certainly books about mycology and hemiology of building materials and all the design in the world that I can find in my books collected over the years.

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

EDAWD : We designed, designed and designed again. Just like a musician has to deal with the material of music almost every day, a designer also has to practice. This is the key to being good at what you do.

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

EDAWD : We would like to meet Charles and Ray Eams. They struggled, like us, as a married couple, with the matter of design. It would be interesting to confront our everyday challenges.

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

EDAWD : Fame is something elusive. There are few things that can influence how we perceive the world and who we are. Prizes don't change anything here. Maybe they only influence us to be even better... to set new limits for ourselves.

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

EDAWD : Our favorite color is blue... blue like the sky and oceans is our logo. We feel best by the water and in the forest, we love Italian cuisine, it is simple and delicious and made of high-quality products. The time of year is spring, when everything comes to life, and autumn, when everything goes to sleep and brings silence, we do not try to get attached to things and we like niche brands dealing with crafts.

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

EDAWD : It was funny when someone once stopped us in the shop parking lot because he wanted to buy our car. We met each other. We sold him our car and at the same time we designed a wooden viewing tower for him... A real happy accident :) As you can see, you can also gain customers this way.

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

EDAWD : We are most happy when we start and finish a project.

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

EDAWD : A designer? Yes. We weren't interested in being famous

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

EDAWD : I don't think anyone knows that. Our reality is constantly changing... it's hard to predict what will happen in a year... let alone so far away. We have our scenarios, but we probably won't talk about them because they don't bode well for us as humanity.

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

EDAWD : We are a married couple of architects. We value modesty, we love silence, we like simple things.We love good food and small pleasures. We design and build ecological modular houses. Ecology and health are our priorities. We strive to lead a peaceful and simple life in harmony with what surrounds us.