Kazoo Design

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Kazoo Design ("KD") 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?

KD : Kostas: I have no background in design and I could say that I was self-taught, although I have worked in a few jobs where design was a key element. I studied forestry in university and before finishing my degree I got sucked into the world of CGI and specifically 3d modelling/animation. After endless hours of reading and practising 3d I got a job in a studio specializing in architectural visualizations. As my tasks started becoming too repetitive I went on to study 3d animation and visual effects in Vancouver. After that, I worked for a post-production studio in London for 3 years and later on moved to Istanbul where I worked for various visual effects projects. Zeynep: I come from a Graphic Design background where I studied a lot of Color Theory, Calligraphy and general Design theory at school. During the final years of University, I have started getting interested in 3D generated imagery. The first advertising company I’ve worked at after school, there was only one person who was doing 3D and he had an upper hand compared to more traditional artists, using pen and paper. So, later I decided to do sttend a 3d animation & Visual effects programme in Vancouver Film School, where I studied in depth 3D Animation. I also met my husband and future co-partner there and after years of working for advertising, movies and several television series we are excited to use our 3D expertise to create innovative homeware objects that bring out a unique style.

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

KD : Kostas: It is a way of expression. Some people do it by writing novels, others by composing music, others by singing, other by cooking. For me designing is the closet form of expressing my inner self. Zeynep: The idea that our handmade designs could one day find their way into someone's home or coffee shop, becoming an integral part of their daily routine, motivates me to create with the intention and care. I take pride in knowing that every object we craft will soon be treasured by someone who will appreciate its place in their life. Our products are not very common house objects, usually they have some twists, so I believe the customers who purchase also appreciate the uncommon designs.

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

KD : Kostas: I chose to become a designer, thinking I would have a chance to be good at it. Zeynep: Initially, I was encouraged by my husband to focus on designing homeware items, which was a departure from what we were used to doing. However, we wanted to expand our impact in the industry and felt that homeware design would provide us with a larger platform.

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

KD : We design household objects. We would like to design furniture and maybe one day a house to live in.

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

KD : Certainly not stop designing and try-out new things as much as they can.

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

KD : A very fine line distinguishes the two and the biggest difference is usually a final push

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

KD : A good design usually addresses a common, everyday problem, and a small design tweak can lead to a significant time savings and reduced frustrations. And other times it just brings more joy to your day.

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

KD : The value of good design is unmeasurable. It is a reason to thrive to move forward and evolve for the better.

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

KD : We would design toys for our children. And maybe some wall tiles.

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

KD : We would like to one day design a house for our family, based on everyone’s needs.

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

KD : A passion for what we do is probably a key element. We also always try to develop new skills/styles

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

KD : Gaetano Pesce, Konstantin Grcic, Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, Big-Game

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

KD : Flos Aim by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec. We like it since it's a very smart and unusual design for a pendant lamp. Herman Miller Aeron Chairs. We have been sitting on them for the last 10 years, they have not aged or gotten rotten and they are perfect for long term sitting and working.

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

KD : We think our greatest design is one we have finished working on but haven’t released yet.

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

KD : We designed again and again and again. Not every design that you have sketched out or blocked out will end up turning into a new object but you’re bound to get better with practice and eventually some of them will be realized into something.

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

KD : We probably would have continued creating CGI.

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

KD : For us, design is a very creative way for solving problems.

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

KD : We have been each other’s biggest supporter. If we both weren’t involved in this entire process we wouldn’t have made it up to here.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

KD : A passion for what we do.

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

KD : Second thoughts of whether or not shifting to design was the right move for our career.

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

KD : They should probably put themselves in the position of the audience they are referring to and see if the way they’re presenting their work would satisfy them, if they were the audience and not the designer.

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

KD : Many more lamps and objects will be coming out soon. Furniture is also something we are looking into getting into.

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

KD : To be able to do what we’re doing until the end of our career and inspire the next generation of designers

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

KD : To continue doing what we’re doing by constantly pushing boundaries.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

KD : Good design inspires people to come up with even more well designed things and subsequently creates a better habitat for people to live in.

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

KD : We are working on some new large pendant lamps, some of which will be made from porcelain while others from acrylic resin.

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

KD : The less intricate projects made us understand that a good design can come out of a more minimal approach.

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

KD : Since we are very involved with 3D and digital art, and it looks like with AI growing it’s roots in every industry. While it's possible that AI-powered design tools may enable designers to create with greater ease by simply typing in descriptions, it's essential to remember that the true value of design lies not just in the technical skills, but in the creative vision, emotional intelligence, and human touch that only a designer can bring.

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

KD : It really depends on the project but usually not very long. Time spent on the design of a project and the release of a prototype varies from a week to a few weeks. However we choose to block out many ideas and come back to them later on in time in order to finalize the ones we like the most.

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

KD : We usually start by discussing how we can produce it or if we can produce it or if it’s better to collaborate with some other crafts maker. We usually start and finalize the design and the mold in 3D.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

KD : Off to the next one!

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

KD : We would like to think it’s only the former but it’s surely both.

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

KD : We design digitally and 3d print our prototypes so technology plays a pretty important role in the creation of our objects.

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

KD : We use software that were originally created for VFX/animation, since we’ve worked with them for many years and have become very confident using them.

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

KD : Color and material are fundamental components of design, as they collectively set the tone and mood of an object. While we often design with bold color options, we also consider alternatives to cater to those who prefer a more subtle color palette. Material choices, too, play a crucial role in defining the object's character, whether it's lightweight and airy or heavy and substantial, transparent or opaque.

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

KD : We're excited to share that our process combines both traditional handcrafting and digital design. By exploring the intersection of manual craftsmanship and digital modeling, we can demystify the often-unknown art of computer-aided design and we would appreciate if people asked whether computer generated design is as hard as the traditional way of designing and crafting. It truly is.

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

KD : We’d like to meet the designer to understand more about the way he/she thinks.

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

KD : Our ideal design partner is one another and we do believe in co-design.

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

KD : We tend to work independently from others, minimizing the number of opinions to avoid confusion. As a result, we actually influence each other quite a bit.

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

KD : Eliot Goldfinger’s: Human Anatomy for Artists

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

KD : Kostas: Most design skills I have acquired have come from studying the work of architects for whose projects I worked on, from my background as a modeller/rigger for visual effects project as well as studying and practising photography. Zeynep: I come from using different mediums to make art. I have made projects using videography, letterpress, physical sculpting, life drawing, digital art, and all these and more have shaped my way of looking/seeing and thinking a lot when we are designing.

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

KD : This is the first competition we ever participated in. We are very happy with the awards and recognition we have received but don’t consider ourselves to be famous.

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

KD : Kostas: Favourite colour : Orange Favourite place: Bilbao Favourite food: Greek Salad Favourite thing: Digital Calipers Zeynep: Favourite colour : Blue Favourite place: London Favourite food: Pasta Favourite thing: Our Letter Phone Stands. I use the Z on my desk.

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

KD : When we came up with the 428 candleholder we wanted to see if we can produce in metal. Not having any experience in metal making we asked around and finally referred to a metal maker that we had found via someone else. He asked for us to provide him with wax copies of our object in order for him to make the bronze casts. A few days later we went back to him with the wax copies and asked him to provide us with metal copies that were polished. He said he understood what we wanted so we left and waited for his call to tell us when the copies would be ready in order to go pick them up. A week or two later we received his call and went by his workshop in order to go get the copies. To our surprise, the copies he gave us looked nothing like the wax copies we had given him since he had sanded out most of the object’s edges. He kept insisting that this was what we had asked him to do. We explained to him that we didn’t want the form of the object to change but only wanted it to be polished. In the end and after an hour of fighting, another metal smith from next door had to drop by in order to explain to him that he had totally messed up and what he wanted to deliver was clearly not acceptable. Luckily enough, we later on found another craftsman to make a metal copy for us but the whole proved to be very overwhelming and kept us away from making metal objects.

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

KD : We try to think of something very hard to make and then recall the times when we thought the same for any past project but ended up making it.

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

KD : Kostas: When I was young I always admired artists involved in different forms of art. Strangely enough it wasn’t what I studied in university but life came about and I got into it. Zeynep: Not really, I enjoyed drawing and painting when I was a child. Only after putting a lot of practice in it I felt I could finally make a career out of it.

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

KD : We pour our hearts and souls in every item we design and we plan on moving on same way for the rest of our careers.