Emel Balcı

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Emel Balcı ("EB") 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?

EB : since i was a child my only passion was being an architect and I was graduated from one of the leading university, İstanbul Technical University S Architecture faculty at 1999 and also had a masters degree at the same faculty at 2002

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

EB : my big brother is an architect so i lived in architecture and designs since i was a child and admired of being an architect . from my childhood my only passion was being an architect and designing and i did it

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

EB : being an architect was my only passion and only aim so i did it and i am so much in love with my job

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

EB : i mostly design luxury homes and residental projects but within these projects i designed lots of brand office projects too

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

EB : young designers firstly convinced themselves that being an architect or designer is a job that they should be in love with . to be a good designer they should be very curious about everything , they should travel all over the world to be inspired and the most important thing is they shoul be very concantrated and hard working

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

EB : to be uniqe is the most important item i think. you can be inspired by anything but every single item they design should be both functional and chiq a great designer will lead the sector with its designs

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

EB : a good design should have some properties; being uniq, being functional, being decorative and being entragrated with modern technology

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

EB : a good design will easy your lives in several ways; gives peace whan you arrived the place, being functional when you use, gives what you need to survive your lives

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

EB : ı would design public places which affects lots of people such as libriaries, cultural building, art museums

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

EB : i want to design boutique uniq hotel projects all over the world and i want to design libriares all over the world

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

EB : i think my secret is listening my customers so carefully and understand what they need deeply i make surveys before i start my design and make sure that i will do my best

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

EB : frank lloyd wright and zaha hadid who i admired so much

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

EB : my residental projects are liked by lots of people because i am uniq and i design both functional and chiq places i am using naturel materials and pastel tones which feels peace to people

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

EB : the project which won the award is one og my best project , especially the sling wooden curtains attracted people

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

EB : they should work so much, search new technology and materials , they should be a good listeners and use their technical knowladge

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

EB : most probably i would be a plastic surgent which i can use my design and techniq knowladge

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

EB : they are plain, chiq, functional , well soluted for the needs of customers and they are entagreted with modern technology

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

EB : i am my own supporter because i am so much in love with my job i work so much and never give up

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

EB : again my self , i achieved everything i had my own

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

EB : there are lots of designers in my country and all over the world. i founded a method called touching which made me be a speacial designer and made the diffence in architecture platform

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

EB : they should present their work so plain and understandable which will convince their customers to approve their work

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

EB : i am continuing designing residental projects but you will see my designs all over the world in the future i think

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

EB : being one of the legend designer all over the world

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

EB : people works with designed to have their dream places they want every details to be perfect designed but also functional design they want to feel happy in their places but also they want all they needs to be gathered

DL: How does design help create a better society?

EB : good designs make peoples lives easier that is the most important item designers should think

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

EB : i am currently designing luxury residental projects and i am so excited for all of them

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

EB : when bedget is not limited, i can dsign whatever i want so bugdet free projects are my favorite

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

EB : mor technology used materials and products will be seen mostly in the future which is a must have situaiton

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

EB : i think technologcy will be leading every design and designer so i am excited

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

EB : mostly between 4 to 6 weeks i design my each project and finalize them

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

EB : i start with making survey with my customers whom will use the places . what they dream what they expect what the need is the most important items for me

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

EB : less is more and be uniq

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

EB : it depends, sometimes the design and sometimes the trends set designs but mostly universal designs sets the trends

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

EB : and it will be the leader and we have to use it for making the designs more useable

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

EB : i do my design with paper and pencils first then techical projects are done by the crews

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

EB : for the best ambience, all the colors and materials sould be in the same game their combination make the place peacefully

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

EB : mostly they i ask me about my ispiration bu i always give the same answer , my customers are my inspiration

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

EB : i congratulate the designer and be happy if the design is uniq in all ways

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

EB : while designing i should be alone bu through out all the design co design is so much important to be perfect

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

EB : what i find out from their comments are they feels my finished designs so peacefully

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

EB : i love travelling so much and i think my trips effects me more than books technical books makes me learn about techniqal details but my trips had the most effects

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

EB : i worked so much, i never give up and i always know that there are still much to learn

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

EB : space and infinity they are complex and hard to understand but i am so much curious

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

EB : no its not hard its fun to be famous and gives caourage to me

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

EB : My favorite colour is black my favorite city is istanbul and my favorite place is bosphorous my favorite food is pasta my favorite season is spring my favorite thing is my mobile phone and my favorite brand in architecture is nowadays moroso

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

EB : i really dont know a funny thing i think i accept alll things so seriously

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

EB : the passion and the love to my job is the first motivation and secondly my customers respect to me as a master designer

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

EB : yess because it was my only thing to be a designer

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

EB : i only guess technology will lead everything but it has lots of choices and getting bigger everyday so its hard to guess

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

EB : please keep supporting me, your are my inspiration and my power