I have an undergraduate degree in studio art and a graduate degree in Industrial Design. In between my schooling years i worked as an apprentice to a cabinet maker and at Marmol-Radziner, an architecture firm in Los Angeles.
Knot-La is a multidisciplinary design studio based in Los Angeles, Ca. We focus on contract and custom furniture as well as architectural installations.
As a creative I always start with a human centered approach to design challenges. One hopes that the final out come of the design investigation will result in value creation on multiple levels, from the consumer down thru all of the stake holders.
Its hard to pick a favorite because it ebbs and flows but, Yngve Ekstrom designed a chair for Swedese in the 1950's called the Lamino Chair. I recently acquired and am pretty fond of its form and function.
The realization of a product or service evokes parental emotions. When you work long and hard on a design problem its creation is like giving birth to a new idea, a new thought, a new interpretation of the world.
The first question I always ask is "does it solve a problem". Designers are problem solvers, investigators, researchers and I believe great products solve problems and create new value. The highest achievement of design lies in this arena.
Design is a powerful engine that can create immense change in the world. The designers responsibilities lie at intersection of observation and creation. Within those cross hairs exists the possibility environmentally responsible and socially aware change.
Design is evolving to encompass more immersive technologies. In the future design will be personalized, tracking everything from the movement of our eyes to the perspiration on our skin. A dialog between objects and people will come to create new challenge and opportunities in the future.
My inspiration really comes from observation of people, behaviors and systems. The seed of a design concept germinates in that space and ultimately manifests itself in a design.
I live in Los Angeles CA where everything is new, so to speak. In that sense i have total freedom of mind with no concrete connection to historical heritage.
The selection of a designer is a tricky process. The work the designer creates has to align with the underlying ethos of the selected company. A good designer can adapt their execution stylistically to fit that companies ethos while still maintaining the designers philosophical underpinnings.
My process involves research and insight first and foremost. Without a clear definition of the problem being solved design can become self fulfilling. The backbone of design answers the question of "what should we be making and why." From there one can move on to how it looks and functions.
My day consists of problem solving. After i have my coffee i sit down at the computer and try to solve design problems with a disciplined regiment of research, engineering and form development.
Good design comes from careful observation of problems centered around human needs. If you can define those problems clearly you can then move on to the object. Clarity is key. Understanding all of the stakeholders interests and resolving a human centered problem around those constraints will give the best possible chance for a successful design.
For me the best part of being a designer is that i am able to use my creativity every day. It is a hi-light and a joy and i feel very luck to be in this position. Inversely, the drive for perfection can become all encompassing.
Good design not only creates a visceral response but answers and solves unmet needs. Achieving these objectives in unison can create a golden product or service.
At the heart of any good design is a good problem solver and identifier. Understanding cultural context within the problem solving framework can lead to great work. A good designer must bridge the gap between the known and the possible and extend their own personal vision to span the divide.
Solidworks is my primary visualization tool. All designs start with research and quickly move to a sketch which helps to visualize and contextualize the problem being defined. Solidworks acts as a vehicle to realize the form and Bunkspeed renders it like like.
I work from 7:30 am until 6:30 pm daily. I give myself a window for the creation process. The rest of the time i act as a sponge absorbing as much information about the world, people and emerging technologies as possible. If you want to be a successful designer you have to be a careful observer. Synthesizing those observations is a continual process that i have incorporated into my daily existence.
There is not set rules or length of time one can put on the creation process. Deadlines drive projects so the length of time really depends on those constraints.
The most influential job I had in the early stages of my career was as an apprentice to a cabinet maker. I learned the importance of precision, hard work, and i developed a keen a appreciation for the material world.
I have worked for an array of clients doing architectural installations to interior design to furniture development. Working with Don Chadwick has been the most compelling and enlightening experience of my career.
I relish contract furniture work at this point in my career. I was trained as an industrial designer but my background in architecture has led me to the contract furniture world. Its architecture on a small manageable scale and it bridges my experiences well.
I will continue working in the contract furniture world and hope the exposure this competition brings will help me harness and realize those aspirations.
I have another piece in development that addresses mobility, storage and teaming withing the context of the work environment. I hope to find a licensee for this product in the near future.