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Interview with Andrei Korsun

Korsun Andrei is a young industrial designer, having two degrees (engineering and a second degree in design), tries to approach design from two sides - at the forefront of science and style.

Andrei Korsun

Designer of the Day Interview

12 June 2023

I graduated from the Aviation Institute as a hydro-aerodynamic engineer, and then I studied at the British Higher School of Art & Design as an interior designer. I worked as an interior designer and project manager for a few years, and then I went completely into industrial design. Apprenticed at furniture factories, and then worked in consumer goods (mostly plastic). I started as an ordinary designer, and quickly enough became head of design department. It was a very useful experience, and it helps me a lot now.

It probably comes from childhood, when the desire to create only gets stronger with age.
It all started with children's constructors like Lego, then there were mechanical constructors, labor lessons at school, engineering education... All this spurred and inspired me. The most wonderful feeling in the world - to see live what recently was a thought in my head.

I try to stick to the rule - less is more. I am impressed by the Bauhaus school, but periodically I want to add some element of playfulness. I am delighted with Streamline, the impeccability of the materials is impressive. At the same time I try to make the design of the product relevant for as long as possible. If we are talking about products which have functions other than aesthetics, the first place will be usability and quality of materials. Of course I try to use all the available tools, like hand modeling, digital sketching, 3d modeling and 3D printing of prototypes. At the moment I am actively learning how to work with neural networks.

It is a meditative state during the design process, and a total euphoria afterwards. I can't tear myself away from the design process until I finish what I have in mind. It can be a sketch, or a 3D model, or just a text description of the idea, it does not matter, the main thing is to capture the very first spark.

I think throughout my life there were things that encouraged me to design - a passion for constructors, puzzles, machinery (anything from motorcycles to airplanes). Then education (even in engineering - gives the opportunity to consider the aircraft in detail, to understand how it was designed, it's inspiring). There were also things not directly related to design. Such as a banal curiosity, I've been traveling a lot since childhood and have therefore seen the culture of different countries, the variety of nature, the radically different cities. All this multiplied by childhood curiosity forms a certain basic knowledge, and later on it helped me a lot as a designer. And when I first picked up a piece completely designed by me, I realized that I could never give up that delightful feeling.

I don't want to get too far ahead, but one of my goals is to design a furniture collection and work with an international manufacturer to bring that idea to life. And the dream project is a car. It's still a long way off, but nothing is impossible))

Always stay hungry. Even if you have a name afterwards, you'll get a lot - stay hungry for new things. Never get hung up on one thing, look at the world with the eyes of a child.

Simple enough - I can work till late night, so I wake up not too early, and not always in a good mood)))
Of the things that most inspire and encourage me every day, I'll single out watching the news - it's always great to be one of the first to learn something new) And the second is having multiple projects - I sometimes prefer to switch from one project to another, in the process of routine development, this allows you to leave a fresh perspective and not burn out, sitting on one project for a long time.

As I said before, I try to look through all sorts of news on completely different spheres of design. Plus, of course, I'm on various sites like Behance.
As for trends, I think that following design trends is rather a sign of lack of your own opinion, or fear of broadcasting it. I mean, it's clear that there are global trends in society-such as conscious consumption and concern for the environment right now. These are terrific trends, and following them is absolutely fine. But if we take biodesign cars as an example, then those who first used it are geniuses, and they are the drivers of progress, but their followers are not so valuable for history... In my opinion a good designer is someone who creates timeless things or someone who is one of the first to create trends. Chasing fashion means always falling behind.

It's simple enough, if the project meets the specified functions, perfectly executed in detail, and at the same time causes interest in the consumer - it's good design. If, however, this project will still be relevant in 10-20 years, it is an excellent design. A common mistake is the inability to stop in time. And to go overboard with the design. Adding to a good project more and more seemingly good elements, there is a great risk to overdesign and overcomplicate the beautiful idea at the beginning.

The moment I realize that I've done everything I originally intended, and the function for which the object was created is 100% fulfilled, then the design is complete. It's really simple, when I have nothing to say in the language of design, the project is done)
If we're talking about improving this project after a while, well that's a good opportunity. It is possible to keep the spirit and idea of the past project and develop a redesign, it does not mean that the first iteration was incomplete, it means that we have gained experience and we are still interested in the subject, that's fine)

At the moment it is a concept for the Circle Lounge O chair. For quite a long time the idea was formed in my head, but I never dared to try to implement it. The project is really complex, because it involves many components. First of all ergonomically and in terms of choice of materials. This project is also pure inspiration and an attempt to do something that no one has done before, so there was a huge challenge with the calculation of dimensions, choice of materials (so the chair does not weigh like an airplane)) and lighting technology. In this project I wanted to create an armchair which would dominate both the interior and the exterior. At the same time it had to be functional and not overloaded with unnecessary details. I really like this project as it is a challenge to myself and the gold award I received in another international competition confirmed that I have successfully completed this challenge)

I have great respect for the Bauhaus school - Walter Gropius, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Marcel Breuer; I also like Gaetano Pesce, Joe Colombo, Ron Arad; especially Eileen Gray and Le Corbusier... The list of infinitely talented people is very long and each of them in their own way can inspire me with their creativity to create something new, which inspires)
Of the modern design objects, I am still impressed by the Hamaca-bath by Splinterworks - always current, catchy, on the verge of art, I like the atypical choice of material.
And the Mountain View lamp by Dima Loginoff - a beautiful design and tribute to the craftsmanship of the craftsmen who create this masterpiece.

I love working late into the night with music in my ears. Music is one of the important components of my work process, it affects my mood and helps me to concentrate. Another important factor that affects my work process is the place where I work. I have noticed that for me the ideal combination is a city environment with warm, sunny weather - the city sets the pace of work and the weather sets a positive mood. These factors contribute to good design, which in turn will have a positive impact on everyone. After all, with good design around, everyone's life becomes a little better - some functions make life easier, and a thoughtful appearance brings beauty and peace of mind.

There are many positive aspects, but I'll highlight a couple: 1. The amazing multi-layered nature of the contest and the accompaniment that followed. Seriously, I haven't seen anything like this in any other award competition. You have a calculator to help an aspiring designer calculate royalties! This is an incredibly scrupulous approach that deserves applause. 2. The excellent work of the technical support. This is a very important factor that really shows the seriousness of the organizers' approach to the contest. I had a few questions, and support, despite the workload, responded very quickly.
I will name three things as the main pluses of participating in competitions :
1.The opportunity to test yourself as a designer (do not rely on the opinion of friends or employer, but to hear the reaction of recognized professionals).
2.To meet the participants and make new useful acquaintances, see like-minded people, make friends.
3.To feel yourself in design environment. It is very important, as it gives an additional incentive for further progress.
In my opinion design contests are very useful because even if you don't win, you can get evaluated, make conclusions, practice the necessary skills and try again. It's a great indicator of growth, and a wonderful opportunity to publicize your name if you participate successfully. I am very positive about any awards, and would love to be Designer of the Day in any publication.

Interview about Swan Kitchen Faucet Design Interview

Design Legend Interview

12 June 2023

I have more than 7 years of experience as a designer in various spheres. I have worked as an interior designer, a furniture designer, and a designer of consumer goods (mostly plastic products). I have two educations: one from the Aviation Institute, a hydro-aerodynamic engineer; the other from the British Higher School of Arts & Design, interior design.

The main motivation is the satisfaction of the visibility of the result of work. It gives a powerful charge of energy. Plus, this is just as important, there are no limits in this profession, you have to learn and improve yourself every day, it's cool. I became a designer because it is a very curious combination of creativity, technology, interaction with people and no frames. I've been interested in making things with my hands since I was a kid, and I was genuinely happy when something good came out. I try to keep that feeling from my childhood even now.

It was a completely conscious choice. It seems to me that a designer, like a few other professions, is one in which you cannot succeed if you are not passionate about it.

I try not to get hung up on any one direction. But probably the most interesting things to design would be lighting and furniture, especially lounge chairs. The interest in designing lighting is understandable - it's a terrific play with light as part of the design. And chairs for lounges are interesting primarily because of the infinite range of shapes and materials, I think this is an area in which there are almost no rules, it's inspiring)

Since I am not a design legend at the moment, I can only briefly present this path. It consists of constant involvement in the profession, of the endless search for inspiration in the world around me, and most importantly, of the non-stop process of creating concepts, fulfilling orders, and making as much effort as possible to promote my ideas and myself as a brand.

I think what distinguishes great designers is their ability to create a design that is relevant at any time... We look at the Barcelona by Mies van der Rohe, and there is no question as to whether it is beautiful or relevant - it's a perfect example of the greatness of the creator. And accordingly if a designer is able to create more than one such item, he is undoubtedly a great professional.

As I said, in my opinion, it may be the relevance of the product over time, and non-standard, innovative solution to any problem, if the product is made simply, high quality and intrigues the user - it's good design.

The value of design is in the emotion it evokes, in the comfort it gives, in the solving of a problem, these things can't be free or cost next to nothing. It's painstaking work by professionals, and the more people invest in it, participate in it, the more amazing products will surround each of us. It is, after all, a wonderful opportunity for everyone, to fill their world with beauty in every object.

I'm afraid I'll get tired of enumerating)
Of course I would be happy if my SWAN faucet would interest big manufacturers of sanitary ware, like Devon&Devon or Gessi etc...
Also, I would be very happy to design a series of lamps for AxoLight, I am very impressed by their selection of lighting. If it's a large-scale idea, I'd be happy to design an armchair for Knoll or an interior luminaire for Flos...

Oh, that's a great question, as design is interesting to me in all areas, a dream project from way back in my childhood to work on automotive design. At the moment I am very far from creating it. But I hope a great desire sooner or later will make this childhood dream come true)

I think it's a trivial desire to look at a problem from a different angle. I can't say it's the secret ingredient, but it regularly helps you come up with something original. Sometimes you should take it literally: you need to come up with a chair- turn yours over, then walk around, it helps and it's pretty fun)

I have great respect for the Bauhaus school - Walter Gropius, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Marcel Breuer; also Gaetano Pesce, Joe Colombo, Ron Arad; especially Eileen Gray and Le Corbusier stand out for me... The list of endlessly talented people is very long and each of them, in their own way, can push me to create something new, which inspires me)

I'll give you just a couple of examples, although there are actually more than a hundred)
Bibendum by Eileen Gray - timeless, playful yet very austere, a stunning chair.
Well Tempered and Big Easy by Ron Arad - unimaginable mix of art and functionality, breathtaking.
Hamaca-bath by Splinterworks - very modern, catchy and also on the verge of art, I like the atypical choice of material

There is no such thing, because it would mean that the subsequent items fall short or worse in some way, and I hope that everything I do will be distinguished by excellent design)
Luckily it's not for me to judge)

It's very simple - you need to look around as much as possible, to be interested in different areas of life and creativity, not to get hung up on one thing. Always have a thirst for new things.

I think it's impossible) Maybe I'd be in related fields to design, engineering, but I'd still end up coming to design.

It is a multifaceted beauty. Good design is the totality of a huge number of components, all together and individually they represent beauty.

My whole family is like a huge incentive and endless support. And my art history teacher, Olga Rozet, who gave me my first incentive.

A constant thirst for knowledge and learning about the world around me. And perhaps just as importantly, I don't look at design as a job. Design is an inseparable part of me.

I don't want to get too far ahead of myself, but it will be another faucet and a number of furniture elements)

I can't imagine, I guess, that my projects will be better every time)

I think it carries an enlightening and innovative banner. Design can push technology forward, can bring beauty and convenience into everyone's life. To diversify people's lives.

For example, the baby bathing couch project. This is a wonderful experience. You have to make the most thoughtful, functional thing possible. And, most unforgettable, for a very young person, thinking about ergonomics and attractive appearance. It is a delightful experience and a total satisfaction of the work done.

I would love to see how the industry will change under the influence of modern technology, especially neural networks. I think we are witnessing a very interesting technological breakthrough that will affect all areas of human activity, which is inspiring.

It highly depends on the project itself and the goals it pursues. If we are talking about Swan (kitchen faucet), it took no more than a month.

Everything starts before the market analysis, only having received the introductory information from the customer I make a few sketches, the first thing that was born in my head. In the future, after analyzing, identifying problems and solutions, working through the idea, I try to keep that bit of inspiration, it makes the product more alive.

Good design sets the trends itself, in contrast to the mass, everyday design, which follows trends.

These are the key components. You can come up with a great shape, but if you position it inappropriately, selecting materials incorrectly, you get more like a caricature of what you originally intended. Good design is always a competent, scrupulous approach to all components, it is always reverent attitude to detail.

I would be interested in questions about the choice of materials, the style of the piece, and the nuances in the details.

It was at the very beginning of my conscious creative path. I was lucky, I had an absolutely extraordinary history of art teacher, Olga Rozet. A woman who sincerely loved her profession and gave infinite enthusiasm to all her students. In addition to practical knowledge, she gave me the confidence to make interesting designs.

The very first thing I designed was the entrance group to the office building. It's more of an architectural project. There was a сurious case with that project: the company was not offered to participate in architectural supervision. Instead, the customer decided to save some money and arranged a fine finish without finalized drawings, solely based on renders. As a result, the workers who laid out the tiles in the hall decided that the black stripes running along the floor from the columns were in fact some other black tiles and made diagonal stripes across the entire hall. In reality, these stripes are shadows. The entire lobby had to be remodeled...

Knowing that on any given day I can come up with something new and intriguing, something that can then be implemented and seen by other people is a giant motivating factor. And of course I always strive to make my family proud of me, so that my little son, seeing my hard work, would also strive for more.

I'm not sure that it was obvious that I would be a good designer, but it was clear at once)). When adults asked me if I wanted to work in a bank, I answered firmly as soon as I learned to speak - no).

It's an interesting question, I think, and I hope humanity can fully realize itself. And work together to explore the unknown.

I will make a promise to myself to everyone - not to slow down, and strive to do great things, not to lose my passion for learning and always progressing.

Designer Interview

15 May 2023

My journey into the world of design began when I was a child. I was just a boy, but I already loved cars and everything about them. Like many others, I wanted to draw my own version of each car that passed by. Years passed, but interest in creativity only progressed and in high school all my notebooks were painted with sports cars, chairs and just patterns.
When entered the State Aviation Institute with a potential degree in hydroaerodynamics, I was looking forward to not just drawing pictures, but designing and seeing the end result of my work. While the education was amazing, unfortunately, there were no job opportunities in this field in my country. I worked for some time as a sales manager in various companies, and then got a job in an architectural bureau. It was there that I first saw the result of my painstaking work - the entrance group to the office building. It gave me a huge boost of energy. I entered the British Higher School of Design, got my second degree and since then I was forever connected with design.
Subsequently, there were internships in furniture companies, working as a freelancer, working as an interior designer and working for a manufacturing company engaged in the production of consumer goods from plastic. I have never regretted any of my career steps because it has given me such valuable experience, I have learned from many mistakes and still passionately love every part of designing something.

For me, design is some sort of a language, a way to communicate with each other. By using it, you can talk to thousands of people from different parts of the world at the same time. With the help of design, you can emphasize any problem, you can boost someone’s confidence or, just comfort him, cheer him up or you can even scare him. You can let the design be a significant part of something, or vice versa, you can make it an almost invisible helper. Good design is, mainly, a function, but just like a word can be used in different ways, the design of one object can be done in so many diverse ways. By communicating with society through design, we free ourselves from language, distance or national barriers. This creates an amazing feeling of unity with the whole world.

I would say that my most beloved areas of design are perhaps furniture design and lighting design. I like to design furniture, because despite the infinite number of variations of each item and the established canons of convenience - there are still billions of unspoken ideas. It invigorates, energizes, it presents a challenge every time. And the design of light is a mystical art that allows you to create thousands of form variations through interaction with light and shadow.

I can’t single out something specific, I’ll rather name a few areas of design that impressed me the most. One of them has to be the Streamline - I love that era in the U.S. - powerful, dynamic, confident. I like the courage and the scope of buildings and products that were being designed at that time. At the same time, I am also very impressed by the Bauhaus. This is the most iconic phenomenon in the design world in my opinion. Masters of their craft, who presented a whole scattering of beautiful timeless products. It seems to me that this is a great indicator of excellent design, when the product passes the test of time and is still relevant, desirable, and fresh.

The very first thing I designed was the entrance group to the office building. It's more of an architectural project. There was a сurious case with that project: the company was not offered to participate in architectural supervision. Instead, the customer decided to save some money and arranged a fine finish without finalized drawings, solely based on renders. As a result, the workers who laid out the tiles in the hall decided that the black stripes running along the floor from the columns were in fact some other black tiles and made diagonal stripes across the entire hall. In reality, these stripes are shadows. The entire lobby had to be remodeled...

I adore working with marble for the variety and depth of the drawing, as well as the feeling of it - it can be homely warm, or it can be cold like space. At the same time, I like modern composite materials (e.g. forged carbon) - they give you more freedom in terms of working with the shape and it can look really impressively.

Usually at night) my family is not very happy about it))
If I am being serious, I am always in creative mood and try to look around for inspiration and pay attention to the surroundings. It's kind of an endless quest to find something new and then create new products based on it.

I mainly try to focus on such things as: impact on society, user experience, shapes and forms, quality and selection of materials, place in time as I want to rather create the products that would not correspond to today’s world, but items that will remain relevant many years later.

It feels like I meditate. When I fully understand the task, immersed in the process of creation, time ceases to exist for me. I will not stop and leave the table until I finish the thought that has formed into the product.

It is the ultimate form of pleasure, that's what I work for. Seeing the materialization of your idea is a great reward and then seeing another person using your product which makes him a little bit happier is the highest honor.

Society's reaction. If your design makes the people react - it's a successful design. And the more active and large-scale the reaction, the better. And in order for society to react, it is necessary to be a part of it, to understand what it needs, what problems and experiences it has. This is an important social aspect of the design.

Since the very first impression is visual, the first aspect would be relevance. If you can imagine the design to be relevant in 10-20 years, that's great. I also look for some hidden features, that play a little mind trick with the customer. If the product has some little details that are imperceptible at first glance, but what they do is actually bring an emotional component when it is noticed, that's perfect.

I am convinced that every designer, whether beginner or professional, has a major influence on these aspects. You are able to conduct a dialogue with society in any way possible and also select the materials and think about their future fate at the very beginning of product development.

It seems to me that future technologies will allow us to make a revolutionary leap in the field of design. Neural networks, augmented reality, 3D printing, all this is developing very rapidly, and no doubt will remove many existing technological limitations. And the processes of design production and presentation will change - the future is at our doorstep and it sounds amazing)

It can be a lot of things that surround me every day, events, people, places. The most important thing is to always be interested in something new and keep your eyes wide open. I can be inspired by a chip on the kitchen table or maybe by Gaudi’s sketch. There are no boundaries here.

I think it's a paradoxical mix of Bauhaus and Streamline)
It seems to me that functional, strict, laconic forms can be perfectly combined with exceptionally high-quality materials and can sometimes be supplemented with a little artsy details. This creates some intrigue.

Usually this is a remote collaboration, but I never refuse a chance to fly in, get acquainted, see how the production operates. It can be both contractual work or a one-time order.

It’s actually very simple. Browse the current competitions and the work of participants, select a few you like. Ask yourself why this item is made the way it is and what the designer had in mind. Ask him the same questions. If the direction of your thoughts converge, I think you will be comfortable working with him.

During the development of a new product, even before the market analysis, just after receiving introductory information from the customer, I make a few sketches, the first thing that comes to mind. After analyzing, identifying problems and ways to solve them, working out the idea, I try to keep that particle of inspiration in there, which makes the product more alive.

Since I am a fairly young designer myself, I can advise them to remain passionate about your work and always stay hungry for new knowledge.

I can't name a single negative thing in the designer's work. If you truly feel passionate about it, then all obstacles will only help you to gain useful experience. If we talk about the pros - what could be more beautiful to then making the lives of people around you a little better?

I would say I actually have three of them. First, is to do only those projects that are interesting, that will solve an actual problem or bring joy/benefit to people. Second, is to use the minimum amount of funds to get the maximum effect. And last, but not least is to be yourself, do not lose your vision for the sake of fashion.

In my opinion, the main skill of any designer is to have a broad outlook. It all starts with it. Your talent, the ability to communicate with people, the skills to use the software, academic knowledge - it's, of course, important, but if you don't look around enough, it's unlikely that you will become a good designer.

For me, it is pretty simple, I can work on the project for days until I finish it. The project, the idea, completely absorbs me. Perhaps this is not very good from the health point of view, but I cannot do it any other way around))

It seems to me that this question is being asked to every designer - how did you come up with this? Where did you get the inspiration?)

Right now, there are several companies producing plastic goods and a startup engaged in woodworking. However, I am actively looking for new customers involved in furniture, lighting and bathroom equipment.

My short-term plans are to connect with as many potential customers as possible, implement the concepts that I already finished and continue to participate as actively as possible and win in international competitions and exhibitions.

I currently work as an individual, but I am always open to contribute to a team.

There are many ways you can reach me. I am always looking to connect
Behance: https://www.behance.net/andreykors23
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrei-korsun-5a5132252/
e-mail: andkorsun@gmail.com
mob. phone: +7(707)070-67-71

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