Interview with Pablo Vidiella
Pablo Vidiella was born in 1984 in Madrid, where he is currently based. Interested in arts, he decided to study Architecture, obtaining the degree in 2013.
Interview about Hana Chair Design Interview
Designer Interview
10 November 2021
Interested in arts, I decided to study Architecture, obtaining the degree in 2013. After that I moved to London, where I started working in a well-known architectural practice, having the opportunity to work in different fields and scales of architecture and design, getting in touch with technical and digital fabrication. Back in Madrid, I decided to train and focus exploring and investigating creation boundaries as a personal challenge until today. I have always felt attracted to creative process and design, both on an architectural scale and on a smaller scale. Small pieces such as furniture, gives me a very superior creative freedom in terms of design.
HenkaLab is an award winning studio created in 2017, where shape experimentation takes place. Inspired by nature, my work emulates evolutionary processes, subjecting pure geometries to certain tensions, obtaining new living forms that fit a specific use. HenkaLab becomes a way of expressing my own personal state, my creative evolution. Thus begins, a time of personal challenges, investigation of new forms, learning new techniques and materials.
Design is the art of giving creative response to a general or particular need, with nature as the main source of inspiration.
I really like designing furniture pieces, conceived as practical sculptural pieces.
My favorite design is Sankao Coffee Table. I think it's my most magnetic piece, really close to nature and full of movement. Its attractive shape, together with the warmth of the material, makes the user to come closer, touch it, sit next to it.
The first thing I designed for a company was a huge office building in London, UK.
Solid wood is by far my favorite material as I consider it 100% natural, sustainable and completely unique. The technology I like to use is CNC computer numerical control machines.
Every time I'm close to nature. Whenever I spend a few days close to nature, I really love spending time looking at small details we can find out there, inspiring objects such as shells, leaves, small animals...
For me it is important that the resulting form is the product of a clear, simple and easily understandable previous work. I don’t like complicated or unnecessary elements in my designs. I always try to keep things simple and that’s one of the most difficult challenges in design.
Freedom. Whenever I design I know I can create without boundaries.
Complete satisfaction. I consider every creation as part of myself.
A design is successful it it's able to connect with the user.
A good design makes the observer interact with the object in a natural way. It must be useful (solve a problem or a need), and must be harmonious and visually attractive. Other than this, I consider a design to be unsuccessful.
Designer should give answers to problems and needs in social life, being always respectful with the environment and the materials we use to avoid harming nature. We cannot solve problems if, by doing so, we are creating new environmental issues. This is extremely important to understand.
In my opinion, nowadays design is at a time of explosive international openness. All the disciplines of design seem to be blending in, interacting with each other and the results are amazing. I think this is the future, design is more and more present in everything, being more important than ever.
My last exhibition was in Maison et Objet last year. Because of the pandemic situation, it was a digital fair. I'm not sure yet which is going to be my next step in exhibitions.
Nature is my main source of inspiration, as well as architecture. As an architect, I like to be updated in the world of architecture since I consider it the greatest of all arts.
I don't really like the word "style", I don't believe I follow a style, and if I do I'm not sure if I can give a word to describe what I do. I understand design as a process of using and transforming pure geometries in order to achieve functional objects that fit an specific use.
I live in Madrid, Spain. Spain is a very cultural and artistic country, full of colour and cultural heritage. I consider all of this as part of myself; I've grown surrounded by my culture so obviously this has an effect in my designs.
I usually work with small retail companies that offer my designs to their customers.
There is a lot of work under every creation. In some cases, I think companies should be a little more understanding when doing business with designers as sometimes the conditions they offer are somewhat abusive.
22.When facing a new creation, I always have nature and living forms as a reference and inspiration. Every curve and surface present in living beings have a biological explanation related to a certain function over time, and these evolutionary changes and transformations are what I find especially inspiring. The creative process consists of trying to emulate these natural process, experimenting and subjecting pure geometries to certain tensions, obtaining new living forms that fit a specific use. This experimental phase is developed through direct transformation exercises using materials like plasticine or paper, and tools such as drawing and 3D software.
A large dining table, living room rug, a nice shelf, comfortable dining chair and sofa.
I usually spend my mornings drawing and exploring new designs at my studio in Madrid, and enjoy my children and family in the evenings.
I would tell them not to over-design, that is, to focus on designing things that are really useful to society. And of course I would ask them to be respectful with the environment and nature during the process of design.
Design should help the progress of a society. It’s one more tool, and well used is wonderful. Being a designer gives you this power and this responsibility. This can be understood from a positive or negative point of view. Design can give lots of satisfactions, as well as many frustrations.
Keep things simple.
Patience, sensitivity with the environment, and be empathetic with society to know how to read people’s needs. A designer must have taste and talent towards art and artistic composition.
During my experimental phase I use materials like plasticine or paper, and tools such as drawing and 3D software, usually Rhino.
Combining work and family is always complicated. I try to manage my time as well as I can, I guess like everyone else. It's not easy, and you never have enough time.
It depends, sometimes I get really fast to the final piece and other times I don’t feel comfortable with what I'm achieving and I have to start over many times. It's difficult to predict how long is going to take at the beginning of each design.
"Are you really able to live from your work?" My answer is always, no. Unfortunately, it's very complicated to live from design.
Working in an architectural practice in London. It gave me a lot of design knowledge.
Private clients and some small Retail stores.
Really enjoying designing furniture pieces at the moment, I consider them small architectural/sculptural pieces, which bring me close to my training as an architect.
Keep on designing, keep on learning.
At this moment I develop my designs by myself. The manufacturing process is developed by external wood artisans.
Currently i'm working in a bench. It's a reinterpretation of a conventional bench, with some interesting transformations.
People may contact me via my website, https://www.henkalab.com/ , at any time.
Just wanted to say thank you to A' Design Awards for the opportunity, we should all work in the same direction to to enhance the world of design.