Design Legend Interview
50 Froen
We have been designing, manufacturing and distributing a wide range of bathroom products for more than 40 years, a period of time in which we have crossed borders thanks to our intuition and know how.
Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?
We have been designing, manufacturing and distributing a wide range of bathroom products for more than 40 years, a period of time in which we have crossed borders thanks to our intuition and know how.
What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?
An important part of Bathco business strategy is the permanent dedication to invest in design, quality and innovation. Based on these three pillars we develop constantly new products in order to resolve customer needs and to adjust us to the tendency changes of the market.
Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?
We chose Design as a way of life, voluntary.
What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?
We usually design washbasins, furniture – cabinets, tops, etc. –, bathtubs, shower trays and mixers.
What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?
Work hardly and look for the inspiration everywhere.
What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?
The satisfaction of doing a good work.
What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?
The usability and the way that this design improve our life.
What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?
The best value is the permanence.
What would you design and who would you design for if you had the time?
A sanitary ware that would be installed everywhere without using water.
What is the dream project you haven't yet had time to realize?
We live in a society with great problems, then, we would like to create a bathroom accessory that could make us smile.
What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?
Work, work and work.
Who are some other design masters and legends you get inspired from?
Gaudí was a genius, Breuer because of his functionality, Arne Jacobsen…
What are your favorite designs by other designers, why do you like them?
All pieces of Gaudí, the Spanish invention: broom, Ant chair…
What is your greatest design, which aspects of that design makes you think it is great?
Icon washbasin of course.
How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?
Drawing every day and every night until getting a good design and after that, try to improve it.
If you hadn't become a designer, what would you have done?
Maybe I would be musician. I love listening music and I compose sometimes.
How do you define design, what is design for you?
The fusion of functionality, aesthetics and technology.
Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?
Our colleagues are the best help for us because we make a good team. Each one has different strengths and we create an enriched atmosphere.
What helped you to become a great designer?
My positive ambitious
What were the obstacles you faced before becoming a design master?
Competition but we realized that this is the best way to improve our projects.
How do you think designers should present their work?
Designers must present their projects in a way that understands what they have wanted to convey.
What's your next design project, what should we expect from you in future?
We have different opened projects but nothing specific.
What's your ultimate goal as a designer?
We have created a new series of stone washbasins that join to Natural Series collection. After the investigation of its possibilities through a laborious process, we have achieved profiles determined by their visual lightness.
What people expect from an esteemed designer such as yourself?
Constant innovation.
How does design help create a better society?
Good designs can facilitate our life quality: shaving time and using only necessary resources.
What are you currently working on that you are especially excited about?
We personalize spaces through hand painted porcelain.
Which design projects gave you the most satisfaction, why?
We are proud of all our projects.
What would you like to see changed in design industry in the coming years?
Environmental awareness
Where do you think the design field is headed next?
It is going to be focused on third world.
How long does it take you to finalize a design project?
From one month until a year, it depends on the time and the difficulty.
When you have a new design project, where do you start?
We usually do a brainstorming
What is your life motto as a designer?
Today is the day
Do you think design sets the trends or trends set the designs?
A good design is not born from the trends, it is something alien to them.
What is the role of technology when you design?
It is a pillar.
What kind of design software and equipment do you use in your work?
3ds max and Autocad
What is the role of the color, materials and ambient in design?
The colour is important but the material is essential.
What do you wish people to ask about your design?
Why didn´t you invent it before?
When you see a new great design or product what comes into your mind?
When we think that our sons and daughters could use it.
Who is your ideal design partner? Do you believe in co-design?
My colleagues, we have created great products. Absolutely, we think that this is the best option.
Which people you interacted had the most influence on your design?
Everybody who visit our company – friends, visitors, clients…- always give us an idea or a tip.
Which books you read had the most effect on your design?
Sci-fi and comics.
How did you develop your skills as a master designer?
As I answered before: working, working and working.
Irrelative of time and space, who you would want to meet, talk and discuss with?
With a person in the future who can tell me how is his or her life.
How do you feel about all the awards and recognition you had, is it hard to be famous?
We feel proud of this award because it reflects our efforts.
What is your favorite color, place, food, season, thing and brand?
Green, the green that we find in the fields of the North of Spain. Grandmother´s food. Every seasons. Our brand: Bathco.
Please tell us a little memoir, a funny thing you had experienced as a designer?
I don´t know.
What makes your day great as a designer, how do you motivate yourself?
We feel motivated when our Atelier is full of life and light.
When you were a little child, was it obvious that you would become a great designer?
Of course, all kind of support was a good option to create ideas.
What do you think about future; what do you see will happen in thousand years from now?
We hope that our common sense generate a better society and we could live peacefully.
Please tell us anything you wish your fans to know about you, your design and anything else?
We are proud of Spanish design.
