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Interview with Guel Koc-Janssen |
Home > Designer Interviews > Guel Koc-Janssen |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Guel Koc-Janssen (GK) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Guel Koc-Janssen by clicking here.
FS: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
GK: I studied interior architecture at Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences, where I was also awarded a scholarship to study in Istanbul. As a teenager I was fascinated by the stories that my cousin told me about Turkey’s architectural history, and his passion inspired me to become an interior architect. I spent my formative years specializing in retail design. Since then, my interests have expanded to include restaurant, residential, and hospitality design.
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
GK: gül koc interior design + construction services is located in Munich, Germany and was founded in 2011. Our mission is to provide comprehensive design solutions that reflect our clients’ needs and add aesthetic, social and economic value through design. We have profound experience in distinct fields, including retail, restaurant, commercial, hospitality and residential, among others. We provide solutions in all service phases (1-9) to our clients, local and international. The studio employs people from many countries, and it is something in which I take great pride. I started my studio because I wanted to create a place where it was possible to experience diversity and share its added value. Our diversity accounts for a large part of our success.
FS: What is "design" for you?
GK: The space, its design and the spectator, each one is a protagonist.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
GK: Although retail design is a strong part of my portfolio, I enjoy the challenge that new project types bring. At the moment, I am having fun applying my skills and design sense to furniture and industrial design projects. I am also designing and building a house for the first time, which is exciting.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
GK: Sketching is the best way for me to express my ideas. Being able to sketch is a valuable and effective way to explain ideas to clients. It is important not to lose this skill.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
GK: I feel energized, reflective, and of course, proud. After each design project is realized our team is brought closer together, which impacts our work positively and drives us to excel.
FS: What makes a design successful?
GK: A successful design takes on a deep understanding of the client’s needs and is well-planned and considered with regard to cost, environment, and aesthetics. A successful project puts the well-being of all stakeholders at the center.
FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
GK: A designer should design with society and the environment in mind and go beyond the aesthetics of a project. It’s important that a designer stay informed with regard to these ever-changing societal and environmental issues in order to be innovative and agile.
FS: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
GK: Design is becoming more human-centered and multidisciplinary.
FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
GK: I like to work collaboratively. I usually start with a group meeting to discuss ideas and check in with my team.
FS: Can you describe a day in your life?
GK: My day is very active. I start my day bright and early in order to get an overview of the day ahead, then I cycle to the office by 9. The days can be very long depending on my schedule, which include meetings with my team, clients, and traveling to the construction sites.
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
GK: Work hard and keep an open mind. Don’t fixate on a specific path that your career will take; let life surprise you a bit. Make connections and build your network in a genuine way.
FS: What was your most important job experience?
GK: I started my career in one of the largest interior design firms in Germany. I spent my formative years specializing in retail design and fell in love with the vast possibilities that it represented for seeing and shaping the world. I discovered the value in understanding business from the client’s perspective and in order to strengthen this asset, I worked for another five years for a luxury fashion company as a project manager in the architecture department. There, I had the chance to be involved in the brand’s projects worldwide. After this intensive "apprenticeship" in retail, I now dared to start my own business as an interior architect with this as my focus.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
GK: I am lucky to employ a team of talented architects and designers from all over the world.
FS: How can people contact you?
GK: People can get in touch with me via our studio website, www.guelkoc.com, and by following our social media channels: Facebook, Instagram (guel_koc_interiordesign), and Pinterest.
FS: Thank you for providing us with this opportunity to interview you.
A’ Design Award and Competitions grants rights to press members and bloggers to use parts of this interview. This interview is provided as it is; DesignPRWire and A' Design Award and Competitions cannot be held responsible for the answers given by participating designers.
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