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Interview with Lorena Sauras |
Home > Designer Interviews > Lorena Sauras |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Lorena Sauras (LS) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Lorena Sauras 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?
LS: How to start? When I was a kid, my inner child made me spend hours creating my own toys, toys that I could see in my imagination but couldn’t get in a store. Growing up design was not a thing in my hometown, and not a career that I could pursue, so I was looking at Art as a way to deepen my need to expand creativity, and engineering as way to materialize ideas that I had in my mind. I was advised about the artist path leading to a starving life so I ended up pursuing a career in computer science. After a couple of years I came to accept that if I were to continue I wouldn’t be happy in my life because I had lost all the creative innocence that I had when I was building my own toys as a kid. That same year an engineering program in Industrial Design was offered in my hometown and so I pivoted to this path. I learnt everything about form and function but I was lacking the emotional and spiritual side that completes our existence, the pure innocence of looking at life through a kid’s eyes. Later in my career I had the opportunity to do a master’s in Switzerland focused on Art and Design and it was there when I found the connection that I was missing in my practice.
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
LS: Sauras Designs was founded in San Francisco. I am originally from Spain and after getting my Masters degree in Switzerland I moved to California. After working in a corporate environment here for a while I realized something was missing so I went back to Spain to re-connect with my roots. It was during that trip through remote villages when I had the opportunity to meet with some artisans and listen to their stories. I felt the same excitement that I used to have when working on my own designs back in Switzerland. At that very moment, I knew I wanted to bring to life SAURAS a brand to carefully design timeless pieces and collaborate with master artisans to bring my ideas to life.
FS: What is "design" for you?
LS: Design is like a spiritual tool, a deeper language, that allows me to connect my feelings and emotions with tangible life. A way to impact people’s lives by providing objects that resonate with their souls.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
LS: There is really no limit in what I like to design. I get very excited about designing pretty much anything. During the day there are so many design ideas from different categories that come across my mind that get me excited that the challenge is to only pick one. That said, inherently any design across any category that captures the innate connection among the soul, emotion, and physical world is what I enjoy.
FS: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
LS: The last one. When I am involved in a new design the connection that I feel is so strong that it becomes my favorite at that moment in time.
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
LS: My first designs were for an interior design company in Madrid, Spain. For every project they custom designed and manufactured the furniture and lighting. As part of the design team in this company I designed several pieces that were used in their projects. I remember one of the first selected ideas for manufacturing being and outdoor/indoor lounge collection that ended up in the suites of a luxury hotel.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
LS: When I started working with noble materials I completely fell in love with them. Somehow they are alive and you can feel the energy within them. They are a gift from the Earth, and every time I am able to work with them for my designs is a privilege.
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
LS: I have no set time to get creative, especially since I had a baby that doesn’t allow me to follow strict schedules, so it happens very randomly.
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
LS: I want to make sure that every design has its own soul.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
LS: When I first visualize a new idea I get very excited. Then, when I go through the flow state of designing, I experience a wide range of emotions until I see the physical piece finished. That’s when I reach a combination of peace and satisfaction.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
LS: Peace and satisfaction. I feel in balance with my soul.
FS: What makes a design successful?
LS: A design that resonates with people. A good design is like being close to your soulmate, you don’t have to do or say anything to feel calm and in peace, just knowing that is there is enough.
FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
LS: It has a reason to exist and improves people’s lives in a meaningful way.
FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
LS: Making sure that what we design has a reason to be, it is not one more in a million, and has enough quality to last. We have to create designs that people will fall in love so they take care of the pieces and keep using them for life, if not for generations. Design is not about quantity, it is about quality.
FS: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
LS: I think that more and more people are realizing how good, slow designed pieces can impact their lives and future generations’ lives. People are seeking thoughtful and responsibly made pieces, not mass-produced and carefully choosing their buys instead of submitting to fleeting trends - or at least that is what I want to think.
FS: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
LS: Flora was part of 1000 Vases Exhibition, exhibited during Milan Design Week 2021 at Superstudio Più.
FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
LS: I try to keep my senses wide open because inspiration can come at any moment through any channel. Even the most mundane things can spark creativity. Then at those moments I can just start writing my feelings and I end up describing a new design, writing a poem as a first step in the design process.
FS: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
LS: Last few years have been rough emotionally so I am in search of a style that helps me seek balance in life. I am exploring a more sensual yet sophisticated expression of my feelings to help me be present, aware of my physical surroundings and sensations and free my spirit.
FS: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
LS: I have been living in San Francisco for a while now but I am originally from Spain. I have lived in Sweden and Switzerland as well, and my husband is of Indian origin so I have very eclectic influences. I think the variety of those influences also strengthen the connection to my roots, my Iberian heritage. I am a very sentimental person so no matter where I go I always going to miss the Spanish way of living and understanding life and the way Spanish people expresses emotions. I guess designing for me is a way to funnel all these feelings so I am pretty sure my Iberian heritage has a big say in my designs.
FS: How do you work with companies?
LS: I have a close relationship with them and develop trust. They give me a lot of freedom.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
LS: Feel the connection like when finding your life partner.
FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
LS: When I have a new idea I close my eyes, metaphorically, and my mind does all the work. I can actually see the designs in front of me as if I were wearing VR glasses. Sometimes I write my feelings about what I see and it helps me with the design process because it is a way to embody the design and give life to the pieces. Sketching later in the process helps me with refining the details.
FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
LS: We moved into a new place a week before our baby was born, so we haven’t really had the time to furnish it. I am fully in love with all the skylights we have throughout the house and all the natural light we get even on the foggy days which are pretty common in SF. Other than that, we have a very minimalist empty space since we are still in search of the right pieces but the latest acquisition has been a large, loungey L-corner sectional and it’s a complete success.
FS: Can you describe a day in your life?
LS: My days have no constant routine - other than my morning coffee and dropping and picking up my baby at day care, no two days are alike.
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
LS: Spend the time to think about who you are as a designer and what your place in this world is. Never give up.
FS: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
LS: Being a designer gets personal so the highs and lows of the journey really have an impact in your life and you have to be prepared for both because it can get emotionally draining.
FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
LS: Never let your mind get old, keep it active, full of energy, dreams and youth. Not only in design but in how you approach your entire life.
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
LS: Have a special sensitivity to transform abstract ideas and feelings into tangibles in a purposeful and meaningful way.
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
LS: Once I know what I want to do I am very hands-on literally speaking so I like to use every resource I have around to do some sort of prototypes early on in the process even if it is only about general volumes and sizes. I am now into sketching on my iPad which I never thought I would be into because I was more a pencil sketcher. 3D softwares allow me to communicate or put into production my final vision very efficiently.
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
LS: I am still working on that, It is a never-ending learning process.
FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
LS: Designing time varies a lot from project to project. It can be a few hours for a very specific, simple and direct project for a client if I know it isn’t going to have any problems during production, to a months or even years to fully develop an idea, especially if I have to find the right manufacturing and adapt the design to the handcrafted possibilities and process.
FS: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
LS: Any design job that lets me explore my inner world.
FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
LS: I have been thinking about some lighting projects recently, which are very interesting. So, I guess this is going to be my next project.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
LS: I am alone in my studio but if it is a project for a specific client, there is an enriching dialogue until we develop the final pieces.
FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
LS: I have works-in-progress for private clients that I cannot talk about but I am excited to start on some new personal projects that I have in mind and hopefully will be able to share with all of you soon.
FS: How can people contact you?
LS: Instagram @saurasdesigns or via my website https://www.saurasdesigns.com
FS: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
LS: I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to A' Design Awards for all the great work in helping to spread good design around the world.
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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