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Interview with Jürgen Seidler |
Home > Designer Interviews > Jürgen Seidler |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Jürgen Seidler (JS) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Jürgen Seidler 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?
JS: I started my career as a mechanical engineer specializing in fiber-reinforced plastics in racing sports, where I realized it takes two things to capture people's attention. First, it’s the performance of a product. Second, it needs to be well-designed so that the crowd likes to look at it. A racing car needs to be fast, light, and perfectly maneuverable. This makes design more complicated because not every functional design looks good, but it shaped my philosophy. If you get it right so that the crowd loves it, they will remember it for years. This mindset has carried me through careers in the sports and leisure industry, consulting, medical products, and finally to audio products.
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
JS: Loutd is a company that specializes in audio products for design-savvy music lovers. With the rise of digitalization and streaming in this industry, we recognized the need to rethink the values for users and the industry. Traditional analog premium customers are accustomed to having products that last for years, if not decades. Therefore, bringing premium quality to WiFi and streaming audio systems requires a fresh approach. This fresh, cheeky and value-retaining approach is what we are standing for.
FS: What is "design" for you?
JS: It’s a combination of life integration and artistry. For me, integrating into a customer’s life means prioritizing functionality and upgradability over the product's lifetime. The principle of design following function creates good, functional designs. However, when you shift the paradigm to view artistry as part of functionality, even greater things can evolve.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
JS: These are products designed to last a long time, not just fashionable luxury items, but highly valuable investments for the regular consumer. They are products that consumers might need to save up for, holding significant importance in their lives and maintaining this high standing over the years. This requires a timeless, overarching design.
FS: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
JS: A few years ago, I stumbled upon a used watch that caught my attention. I was drawn to its classic design, which still looked modern in 2018. Upon closer inspection, I discovered that the watch was from 1940. On a whim, I purchased it in France and had it restored. The watchmaker informed me that it featured a P450 standard movement from Jaeger-LeCoultre, for which replacement parts are still available. The construction was designed for easy repair, and original stamps were still available for the dial. This experience taught me that even back then, there was an effort to develop platforms that allowed for variations in exterior design without constantly reinventing the complex mechanics. The timeless design of the watch, the fact that it still performs excellently 85 years after its creation, and its continued viability into the future make it the most impressive example of design I have encountered.
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
JS: In 2006, we developed a wheel rim made from carbon fiber reinforced plastic, which was a first for the racing industry. This innovation reduced the moving and undamped mass of the wheel rim from 5 kg to 1.5 kg, significantly enhancing the car's agility. The production process we developed for this wheel rim remains state-of-the-art and earned us an engineering design award sponsored by McLaren.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
JS: It's any material that can be efficiently injection molded, forged, bent, milled, deep drawn, thermoformed, welded, or coated, and is suitable for production in small to large series. This includes aluminum, steel, and thermoplastics.
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
JS: During the design process, I prioritize life integration, aiming to create products that offer increasing value over time through expanding functionality. My goal is to develop items that excel in performance while boasting a timeless, captivating design that connects with consumers. I underscore the durability and upgradability of the product to guarantee its enduring value and relevance. Additionally, I place great importance on materials and production processes, favoring efficient methods suitable for both small and large-scale production, including injection molding, forging, and thermoforming, using materials such as aluminum, steel, and thermoplastics.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
JS: It's an ambivalent feeling. Almost one of uncertainty that only subsides when the first reactions from users with the product come in.
FS: What makes a design successful?
JS: Value over time
FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
JS: Is it fast fashion or is it made to last? I imagine what place the product will hold in 10 years.
FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
JS: I can only speak for myself here. Some time ago, I realized that individuals are not inherently interested in the environment. Their interest lies in fulfilling their needs. I see it as my task to design products, goods, and services that meet the needs of the customer and are still sustainable without aggressively conveying this. For the customer, I prefer to translate this as "value-driven" design instead of sustainable. That’s something an individual finds a need fulfilled.
FS: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
JS: Creatives will become more productive. The developments in visualization have been breathtaking lately. This allows for an even faster generation. It will become more difficult to keep track of things, or to attract attention despite having an excellent design.
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?
JS: I like simple design. Simple shapes, few breaks, silhouettes that make big things appear smaller. Efficiency in production and material use is very important to me. With my designs, I like to break away from the usual forms without conjuring up any dysfunctionality.
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?
JS: I live in Austria. More specifically, in Graz. To describe the Austrian soul, I would like to play with stereotypes, not entirely politically correct. It's a country that lies in the middle between the emotionally appreciative South, valuing the good things in life, and the pragmatic, goal-oriented North of Europe. Being able to showcase both aspects of the Austrian soul is what makes Austria an exciting place to try out new things. Known for its great composers, café culture, and long history, it is rarely a country known for outstanding designs.
FS: How do you work with companies?
JS: I enjoy collaborating directly with people on a daily basis. This allows me to quickly grasp how the company operates and understand its essence. I often transition from this observational role to actively participating in projects.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
JS: Ask yourself whether you would prefer a draft, a prototype, or a scaled series of the product/service. Each class is a world unto itself, requiring consideration from the very beginning. This also determines the type of designer capable of handling it.
FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
JS: It usually starts with a problem, either technical or procedural in nature. In a first step, I try to break down the problem into numbers to describe it. Yes, starting a creative process in Excel... not something you hear every day. After describing the problem, I like to outline the prevailing constraints. These can include dimensions, cost structures, quantities, main and ancillary functionalities, compatibilities, and more. Then, I assess the possibilities on-site. I want to find out what resources are available. These can be manufacturing processes, systems, or other assets. With these, I draft an initial design.
FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
JS: An Apple TV4k, an MG5 Chair, OVETTO GALA, Jäger Le Coultre P450, KitchenAid Classic
FS: Can you describe a day in your life?
JS: Sorry There is no “one” day :)
FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
JS: If a product is meant for daily use, both partners living together should be equally attracted to its design. This ensures harmony at home and keeps the desired item in the house.
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
JS: The most important skills for a designer include patience, resilience, and the ability to anticipate future trends or needs.
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
JS: Must, should, could, would not." I do my best to stay agile and focused on the things that are essential.
FS: What was your most important job experience?
JS: Interestingly, it had nothing to do with engineering and design. One influence was my time in consulting. Observing the struggles of production and logistics to maintain high productivity gave me a different perspective on producibility. The second influence was a job in the finance field, where I learned that sustainability can only be achieved when it can be translated into something that improves financial indicators.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
JS: I prefer on working a team. Nothing great came without a good team.
FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
JS: We will create a smaller version of Musegg, where we will also integrate lighting, without compromising the modular design.
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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