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Interview with Kezia Age |
Home > Designer Interviews > Kezia Age |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Kezia Age (KA) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Kezia Age 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?
KA: I grew up in a retail environment where my mom owned a small toy store that sold many things that made children happy. This inspired me to be a retail designer, bringing back those warm memories through simple and minimal designs.
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
KA: I started to establish Duettones Design Lab in 2023. It is a design firm specializing in retail product and design. We pride ourselves on creating design that seamlessly blend emotion, spirituality, and wellbeing. Our design lab is committed in crafting a harmonious impact for surrounding environment. We believe in the transformative power of design to enrich lives, and we are dedicated to exceeding our clients' expectations through innovative and personalized solutions.
FS: What is "design" for you?
KA: For me, design is a tool of communication to express ideas. It is a medium that can explain concepts and touch human emotions without words, connecting generation to generation.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
KA: I enjoy designing elements in the retail industry, such as product displays, restaurant plates, and other details that directly in contact with the user.
FS: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
KA: I am into parametric, minimalist, and poetic design. The designs of Zaha Hadid, Tadao Ando, and Carlo Scarpa influence me the most.
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
KA: It was the store for a beverage company, which served as a valuable platform for me to gain experience and develop my skills as a retail designer.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
KA: I like 3D printing technology because it can make almost everything feasible with sustainable production materials, translating complicated concepts in a minimalistic manner.
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
KA: In the first two hours after waking up, I feel the most creative, while I'm still in the midst of my dreams but conscious. That's when brilliant ideas come to me.
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
KA: I grew up in Indonesia, where we prioritize togetherness in every aspect of life. I usually focus on how to connect people through my designs.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
KA: When I'm designing, I feel freedom, as I can communicate with my visual language to express the inexpressible.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
KA: Satisfied with the work, I am excited if the design truly resonates with the targeted user.
FS: What makes a design successful?
KA: I think when it moves people and create impact, even just a simple thing.
FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
KA: For me, it's simple. If the design moves people towards a positive way of life and improves their quality of life, I consider it a good design.
FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
KA: As a retail designer, I believe I have a huge responsibility for every element I design. It can influence people positively or negatively through their unconscious actions. In terms of the environment, I can contribute to sustainability by using environmentally friendly materials.
FS: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
KA: The design field is evolving at a rapid pace. Technology will be at the heart of it, so incorporating personal touches that resonate with the user, culture, and tradition is important to give identity to our designs.
FS: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
KA: It was in September 2023 and maybe by the end of this year.
FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
KA: Nature and tradition are my best inspirations. I love observing people and thinking of what I can design to make everything more meaningful and better.
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?
KA: My style is minimalist, with elements inspired by nature's organic aesthetics. I enjoy studying philosophy; it greatly influences me and lends a poetic quality to my designs. My approach involves solving design problems in a poetic manner.
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?
KA: I was born in Indonesia, in a city with a bustling life, before I moved to a countryside with strong traditions and a very calm lifestyle. Those were truly great experiences where I could experience two different sides of culture. It greatly impacts my design preferences. I appreciate minimal or modern styles while incorporating elements of traditional culture.
FS: How do you work with companies?
KA: We often collaborate with retail brands to design promotions for the brand or to communicate new products.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
KA: To achieve the best result, I suggest companies to choose the designer who best fits their brief because each designer has a different style to approach problems, especially in the retail industry. We strive to understand what the company wants from our design and create the best solution to address the brief.
FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
KA: In my design process, I usually analyze the problem, conduct research on the design, and then brainstorm to find the best solution, considering all aspects of the design. Afterward, I begin creating mock-up designs to ensure they work well and can be produced in real life.
FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
KA: My fountain pen, watercolor book, a yellow mug, cutter, and 3D Printing machine.
FS: Can you describe a day in your life?
KA: After waking up, I usually go to my home office to sketch some designs, spending about two hours solving yesterday's problems. Then, I exercise and have breakfast while socializing with people. During the afternoon, I typically have meetings and execute design ideas. In the evening, I have a habit of reading books on different topics and catching up on the latest news to broaden my knowledge.
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
KA: I think it's important not to focus too much on making a huge amount of money from the designs you create, but rather to focus on improving the quality and impact of your designs.
FS: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
KA: Being a designer is challenging. On the positive side, it's fun; it feels like I'm working in my playground every day. However, on the negative side, sometimes I don’t realize that I am too focused on my own world. Being imaginative and understanding reality is important to prevent making unimportant decisions.
FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
KA: As a retail designer, my "golden rule" is to create a memorable context behind a product in a minimal way that communicates to the user and aligns with the brand identity.
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
KA: The main skill, I believe, is understanding the user and the ability to find feasible solutions to every design problem.
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
KA: During designing, I like to use a fountain pen and paper to sketch before utilizing computer software technology and 3D printing.
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
KA: In the morning, I engage in a creative brainstorming session, allowing my mind to explore various ideas and possibilities. This is a time of unbridled creativity, where I let my imagination roam freely, jotting down concepts and sketches as they flow. As the day progresses into the afternoon, I transition into the execution phase, bringing those ideas to life with precision and detail. This is where the real work begins, as I meticulously refine and implement the designs, ensuring they meet the vision and objectives set forth during the brainstorming session earlier in the day.
FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
KA: It depends on the project. In the retail industry, four months or less is typical for completing one project.
FS: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
KA: How can I find inspiration and creative solution of a problem?
FS: What was your most important job experience?
KA: After graduating from my Bachelor of Architecture, I worked with some property investors. That was the most important job experience where I learned about aligning great ideas with business.
FS: Who are some of your clients?
KA: Most of them are retail business owners and property owners.
FS: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
KA: I enjoy designing elements in retail design because it involves direct contact with the user.
FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
KA: Continuing my practice as a retail designer, crafting fresh designs to tackle contemporary issues and expanding my industry expertise for a more profound influence.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
KA: I collaborate with my team. I typically designing the main concept and brainstorming with my team for further development and production.
FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
KA: Recently, we have been developing product display designs for food and beverage brands, combining food art with 3D printing technology.
FS: How can people contact you?
KA: You can reach us through our Instagram official account: @duettones_designlab or e-mail.
FS: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
KA: I think that’s enough. Thank you for your time.
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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