Designer Arman Emami, the winner of several Red Dot awards, in an interview about his way of working and the future of design
Emami Design from Germany, maintains its first place in the list for design studios again at the Red Dot Design Ranking for Design Concept. The ranking recognises the continued investment in design concepts by enterprises and institutions and tributes the continuous pursuit towards design excellence. It is a vigorous reflection of real sustainable design and innovation capability of an organisation.
Winner of several Red Dot awards, among them are design concepts Tennis Mat, Pen Fan, Magnetic Transforming Structure, Capspool, Aceccse LPG Composite Cylinders, Rolling Snake G1, and GESTICO which was awarded the Red Dot: Best of the Best in the Interaction category. GESTICO is a figure model that can be used as an animation tool. Provided with 14 sensors, the figure fosters a quick and realistic animation of 3D characters.
Arman Emami talks to Red Dot about his career and his visions of design.
Red Dot: Why did you became a designer?
Arman Emami: I love to create new objects and to find new solutions for everyday problems. And I always had a distinct sense of aesthetics, technics and perfection. Therefore, the decision to become a designer was easy and inevitable.
How many years have passed since?
I started with industrial design in 2005.
What is your biggest design career moment?
It's a little bit difficult to choose a certain event. But in 2009, my design concept “USB Clip” received the Red Dot: Best of the Best in the Red Dot Award: Design Concept. The clip was produced in the same year and won the Red Dot: Best of the Best in the Red Dot Award: Product Design. It was great to be awarded the "Red Dot: Best of the Best" twice for the concept and the realisation of the same project. But I hope that the biggest design career moment is yet to come.
Design school never ends, at least for great designers. How do you learn and grow your knowledge and expertise?
I don't like to get bogged down in theory. Almost every day, I learn new things by doing them. Too much academic theory can be detrimental for creativity.
In your opinion, what does the future of design hold?
Regarding the language of form, I think that the organic design will prevail. And I think that many new and exciting products will come to action. Robotics will conquer our day-to-day world.
When or how do you know that your product has become a success?
When the people like the product and give it a positive response. This might sound a little bit pragmatically, but if your product is accepted well by the market, it can definitely be successful. Of course, it would be an absolute success if the product defines a new segment and sets a new standard in a certain field.
How do you know if a product is well designed?
I have tried to describe this in my book “360° Industrial Design: Fundamentals of analytic product design”. Industrial design is more than aesthetics. Intelligent industrial design offers a broad spectrum of advantages. I would say, if you combine a smart and useful concept with a beautiful, suitable and harmonic form and if it works perfectly and sustainably, then you have a well-designed product. In short: if the product makes life more beautiful and easier, it is well designed.
What comes to you first: business or customer?
There is no difference. Our business is based on the satisfaction of our customers. If the customers are excited and enthusiastic about the product, it directly benefits the business.
If you could describe your corporate culture in three words, what would you say?
Curious, logical, aesthetic.
How do you decide about task allocation?
I have a great team, that helps me to realise my design concepts. But the concept development and the determination of design is my personal task. I believe, that industrial design is like painting: Two artist cannot work on the same picture. Otherwise you don't have a clear handwriting.
How do you decide which concept will not be realised?
I like the diversity of challenges. If you have different challenges, you can never feel bored. And every project can be interesting if you see it as a challenge. But nevertheless, there are some borders for me. It cannot violate public morals or ethics.
What can’t be forgotten when characterising your companys culture?
The fact that we design both with great care and logic led us to where we are today. We design and perform through passion for innovation and holistic industrial design.
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