We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Gungor Guner ("GG").
Gungor Guner is an award-winning designer that helps make the World a better place with their original and innovative creations and advanced design works.
Gungor Guner Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Gungor Guner.
Designer Interview of Gungor Guner:
DI: 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?
GG : Parallel to my studies on ceramic art, I have also crossed half century as an educator. If you add the learning period to this ten years, I've been doing this for sixty years in total. I continued my education in Germany too. I have worked in different companies abroad. My studies cover different areas of the ceramics (superficial, three-dimensional,functional,conceptual). Many years ago during my education in Germany, I was able to sell functional product design to be produced in series to two important companies.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
GG : Nowadays I am interested in the integration of computer technologies that have developed in recent years with ceramics. The Turkish Coffee Cup form I participated in this competition is the result of such a study.After designing the tile design which appeared on the attached photo, it was printed on a ceramic tile by a special digital printing machine for the ceramics color. Then it was produced with a limited number of silk screen methods and it was presented to private customers as a new Year gift of an important ceramic tile company.
DI: What is "design" for you?
GG : Craft+ Art+ Design and manufactural or Industrial productions
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
GG : I am an old ceramist. So I am designing mostly ceramics; two or three dimensional ceramic objects. These might be surface designs for on the ready-made ceramics objects too.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
GG : My Turkish coffee cup design which has been awarded by A’Design Gold Award is at the same time very functional and it has got a good expression which I am satisfied about it: The cloud relief is expressing the Ottoman’s culture and the geometric handle form is expressing the Seljuk’s culture . The cylinder form symbolizes the Republic which is carrying the both culture in to today
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
GG : Many years ago (1970) ten vases design by Hutshenreuter; while in that time I was student in Germany.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
GG : Ceramics and glass
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
GG : Early morning
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
GG : Aesthetic and function, of course possibility for production.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
GG : Happiness
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
GG : One of the best gift for my life
DI: What makes a design successful?
GG : Good design +advertisement
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
GG : The both are possible but İt is nothing to do
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
GG : Absolute hygiene for the user. Besides any poisons should not let to environment!
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
GG : No comment
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
GG : Fourth Design Week 2017 in Istanbul /Tr. I hope 6. Design Week 20019 Istanbul/Tr
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
GG : I tried to add our culture heritage in to my design, but I elected them very meticulously. Besides I am translating some of my former unic ceramics work in to the Industrial design
DI: 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?
GG : Ambitious –simplicity, astatic, functionality and quality
DI: 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?
GG : In Turkey/Istanbul. It is my aim to have affects from our cultural heritage.. But I have been travelled (1972-78) a lot during my country to research the pottery areas. It was a big cons and still a cons. I lived and inspired abroad enough in my youth! Now is the time to live and be inspired by my own country.
DI: How do you work with companies?
GG : Seldom whit companies, I am working mostly in my own atelier
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
GG : I don’t know
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
GG : I am working first fall with clay, later I am drawing the necessary plaster form by computer, later I am using the CNC to make the plaster form. At last by using core casting method for productions with plaster mold,
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
GG : Turkish Coffee Cup, Dinner Set, Garden furniture, Fireplace, Pattern design on ready-made ceramic tile
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
GG : One day in a week I am teaching in Istanbul Technical University in Istanbul. Another days could be very different. But mostly I am working in my atelier or visit an exhibition or I am listening a lecture.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
GG : First fall they should work in different productions center like glass, plastic, wood metal..
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
GG : It is rather difficult but not impossible!
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
GG : Functionality
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
GG : To have a skill is wonderful but training in different craft and productions centers help to have got larger visions. By the way a designer must have got art and science skill too.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
GG : As I am a ceramist I am using mostly my already atelier. Of course when I need sometimes the books, computer, CNC, glass other silk screen atelier I used too.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
GG : I am an emeritus prof. and ceramist. Despite designing takes of me a long time; designing is for me an preferential and important, enjoy!
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
GG : I have any idea
DI: What was your most important job experience?
GG : I am an emeritus prof. but I was invited to teach at one of the most important university of Turkey as visiting prof. Istanbul Technical University
DI: Who are some of your clients?
GG : In Istanbul /Turkey
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
GG : Ceramics! Because I am ceramist.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
GG : I will be very happy if I can going on to designing.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
GG : Mostly myself.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
GG : I was taking part last year whit a group vases by A’Design Award Competitıon but without success! Used material was plastic (I dislike plastic) This year I aimed these to do by glass ( it is very difficult)
DI: How can people contact you?
GG : gguner67@gmail.com
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
GG : The questions were too much and most of the questions resembled each other.