We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Fujer Selda Gümüs ("FSG").

Get inspired from her mother who is an architect, wanted to pursue a career in Industrial Design in 2009. She studied with a merit-based full scholarship. Graduated with honors from Department of Industrial Design, 1st . Moreover, she graduated with the highest score from the Faculty of Architecture and Design from TOBB University of Economics and Technology in 2014. After 1 year some freelance job as an industrial designer, her observer and researcher side encouraged her to Master in industrial Design as well. During her graduate studies she won several industrial design competitions in Turkey 2016, in addition; she started to be interested in lots of topic like art and industrial design history, design and culture, material culture studies.

Fujer Selda Gümüs Designs

We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Fujer Selda Gümüs.

Designer Interview of Fujer Selda Gümüs:

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?

FSG : I remember that even when I was a young child, I had done my friends' drawing assignments in the art class, and everyone who did not want to do those tasks brought their papers to me and I liked it very much. This was the main reason that directed me to the art and design world. Secondly, being a daughter of an architect mother made me interested in the design world.

DI: What is "design" for you?

FSG : Design is a concept that combines functionality and beauty.

DI: When do you feel the most creative?

FSG : If I can find a fun detail in my design project , I feel creative.

DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?

FSG : Usability and functionality and adding some humor couldn't hurt as well (:

DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?

FSG : I forget the time when I design. It feels like time never exist.

DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?

FSG : I feel happy and successful.

DI: What makes a design successful?

FSG : In my opinion, there are some main topics to make a design successful and those are fuctionality, sustainability, user friendly, low cost production and appealling to aesthetic senses.

DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?

FSG : Functionality and Costs.

DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?

FSG : Designer should direct the society in a good way. Like, encouraging recycling and bringing attention to social responsibility issues.

DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?

FSG : My source of inspirations is daily life problems. In my opinion, a good design should solve a problem and help people to find better of their selves.

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?

FSG : Design should solve a problem, should be innovative, should be eco-friendly, should makes people happy and of course form follows the function. This is my approach to design.

DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?

FSG : First, find a problem to solve. Then I start researching about it and take notes. I read, and write a lot. After that I make sketches and prototypes.

DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?

FSG : Recognition of your work is definitely a positive side of this job, but in a negative way you begin to criticize daily life objects more.

DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?

FSG : It should be useful and should makes people happy.

DI: What skills are most important for a designer?

FSG : Able to draw fast, research and observe deeply.

DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?

FSG : In the sketching process I like using markers, colour pencils and gouache for highlights. I use Rhino, Keyshot, Soldiworks and 3ds max as software.

DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?

FSG : You can't manage the time, only you forget the "time" while working, and for me this situation means that you will make a significant achievement .

DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?

FSG : It depends on the project.

DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?

FSG : If the project should has less parts than normal, it is a challenge for me, and I enjoy to design that kind of projects. That way I improve myself to.

DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?

FSG : In the near future, I want to participate more design competitions and finish my master thesis.

DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?

FSG : By myself for now.

DI: How can people contact you?

FSG : fujerg@gmail.com

DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?

FSG : No, thank you.