We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Siddhant Agarwal ("SA").
Siddhant Agarwal is an award-winning designer that helps make the World a better place with their original and innovative creations and advanced design works.
Siddhant Agarwal Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Siddhant Agarwal.
Designer Interview of Siddhant Agarwal:
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?
SA : I have always been a curious child, looking for new adventures. I believe that experiences mould our personalities into a unique whole, and my experiences are what inspire me to design products. I feel that it is imperative for every design to tell a story and what better than experiences to define that.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
SA : I am neither a part of any company nor a design studio. I am a 20 year old aspiring industrial design student, currently pursing my bachelors degree.
DI: What is "design" for you?
SA : For me, design stems from curiosity. Curiosity to find the answers of “why” in everything and a craving for redefining it. I strongly believe that what we experience is what we design
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
SA : I am inclined making products that helps in changing people's perception. The aim is to see the invisible problem, not the obvious problem. Being habitual is good but bad too because one stops noticing small things and details around and once habitual, you get used to it and accept to a certain fixed way.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
SA : I strongly believe in simplicity. My favourite product would be the Citrus-squeezer by philippe starck. I like how it builds curiosity in the person to find out what the product really is and it does what it is supposed to do thus staying true to its purpose.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
SA : Would love to be an asset to which ever company I join but for the time being I am still trying to make a mark in this world by completing my education and getting inspired from the best minds in the industry.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
SA : Being in this creative field I prefer not being bound to a specific material, platform or technology. Which ever fits and suits my design the most and justifies its being becomes my 'favourite' material.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
SA : I feel I am 'most creative' when I am let alone to be in my zone with ambient lighting focusing on my desk and soft beat music. That usually happens in the night time when everyone is asleep.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
SA : I feel research is the backbone of every design. If you have a good justification and backing for your doing then it is a successful design. Form is something that can be evolved with time but the initial purpose and idea of doing it always remains the same.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
SA : I put myself in the user's shoes and try to feel the change my product would bring from their point of view as they are the end user. Emotions to be precise could be empathy and concern.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
SA : Its a great feeling when your design is appreciated and finalised but there is always scope for improvement. So from there new ideas start building up.
DI: What makes a design successful?
SA : A successful design is a design that does justice to the brief and caters well to the identified user group.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
SA : For me every design has to answer a simple set of questionsWhat problem does it solve?Is it better then its competition?How is the target audience reacting to the product?Whats the scope for improvement because there is always one.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
SA : I feel these factors should be our upmost priority as the environment is the sole reason that we are able to discover and design new things and society is the one we are trying to cater to, to make their life easy and comfortable. We design for the society using the environment.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
SA : Design field is evolving everyday with new design, new ideas and new approaches. Thats the beauty of this creative filed, there is no fixed way of doing it. We make our new tricks and ways everyday and are always on the lookout to make it better than yesterday's.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
SA : This is the first time I am ever experiencing something like this. Probably I years to come I would be able to answer this question better.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
SA : I like to feel myself up to dated with not only design trends but with everything going around the world. When designing I try to make an amalgamation of all.
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?
SA : My design sense is inspired by minimalism and I like to play with linear shapes and muted colours.
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?
SA : I from New Delhi which is the capital of India. Yes I feel everything that goes around inspires one to design what they really design after all for me I design from experience and from my surroundings by getting a first hand impression on the statement "need of the hour"
DI: How do you work with companies?
SA : I haven't really got an opportunity to do so but I am really looking forward to it. Though I am looking for a 6 months internship starting August 2018.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
SA : I think good personality, open mindedness and skills should be something that the companies should be on a look out for.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
SA : I believe there are 2 types of projects.- Market driven project- where only follows the traditional method of doing design research. finding loop holes and opportunity areas in it. then go crazy with coming up with idea, converting them into concepts and then to practicality.other isProduct driven project - that is where you make the best possible product according to your understanding and then finding the user that would be the best fit for it.Process followed depends on the brief and gut feeling.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
SA : Mobile phoneWater purifierUmbrella standcentre console Book shelf
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
SA : Being a design student is tough. it is endless hours and sleepless nights of work with a short 15 minute nap whenever possible.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
SA : I myself being one would just like to share "the pearl of wisdom" my favourite designer goes by that is sell a story not a design and do not enforce things let them fall in place and just keep working hard, it gets better here onwards.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
SA : positive:Endless exposureYou learn everyday from everyoneNegativesYou sometimes learn way too much that remember everything becomes a problem
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
SA : Design for a better tomorrow
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
SA : Having a open mind
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
SA : I do not let softwares or tools restrict me. I am conversant with most of the softwares but if my designs requires some new software or application to be learnt I simply learn that from youtube and tutorials.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
SA : I how you look at me. For me time consuming factor is not an issue as I believe that every good thing takes time.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
SA : it all depends on the brief and what is anticipated out of it. It can take a week to even 3 years.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
SA : "Why designing?"
DI: What was your most important job experience?
SA : I am currently seeking for one. pretty excited about it.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
SA : I enjoy making lifestyle products as they are the ones that are the biggest influencers and trend setters.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
SA : Completing my degree and probably getting a good design job or starting up my own thing.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
SA : I feel that coordinated teamwork is what sets the final output apart from the usual and it is essential to be a team player in order to attain success. I have good verbal as well as listening skills that make me a worthy team player in some cases, and team leader in others.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
SA : I have many college projects going on. Currently I am working of making a lifestyle product for Renault Twizy.
DI: How can people contact you?
SA : I would urge people to contact me via email. I would love to hear from them. my email id is siddhant.a1997@gmail.com
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
SA : Would like to conclude by saying that I like to call myself a ‘nonconformist’; a person who does not agree to a generally accepted pattern of thought or action. It is this, which keeps my hunger to create neoteric products alive.