We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Joakim Rydén ("JR").
Joakim Rydén is a designer with a technical interest. His philosophy is that great design integrated with a useful function will never be forgotten. Joakim is a lighting designer located and working in Sweden. He discovered his passion for light while sketching light and shadows in an architecture class. After graduating university with a degree in lighting design Joakim is working with outdoor lighting as well as luminaire design. For Joakim all designs are interresting. He sporadically spends late nights when his and his wife's first baby is asleep sketching on new ideas.
Joakim Rydén Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Joakim Rydén.
Joakim Rydén Design - Shwood Desk Lamp
Designer Interview of Joakim Rydén:
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?
JR : I have always liked creating my own designs. So being in a creative field was always a plan of mine. Back in school, I thought I would become an architect. I did study architecture, but my interest in lighting really grew through sketching light and shadows. The constant contrast between light and dark was what pulled me towards the field of lighting.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
JR : Except for the obvious answer, which is luminaires, I love designing with traditional materials in focus. In my design, Shwood wood is the material in focus. In other designs, the beauty of glass is in focus.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
JR : No one has missed the evolution of AI and its impact on the design field. Although being a very interesting technology that is only in its beginning, I believe that there will always be room for all types of designs. There will always be something interesting and unique for every type of design technique.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
JR : I am inspired by various places and situations, but I love to seek inspiration in the little things, like something small that really stands out to me. Something like that can stick in my mind, and I can draw inspiration from it for a long time. It can be a meeting between two materials or a specific angle of a shape.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
JR : Design with a purpose.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
JR : For me, being open-minded is the most important and not being afraid of trying new ways of designing and new ways of thinking about design.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
JR : Since I discovered my passion for lighting through sketching, that technique will always be a favorite of mine. It is also starting to be a little nostalgic for me to sit down with a blank paper and a pencil. So I tend to always start by sketching and then move on to digital formats.
DI: How can people contact you?
JR : Ryden.Studio on Instagram