We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Tugce Sonmez Evin ("TSE").
Tugce Sonmez Evin is a multi-disciplinary industrial designer with a great passion for storytelling. As she has worked in the film industry for many years, she had the chance to be a part of re-creation of different time periods on sets. Those experiences, added to her industrial design degree, has led to the creation of her design language; presenting extraordinary experiences through ordinary objects. In her designs, simple objects come with unexpected aspects along with their function. She embraces minimalism as a result of the “Form follows function” doctrine she follows since the early years of her design carreer.
Tugce Sonmez Evin Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Tugce Sonmez Evin.
Tugce Sonmez Evin Design - Berliner Multifunctional Pouf
Designer Interview of Tugce Sonmez Evin:
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?
TSE : I have always wanted to study design since I know about this job exists. I am fascinated by how all the objects around us work and interact with us. I just wanted to be a part of the creation of these things surrounding our lives.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
TSE : I founded Kitbox Design in 2016 to be able to merchandise my designs. As a young designer I felt like there will be a long way before I start leading a product under any brand, so I decided to try my own company with a production in smaller scale.
DI: What is "design" for you?
TSE : I always say design is a language, in which no symbols or sounds needed. It can translate itself to many cultures if it's done the right way, and if it can reflect human touch. I like how a good design travels through the world and amazes millions.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
TSE : I like designing everyday objects. We are so accustomed to them, we rarely notice their design. I like putting a new perspective to everyday objects and altering how people see them.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
TSE : It's hard to pick a favoutire but enjoy the most my desk organiser design; Blank. It's a very utilitarian design without giving up the looks.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
TSE : I enjoy working with metal the most. It's fascinating how it can be formed in so many ways despite being such a hard material.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
TSE : I feel most creative when I'm relaxed, when I have room to think and wonder without worring about daily duties. So I mostly have ideas on vacation, then I turn them into designs when I get back to work.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
TSE : Due to my industrial design background, I am unable to separate form from function. I focus on trying to find the right balance between these two aspects.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
TSE : It's the most amazing feeling to see the result of all your hard work. I always felt like it's this feeling that made me set up my own firm and keep going on this career.
DI: What makes a design successful?
TSE : To me a design is successful if it can form a connection with the user. There are many ways of this connection, some more aesthetical, some more functional. But either way if a design is endorsed by the people that it's designed for, it's a success.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
TSE : A designer is responsible of forming how the people interact with their environment. I like the example of design evolution of glasses on this matter. It took 440 years for the glasses to stay fixed on the face without being held, thanks to Edward Scarlett who designed ear straps. Can you imagine how it changed the lifestyle of many by a simple design change?
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
TSE : My last exhibition was at Salone Satellite of Salone del Mobile Milano in 2022.
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?
TSE : Currently I live in Bodrum, a seaside town in aegian coast of Turkey. Before I was living in Istanbul, the heart of many cultures thoughout the history. I belive this affects my designs in very positive a way, because I am coming from a cultural heritage of craftsmenship. I always try to work with local craftsmen in production of my designs to be able to show that modern designs can be achived by traditional techniques.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
TSE : I work as a solo designer, however I get many feedback and I do rely on useful knowledge of the producers that I work with.
DI: How can people contact you?
TSE : They can contact my by e-mail the easiest. tugce@kitboxdesign.com That I always check daily and get back to every message personally.