We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Kristian Ruden ("KR").
Kristian Ruden is a Czech designer with expertise in luxury, industrial, and product design. His work spans sustainable, functional designs and high-end, bespoke creations, integrating craftsmanship and advanced technologies. With a background from the Czech Technical University in Prague (ČVUT), his portfolio includes interior design, lighting, sculptural furniture, and custom luxury pieces. Ruden's approach balances aesthetics with functionality, emphasizing durability and client customization. His work reflects a commitment to merging innovation with timeless design principles, catering to a wide range of design needs.
Kristian Ruden Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Kristian Ruden.
Kristian Ruden Design - Aeriform Armchair
Designer Interview of Kristian Ruden:
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?
KR : I’ve always been a dreamer. As a kid, I filled my notebooks with crazy inventions, buildings, cars, and spaceships. My parents enrolled me in art and sculpture classes, and that’s where I took my first steps into the creative world. When it came time to choose a high school, I believed architects were the people who designed everything—so I chose to study civil engineering. During my time there, I started working part-time at an architecture firm that handled many smaller design projects involving furniture, decorations, and more. That’s when I realized industrial design was what I had truly wanted to do all along. I searched for an industrial design university, took entrance exams, and created a portfolio of sketches—which actually turned out pretty well, even though I didn’t fully know what I was doing. University confirmed that design is both my passion and my calling. I love problem-solving, artistry, and researching everything from ergonomics to manufacturability.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
KR : At the moment, Ruden Design is just me. My dream is to grow it into a recognizable design brand, though I know it's a long journey.
DI: What is "design" for you?
KR : For me, design is everything. It’s the marriage of human and machine, of art and mass production. It’s about creating for people, by people, with the help of industry. It’s the pursuit of problems worth solving. Design is about ergonomics, comfort, interaction, aesthetics, ease of use, and intuitive understanding. It’s about tactility, vision, even smell—something almost intangible, even spiritual.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
KR : I don’t want to put myself in a box just yet. During my studies, I was especially passionate about lighting, small home objects, and furniture—but that’s just a small fraction of what I hope to explore. I’d love to try my hand at jewelry, electronics, cars, yachts—even spaceships (my inner child would be proud).
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
KR : A street lamp—or rather, a park lamp—was one of the most first projects I’ve worked on for an employer. There were strict requirements: how far the light needed to reach, how smooth the light pattern should be, power consumption, heat dissipation, and the type of light source. The trickiest part was the optics. I made hundreds of prototype reflectors before I got it right. In the end, the design exceeded expectations—my lamp produced perfectly even light within a 30-meter radius. It was incredibly rewarding to see all that trial and error pay off.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
KR : As for technology and platforms—I recently fell in love with designing in virtual reality. As the saying goes, pen and paper can handle anything, so I decided to cut out the middleman and sketch directly in VR. Not only can I see what I’m designing at a true 1:1 scale, but the process itself feels incredibly satisfying and organic. It’s not CAD in the traditional sense, but I’ve already designed several products for manufacturing entirely within the headset. My favorite materials to work with are composites. Glass and carbon fiber are strong, durable, and excellent at following organic forms—making them a perfect match for my VR-based design approach.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
KR : I’m a night owl—I feel most creative when the world is asleep. But I won’t lie, some of my best ideas have shown up in the shower.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
KR : It depends on the project and the client’s needs. Sometimes the focus is on ease of manufacturing and cost-efficiency, other times it’s primarily about aesthetics. But function is always at the core of my approach.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
KR : The full spectrum—passion, joy, frustration, even apathy at times. Design is an emotional process, and every project takes me on a different journey.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
KR : Primarily joy—because when a project is realized, it means it worked. My idea became reality. Turning a thought into something tangible is a powerful experience, and one that not everyone gets to relate to.
DI: What makes a design successful?
KR : It depends—I see success in design on multiple levels. First, it works. Then, it’s manufactured at scale. People buy it, it gains recognition, and ideally, people love it. The ultimate success? It becomes iconic.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
KR : First, I judge design subconsciously—do I like how it looks? Is it symmetrical? Do the lines flow naturally? Can I see the craftsmanship? Do the colors speak to me? Then, as I interact with the product, I dig deeper. Is it easy to use? Do I understand it intuitively? Is there a quirk that makes it clever—or frustrating?
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
KR : In my opinion, designers carry a shared responsibility for how our creations impact the world. As someone wise once said, "the most ecological thing is not to create at all." So if we are creating, let it be done by people who truly understand the impact. I believe that timeless, intelligent products—crafted with care and made from durable materials—are far more environmentally responsible than fast-turnover items made from recycled or greenwashed materials.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
KR : I think right now we're in some kind of transition period. We're starting to trust Ai to help us design. But I don't think real hand craft and human ingenuity is going away.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
KR : I usually start my process by looking inward—seeing what comes from within, without external influence. Once I feel I’ve explored my own ideas and hit a limit, I turn to inspiration from nature, technology, and iconic designs. Sometimes, I also find inspiration in the work of my peers—or even through AI.
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?
KR : I think my style falls somewhere between techy and organic. I’m not a fan of sharp angles, but I don’t gravitate toward round blobs either. What I love most is working with splines—lines that transition from parabolic to hyperbolic, stretching seemingly into infinity. At least, that’s how I’d describe my style.
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?
KR : I live in Czechia—a country with a rich design history. While I admire that heritage, I’m not sure it directly influences my style. In interior design, I really appreciate mid-century modern, a Czech classic. But when it comes to creating new products, I don’t consciously draw from tradition. I prefer to explore new ideas and carve out my own path.
DI: How do you work with companies?
KR : I either work as an in-house designer—currently, I’m somewhere between a designer and engineer for a retail furniture company—or as a self-employed designer. In freelance projects, I start by consulting with the client to understand their needs and the product’s vibe. Then I get to work on the design, keeping them in the loop for feedback and adjustments. Once the design is finalized, I license it to them.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
KR : I think it’s important for companies to recognize the value of having a dedicated, educated designer on the team. Too often, I’ve seen design roles filled by engineers or project managers—often very capable people, but without the specific training and mindset that design work requires. This usually leads to guesswork rather than intentional, user-focused solutions. A good designer brings more than just aesthetics—they make products viable, useful, and meaningful. When selecting a designer, I’d suggest looking not just at their portfolio, but also at how they think, how they solve problems, and how well they understand your users.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
KR : Of course. After receiving a brief, I usually start by sketching a few ideas without any external influence. Sometimes I begin with shaping through automatism—letting my hands move freely and allowing forms to emerge naturally. Alongside this, I jot down notes or quick sketches of features I’d like to incorporate. In recent years, I’ve transitioned into designing in virtual reality. It allows me to view the product up close, from all angles, and at a true 1:1 scale. To enhance the sense of realism, I sometimes build a rough physical mockup—something to hold or sit on while working in VR. It’s like sculpting with clay, but much more dynamic. I can sketch broad, sweeping forms to find shapes that feel right. For example, my award-winning armchair was designed entirely in this way. I only used CAD at the final stage for details that required boolean operations—something not yet available in my favorite VR app, Gravity Sketch. Once the design is nearly complete, I move into prototyping key functional parts. I iterate, revise, and refine until I reach a version that feels truly finished.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
KR : If I had to pick five, I’d go with: my SMEG kettle for its blend of retro style and solid build; the House of Marley turntable—beautiful materials and a great vibe; a set of Vienna-style dining chairs for their timeless elegance; the IKEA Lisabo table, which is simple, lightweight, and surprisingly well-crafted; and an honorable mention to Xiaomi products—like my phone and vacuum cleaners—for their thoughtful design, affordability, and clean minimalism.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
KR : One of the biggest positives of being a designer is being inherently handy—you become a problem solver, a thinker, and a maker. You learn how to tackle challenges from different angles, and that mindset stays with you. It means you can handle a lot in life... maybe even a zombie apocalypse. On the downside, it can be tough to find stability in our field. The term “product designer” has become blurred, often associated only with digital UX/UI roles. I respect that work—we interact with tech constantly—but it sometimes overshadows the physical, hardware-focused side of design. That makes it harder for industrial designers to be seen and understood for what we do.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
KR : Problem-solving and hands-on skills are essential. If you can build what you design—even just a rough prototype—it means your idea is grounded in reality. That connection between thinking and making is what turns a concept into something real and useful.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
KR : My toolbox is a mix of old-school and cutting-edge. I always start with a vintage Koh-i-Noor Versatil pencil and a stack of plain paper—nothing beats sketching by hand. I also use modeling clay (the reddish-brown kind) when I want to explore shapes in a tactile way. For digital work, I use a Meta Quest 3 with Gravity Sketch for VR sketching and modeling—it’s incredibly intuitive and lets me work at a true-to-life scale. On PC, I rely on Rhino and Inventor for detailed CAD work. My mouse of choice is the G502X Lightspeed—honestly the best I’ve used. For prototyping, I have a 3D printer for quick iterations, and when needed, I turn to woodworking tools—drills, saws, and more—when something needs to be physically built and tested.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
KR : I feel lucky that design is my passion, my job, and my hobby. I’m happy to give it as much time as it needs. I often work until I’m tired, and I find myself thinking about design while traveling, showering, even falling asleep. I usually try to take one day off on the weekend to recharge, but sometimes I keep working if a project really excites me.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
KR : Ideally, I believe a great design deserves close to a full year—that gives enough time to think through every detail, prototype properly, and refine the concept through iteration. In practice, though, it usually ranges from a few months to a couple of years, depending on complexity. At my current job, the pace is much faster—sometimes we have to deliver in a matter of weeks. That often means recycling existing ideas instead of exploring new ones, just to keep up with the timeline. It’s not ideal, but it teaches you how to be efficient and decisive.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
KR : The most common question I get is: “So... you design logos?” It always makes me smile. I get it—design means a lot of different things to different people. But I usually take that moment to explain what industrial design is really about.
DI: What was your most important job experience?
KR : My most important job experience was my first role as a designer at a startup. I was responsible for developing new products, improving existing ones, creating jigs and tools for the assembly line, doing some graphic design, sourcing suppliers, and even helping find buyers. Basically, I was a one-man band—and I loved it. The work was never boring. Every day brought something new, and I got to explore different roles without falling into routine. Looking back, it taught me to be resourceful, flexible, and unafraid to step into unfamiliar territory—skills that still shape how I work today.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
KR : I used to enjoy creating products that addressed ecological concerns. But over the years, I realized that making disposable things out of recycled materials doesn’t really solve the bigger problem. These days, I’m most passionate about designing products that are made to last—timeless pieces crafted from quality materials with real attention to detail. It might sound like a luxury, but I believe longevity and craftsmanship are some of the most sustainable values in design.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
KR : My plan is to grow my client base so I can eventually transition into designing full-time under my own name. Long-term, I’d love to work with prestigious companies that value luxury, strong aesthetics, and functional design—where form and purpose go hand in hand.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
KR : I work alone, but I’m not afraid of teamwork. If anyone wants to collaborate, I’m definitely open to it.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
KR : Yes, I’m currently working on a small stool shaped like a dog for a client. It’s not something I typically design, but I’m really enjoying how it’s turning out. I’m keeping my style with it, so the dog is more suggestive and minimalistic rather than overly literal.
DI: How can people contact you?
KR : People can contact me via email: iamchrisruden@gmail.com Instagram: @i.am.chris.ruden LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristian-ruden-69168712b Or my website at: ruden.framer.website