| THE AWARD |
| CATEGORIES |
| REGISTRATION |
| SUBMIT YOUR WORK |
| ENTRY INSTRUCTIONS |
| TERMS & CONDITIONS |
| PUBLICATIONS |
| DATES & FEES |
| METHODOLOGY |
| CONTACT |
| WINNERS |
| PRESS ROOM |
| GET INVOLVED |
| DESIGN PRIZE |
| DESIGN STORE |
| THE AWARD | JURY | CATEGORIES | REGISTRATION | PRESS | WINNERS | PUBLICATIONS | ENTRY INSTRUCTIONS |
Interview with Luciana Gonzalez Franco by El Espartano |
Home > Designer Interviews > Luciana Gonzalez Franco by El Espartano |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Luciana Gonzalez Franco by El Espartano (LGFBEE) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Luciana Gonzalez Franco by El Espartano by clicking here.
FS: 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?
LGFBEE: Creating has always been my passion. Since I was a little girl I have sewn with the sewing machine, and transforming something into something else is something wonderful for me. I feel wonder woman.
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
LGFBEE: Based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, I work together with companies to optimize their production matrixes towards zero waste.
FS: What is "design" for you?
LGFBEE: For me, design is a tool for social and cultural transformation.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
LGFBEE: Working from the "garbage" of companies is my great challenge. Transforming discards into a useful product is what I like to do.
FS: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
LGFBEE: Momo Stool is my favorite design. It is an individual seating that I developed for the company Cablevision Fibercorp from its discarded cable reels. Thanks to that project, I am known in the media as "the girl with the reels". It is a long story.
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
LGFBEE: A bench made from a sheet of folded cardboard.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
LGFBEE: Fabric, sew on my sewing machine.
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
LGFBEE: In the morning, drinking mate.
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
LGFBEE: Material exploration.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
LGFBEE: Curiosity, adrenaline, fun, satisfaction.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
LGFBEE: Joy and gratitude.
FS: What makes a design successful?
LGFBEE: The ingenious use of materials, the economy of resources.
FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
LGFBEE: Environmental impact, aesthetics, functionality.
FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
LGFBEE: Think more and produce less
FS: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
LGFBEE: We are moving towards a much more conscious and responsible way of designing.
FS: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
LGFBEE: My last exhibition was at Museo Scienza e Tecnologia Leonardo Da Vinci in Milan, Italy. In the context of Rossana Orlandi's Guiltless Plastic Award. Hope my next exhibition will be in France, for Paris Design Week.
FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
LGFBEE: Nature and meditation are my muses.
FS: 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?
LGFBEE: My designs are clever, inexpensive, colorful and unconventional.
FS: 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?
LGFBEE: I live in Buenos Aires, the capital city of Argentina. The cultural heritage of my country definitely marks my design style. Making the best from what is available is my personal hallmark.
FS: How do you work with companies?
LGFBEE: Companies contact me to transform their waste into something useful for them.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
LGFBEE: Trust the designer, but above all else, take the time to establish a personal connection. And take care of it.
FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
LGFBEE: My design process has a lot of trial and error. Exploring the materials I discover their language, and in this game I allow myself to create. My process is fundamentally manual. I need to test the elements to find out what I can do with them.
FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
LGFBEE: Chairs, lighting, toys, dishes and glasses.
FS: Can you describe a day in your life?
LGFBEE: I get up early, meditate and then have breakfast. At some point my son wakes up, I extend breakfast to share that moment with him. The babysitter arrives, I get ready and leave for the study. Fortunately, it is a 10-minute walk away. A cup of tea and my working day begins. Depending on the project, I do "laboratory" work (material exploration), I have a meeting or round of suppliers.
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
LGFBEE: Dare to knock on doors, be, show themselves as they are. The world wants to see and hear them.
FS: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
LGFBEE: Positive: design is a passion, negative: design is a passion. Draw your own conclusions.
FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
LGFBEE: Allways try.
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
LGFBEE: Curiosity and patience.
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
LGFBEE: Sewing machine, scissors, cutter, riveter, zip ties, rhinoceros, keyshot, photoshop, illustrator
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
LGFBEE: I have a small son, so at this moment I am not the only owner of my time.
FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
LGFBEE: It depends on the project and the rush of the company. It can be between six months and two years.
FS: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
LGFBEE: How did you come up with that?
FS: What was your most important job experience?
LGFBEE: The work experience that marked me the most by far was teaching in the women's prison.
FS: Who are some of your clients?
LGFBEE: AySA-Agua y Saneamientos Argentinos, Artek Stands, Cablevisión, Centro Metropolitano de Diseño, El Espartano SA, Gicovate, Greenpeace, Intaface, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial, Lollapalooza Argentina, Malba Tienda, Plan Nacional de Diseño, She Decides, Vacavaliente.
FS: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
LGFBEE: Work with textiles. Machine sewing is one of my grounded cables.
FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
LGFBEE: I am just starting a project on recycling and reuse of textile waste for an Argentine company. I'm happy.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
LGFBEE: I work in teams that vary from project to project, depending on the material and technology involved.
FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
LGFBEE: I have two extra work projects that I will finish at some point. One from bicycle tires and another with discarded plastic containers. Both to create upcycled luminaries.
FS: How can people contact you?
LGFBEE: By the form in my website: lucianagonzalezfranco.com. Direct to my email: lucianagonzalezfranco@gmail.com, or in the social media (instagram and facebook) lucianagonzalezfranco.
FS: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
LGFBEE: This is the most extensive interview I've ever had.
FS: Thank you for providing us with this opportunity to interview you.
A’ Design Award and Competitions grants rights to press members and bloggers to use parts of this interview. This interview is provided as it is; DesignPRWire and A' Design Award and Competitions cannot be held responsible for the answers given by participating designers.
Press Members: Register and login to request a custom interview with Luciana Gonzalez Franco by El Espartano.
| SOCIAL |
| + Add to Likes / Favorites | Send to My Email | Comment | Testimonials |
