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Interview with Hulya Oz |
Home > Designer Interviews > Hulya Oz |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Hulya Oz (HO) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Hulya Oz 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?
HO: As a kid growing up in a well-organized and aesthetically pleasing environment likely shaped me appreciation for design and architecture. Observing surroundings inspires creativity. Beside that Turkiye's rich history and diverse cultures nurtiured my design ability especially the vibrant architectural landscape. From ancient ruins to modern designs, these have formed my design skills.
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
HO: Transitioning to smaller artistic product designs allows me to explore new creative avenues while still showcasing my architectural vision. After continuing my architectural practice for nearly 30 years, I decided to open up to the world with my functional art pieces. Combining traditional craftsmanship with modern technologies is an excellent way to both preserve cultural heritage and create innovative designs. Being inspired from my cultural heritage can lead to some truly unique and meaningful contemporary designs.
FS: What is "design" for you?
HO: Design is a form of expression where you achieve a highly personal result by blending and expressing your inner world with your observations. Designing and producing is a powerful and personal manifesto.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
HO: I do not limit myself in design; with a broad perspective, I can transform any design into a wide variety of products with different materials. Meanwhile, I have the opportunity to learn new techniques when I collaborate with craftsmen who do different productions.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
HO: Using natural materials such as silver, porcelain and glass adds to my designs a timeless quality and unique texture. They all have their own physical boundaries that we must abide by. This is a factor that requires acting according to the material during design, compliance and obedience, which is a great experience.
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
HO: Having the freedom to design without obligations leads to the most creative and innovative work.
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
HO: Aligning functionality with materials physical requirements plus the production techniques is crucial for ensuring a successful design. That is how my design ensures that it dose not only looks good but also performs well.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
HO: I feel connected to the universe. Connecting to the universe through designing brings out a stronger sense of inspiration and creativity.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
HO: Of course satisfaction in solving design challenges, and sometimes even a bit of excitement about how it will be received. However, finalizing a product never occurs in a single step, and this is one of the stages that brings closer to the perfect product and increases self-confidence.
FS: What makes a design successful?
HO: Experiencing that one's design is appreciated and in demand as well as being able to make them accessible to others is wonderful. Balancing artistic integrity with practicality, including affordability, is a key aspect of design.
FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
HO: My eye has its own way of evaluating with its own scale. Let's call it a more intuitive evaluation criterion. I am more inclined towards a design where people's own skills and power and technology are intertwined.
FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
HO: As humanity, we need to be comfortable in an environment that meets beautiful aesthetic criteria and to be at peace with what we use where we live. The designer has to serve these.
FS: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
HO: Technology offers us immense benefits. On the other hand, it can easily become an addiction. For this reason, we must be careful when deciding to what extent technology will take part in our lives for the future.
FS: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
HO: I have several displays instead in various concept stores on line and physical.
FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
HO: In my homeland the architectural elements mainly and some of my ancestors are my inspiration. I support my design imagination through travels, often involving architectural discoveries.
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?
HO: My approach to design is simplicity, functionality and sustainability. I also like symbolic expressions.
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?
HO: I live in Istanbul, a vibrant city with many cultural layers. The city's rich tapestry of architecture, art, and traditions provides a deep well of inspiration. Istanbul is also a city where workshops and craftsmen with many different production techniques are located. On the other hand, I believe it is a very convenient city with its geographical proximity to other European cities.
FS: How do you work with companies?
HO: I work for my own company.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
HO: By thoroughly researching the history of the designer or brand. nothing is sustainable these days.
FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
HO: The dimmer button, the dishwasher, my in line skates, the pottery wheel and the my desk chair with wheels on its legs.
FS: Can you describe a day in your life?
HO: I start with a 5 km walk by the Bosphorus almost every morning before breakfast. Continue the day with office works like answering or writing e-mails, telephone conversations regarding my work till noon. Then I visit the workshops 3 times a week. Mostly concentrating on designing early in the mornings or Sundays
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
HO: Traditional producing techniques often evolved over centuries to address specific needs such as climate, materials availability, and cultural practices.Studying these techniques offers valuable insights into sustainable and efficient design solutions.
FS: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
HO: I try to describe the facts instead. Designer needs to be patient to be seen or to feel successful. If the designer needs to be visible quickly, I suggest he/she focuses on another field as this will test his/her patience. It takes time their skills to mature and to establish a productive bond with the right workshops and craftspeople because it is not learned at school.
FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
HO: Self belief and good observation
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
HO: It is necessary to have an understanding with the manufacturer and be knowledgeable about production.
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
HO: In the beginning, the most basic tools are paper and pencil. Software comes in the end to be able to use technology such as 3 d printed models or CNC molds
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
HO: I wake up very early. Since I am an architect I am good in planning, I minimise my commuting time and stick to my daily plan.
FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
HO: Designing does not take a very long time. The more time consuming part is the producing stages. It is like six months to a year from start till the end depending on the complexity of the design
FS: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
HO: I'm often asked about my sources of inspiration.
FS: What was your most important job experience?
HO: The production of glass parts of my award winning Arch of Sinan coffee cup.
FS: Who are some of your clients?
HO: Adorno.de Powered by People 1st Dibs and some concept stores around Istanbul and Nyc
FS: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
HO: It gives me great pleasure to express the values I believe in in my life through my designs. Solidarity, cooperation, togetherness, unity consciousness etc.
FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
HO: My future plans are to explore different materials and scales and open an exhibition in Istanbul with what I have produced so far, two years later, in the tenth anniversary of my brand.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
HO: I develop the designs all by myself.
FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
HO: I am expanding the most popular and best-selling porcelain coffee cup design. The design will be expanded into a series featuring other items
FS: How can people contact you?
HO: They may contact me by my e mail which is: hulya@zoyaistanbul.com zoya@zoyaistanbul.com
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.
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