Interview with Idan Herbet

Idan Herbet ("IH") interviewed on Monday, 11 May.

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

IH : I got started with designing in 2016 in the first year of my undergraduate degree in industrial design at Hit - Holon Institute of Technology, Israel. When I chose my studies, I realized that this was my future profession and there were no deviations to the left or the right. When I felt this insight, I began to look at every step of the way as a tool for the toolbox that I am accumulating with me. Which helped me relate to the profession, to myself, and to work very seriously. When you take yourself seriously, I believe that is how you will be treated. As a result, I began to establish contacts and job offers in the field during the first year of studies. Since then I have been working as an industrial designer at Kochavi & Klein - a lighting architecture company. While simultaneously collaborating with multi-disciplinary artist Zvika Hrepesh. Together we challenge ourselves and plan an innovative, happy and kicking world.

How did you become a designer?

IH : I believe that my childhood has a great influence on me as a designer today. I grew up in a home that breathes design, with this mother that every detail must be in its place, in the right composition and aesthetic to a high degree. My father is a very pedantic and punctual man, he has golden hands and he is not afraid of hard work. I completed my military service as an officer and company commander of soldiers and other officers. There I was struck by the fact that we control the world we live in - if it is in our actions to motivate ourselves, to move the environment, and indeed through our actions, to shape the world we live in. It was that attitude that fascinated me to study design. Design for a good life, challenging, beautiful, intriguing, pleasant and full of emotions!

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

IH : First and foremost is to choose a project to which I connect, so I succeed in creating the motivation through the curiosity that pushes me forward. Before I jump and burrow in, I stop and understand the essence of the project, what the story is and what aspects it touches. Another thing that motivates me at the beginning of projects is to start at a point whose end is unknown. I am a great believer in the results of the process, in-depth research, entry into unfamiliar paths, and exiting the comfort zone are the things that lead you to fascinating innovations and discoveries! "When the hands think," this is another key tool in me that proves itself every time anew. I believe that what you do not know you can only discover after really touching it.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

IH : In a good design process, as far as I am concerned, you meet with a spectrum of feelings. Joy, adrenaline, security, excitement, confusion, frustration, hunger. And so on. I believe that a project where everything was too easy is not a really good project. I try to start each project with faith and confidence that helps me push forward and not be afraid to walk even in the dark. The most exciting things for me are the unexpected surprises along the way. Those who catch you at an unexpected moment and are the key to discovery and innovation. There is nothing more satisfying then seeing what you've worked on grow and how people and the environment are affected by it.

What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?

IH : The main thing that reshaped me was the courage to stop everything and go out into the big world and ask a lot of questions, who am I? What do I want in life, what does me good and what does not? It started with my departure for the great trip - half a year in South and Central America. Where I really dealt with myself in the most extreme situations and a lot of emotions I had not met before. The freedom to choose and do what I feel is comfortable and really good, to give myself a platform and to deal with new situations every day anew. On that trip, I was exposed to a very significant field in my current life. wave surfing. I meet surfing aspects in my daily life and as a designer in particular. Everyone wants to surf, but it's not easy. Perseverance, determination, exploration, failures, frozen water, burning sun, rubbing, beating, swallowing water, competition, etc. are things that, like life and as a designer, you must deal with to be a good surfer/designer.

What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?

IH : The plan is to continue to pursue curiosity, challenge myself, and give my best in every field I encounter. What motivates me from project to project is the human domain, the end user. In every project I try to get into the mind of the user and shape his emotions through products / objects, which feelings arise when he encounters the product for the first time using it? and what memory it leaves him with? My dream is to grow up with my studio, to put together the family with whom we can deal with every project in an excellent way and to make dreams come true for our customers, for us, and to create such dreams that nobody dreamed of yet. Today I'm working on a series of characters that I hope all of you will know. A colorful character, joyous, optimistic and inspiring. One that will leave a sweet memory and a big smile.

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

IH : I myself am a young designer, but I will be happy to share the things that motivate me and push me forward to fight and fulfill my dreams. Listen to your inner self! If you feel that you need freedom, to spend time with family, friends, fitness or any striped emotion... Invest in it, this is what will motivate you and you will be able to deal with design with a quiet mind and security. If you think you are too small to change anything, try to fall asleep when there is a mosquito in the room. Ask, research, and get help from people along the way. With anything you encounter do your best. You are already there. Make the most of it!

You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?

IH : Access things from your feelings. Be honest with the environment and with yourself. If you were alert enough to notice a problem, whatever it is, you can be certain others feel it too. Do not underestimate the people around you. Inductance is everywhere. Be alert and take advantage of opportunities. Do not say when I'll have the time, I'll do it, because you will not find the time. Just make time to do it! The best time to start is today! Trust yourself and appreciate your work, do not wait for someone to motivate or push you, you are the greatest creators of yourselves. Good is measured by evil, beautiful by the ugly, high by the low, etc... Appreciate the evil and know what is good because of it. Shout your dreams. Someone will hear and help you realize them.

What is your day to day look like?

IH : Before every new day I write down specific tasks for the day after. I try to promote a number of things at the same time even if it means investing at least 20 minutes each day in them, it helps me keep things in mind, think about them, sharpen them and keep them alive. There is always something to do, every day I ask myself where can I promote my business, talk about my endeavor and share it with the environment that contributes to my thinking aloud and connect people to my endeavors. Design is a world full of inspiration. A daily review of design blogs, visiting exhibitions, tracking design news and more encourages creativity even in the subconscious mind.

How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?

IH : I subscribe to newsletters in all the design news that intrigue me. Relevant updates come to me automatically. Every idea that comes to mind, an object that inspires me or a thought I try to record or save a picture of, occasionally browsing these things motivates me to create and access the design I connect with.

How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?

IH : You feel good design from the inside. It stimulates emotions in you and secretes hormones in the body, it is very easy to recognize. A good design is one you look at and you believe that it really does what it is supposed to do, does not try too hard or pretends to be something it is not, one that does its work in the simplest and correct way according to the technology and material it is made of. To avoid bad design, you have to ask yourself is this the most correct way to perform this action? If you felt that you were sweating too much, and trying very hard to make it happen, it was probably not the right direction.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

IH : It is difficult to say that a design that is finished or perfect, especially in the era in which we live, when every day there are new developments and advancement in technology at a record pace. There is only one way ,in my opinion, to get to the closest point possible to a ready design, and that is to examine all the options available to do it closely, and only after you have tested and experienced it you can measure and evaluate what is good and what is not. The end of a project is usually on its deadline. And if there isn't one, it's always possible and best to keep it on a low flame and to advance and upgrade it when possible. The success of a project for me is the feedback from the environment. If the user is satisfied and enjoyed its use, the target has been achieved.

What is your biggest design work?

IH : My Portable gas stove is the product I'm most proud of right now. It has great significance in my life and is one of my milestones as a designer. I breathed and lived this project for 3 consecutive months, got up and went to sleep with it every day. This product is the result of an in-depth research and an important impact for me as a designer on the ability to explore, follow emotion and curiosity, persevere and reach innovative results that resulted from many challenges that required a lot of creativity. The desire for this product stemmed from a technology that intrigued me and with it I wanted to design an innovative product with features and capabilities that were not seen before. There is something magical about the success of a project which at the beginning of the road was just a fiction idea.

Who is your favourite designer?

IH : There are plenty of inspiring designers out there. And indeed there are some that I follow closely such as: Nendo, James Dyson, Kaws Zaha Hadid, Ron Arad, Philippe Starck. The common denominator of all of them is the ability to harness people, dream big, pave new paths, challenge reality and undermine everything we have known to this day. I greatly appreciate their way and follow it closely.

Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?

IH : My lifestyle is based on design. Design for me is my way of expressing myself as an artist and contributing to society through a good and thoughtful design. Our life is one big inspiration. Design goes with me everywhere and I give thanks for that. Nature, industry, spirituality, music, religion, attitude, etc. are anchors in our world and each one can be a platform for a design concept. Since I've been designing, my eyes automatically go to, and place an emphasis on the smallest details. It's stronger than me, the smallest thing that disturbs me. Will make me not rest until I make it exist in the best possible way

Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?

IH : Working in a team is always nice, allowing you to think together, hear and sharpen each other and achieve better results. Over time I learned to release and give the stage to other ideas, which promoted me as a person and a designer in particular. There is great importance to cooperation and achievement within this. I know how to give the stage, complement and reward accordingly - it motivates, attracts the other side to achievements, and to joint success. As a designer my responsibility is to provide an honest and reliable response. Listen to the material and the person and provide him with the best for him.

What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?

IH : As designers we have a great influence on man and humanity. In every project I try to emphasize the recycling and the depletion of the materials. Design contributes to society, unifies, and protects human dignity. The more designers work that way, the better the awareness will become, and talking about it is very important. We control the today and tomorrow of our world.

What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?

IH : Winning a design award is primarily a boost for me. It inspires me to continue to create and advance, and to push further. It is very nice to receive an appreciation of this magnitude, especially when you've worked hard and there is a platform that appreciates it and gives you the stage. I believe this is a door opening to my design career. A pat on the back is nice but it does not mean anything, the goal is to continue to create, invent and beat yourself. Design competitions of this kind are very important. This creates healthy competition and sets a bar to the design field and for designers in particular. Being a design award winner puts it in another league and it only comes to those who aim for there. I am very aware of this and appreciate every moment.

Idan Herbet Profile