Interview with Luca Prata

Luca Prata ("LP") interviewed on Thursday, 29 June.

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

LP : The company that I represent is called LANGA and it is a company that operates in the digital sector, more specifically it is able of supporting polite people to perceive various types of digital advantages. LANGA provides different types of services to increase and improve the digital presence.

How did you become a designer?

LP : The main brand I represent is called LANGA Studios and is designed to help companies structure their corporate marketing. LANGA Studios operates through consultancy and the provision of medium-high level services... but it is not the only service. LANGA offers you more than 20 different types of services, for many corporate targets. We don't feel like we've arrived, I think the LANGA group still has several ideas in store that it can offer to anyone who wants to receive digital services belonging to the LANGA Galaxy.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

LP : I often focus on the details of each project. If we speak in terms of web design, I really like to focus on css, scss or javascript in order to give the end user browsing a site or an app the best browsing experience. If we speak instead of architecture, I think I can confirm that my greatest interest shifts to the design of the intelligent subdivision of the rooms. p.s. I don't disavow the design studio on the significant details regarding environmental management, in fact I'm crazy about it.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

LP : To achieve a feeling of total love of the final result I always need to make an intense effort, all in order to always reach a truly intelligent idea that always makes sense. I hate meaningless results or those that come from designs that are difficult to interpret.

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

LP : I could describe my unique way of designing, able to relate the objectives to the real requests. Minimalistic and attentive to detail, ready to satisfy as much as possible every type of target that has been set or at least as many types of people as possible.

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

LP : Nowadays there are many web applications that help people to optimize their time. I don't think these artificial intelligence applications can do any good for our system. Today's minds are increasingly narrow and try to cut time in every way in order to achieve success before others. Real ideas come from the human brain that puts itself in a position to want to improve its status. Anyone who is lazy and thinks they can easily reach the heights of the finest design by means of artificial intelligence or similar "optimization" tools is, in my opinion, totally off the mark.

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

LP : I think that believing in your values is fundamental to designing anything. One's own values must be built and can only be collected over time, working hard and step by step. Even if the pay isn't high it doesn't matter, if you are young the most important thing is to learn something new and interesting. I can suggest to young people to find their way, leaving behind the simple ways that seem to lead to success. "Don't care about the hourly wage or how long you work on a project, just persevere more and more and you will be successful when you are mature." From my side I'm on my way to 40 and very often I still work on projects that should cost much more but I don't care because maybe I want to put myself in a certain sector in which I don't have a presence yet.

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

LP : If I told you I would tell you my secret; ) Those who have perseverance in their projects are on the right track.

What is your day to day look like?

LP : Calm but decise, minimal but detailed style it's the style that could be represented better my person.

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

LP : The main design inspiration came from my student past, architecture; where I was able to learn the difference between beautiful and healthy. The main inspiration comes from everything that can surround me in the moment of designing. Trends are certainly important, but the style that I instill in every LANGA project is always based on the design and usability standards of the final object.

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

LP : I think it is difficult to attribute an evaluation scale to decree whether a project is valid or not. I can say that I have to evaluate many points and different product categories in order to be able to say if the time invested has been well spent.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

LP : The researching of minimalistic details is the key of the success, when it will be full of this kind of details it will be ready. I'll feel it if it's ready to show to you.

What is your biggest design work?

LP : One of my most important experiences was definitely a collaboration with an Iranian company that worked for a huge international hospital. In this case, a web researcher was required with a 3D GPS tool that could allow all patients to be able to navigate in the hospital without getting lost, map the position of the doctors and set the limits for different types of users.

Who is your favourite designer?

LP : Giorgio Armani is one of the best fashion designer in the world + Renzo Piano is one of the best architect in the world + there are many other. As you know, both are italian...maybe it's only a coincidence.

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

LP : A common day in my life is to get up early, go to work and then get to work on customer or LANGA projects. My style life is believe in my projects to support who has the request.

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

LP : Being a designer has only good points if you see it as an attractive job for your soul. Being a designer means being able to think of interesting projects that can be implemented in the future. One downside is that if you don't believe it enough you will never earn enough. If you think you have to earn money right away, I can suggest to these people that they try to find another job.

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

LP : I hope my concepts can help people achieve success without always thinking only about money but about the project itself for the good of society and the environment. I have donated some medical equipment to the city where LANGA was founded and I actively support the concept of charity, always thanks to the profits deriving from LANGA companies. More information on www.lucaprata.com

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

LP : I hope that my activities as a designer and winning the A'design award & competition will allow me to expand the concepts of healthy and good design and style to adopt in one's life.

Luca Prata Profile