Interview with Tiravy Guillaume

Tiravy Guillaume ("TG") interviewed on Monday, 27 May.

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

TG : I fulfilled my first graphic design orders about twenty years ago at the beginning of my studies in this field. I then pursued training in product design followed by a comprehensive curriculum in architecture in France and Canada. Afterwards, I took a position in Switzerland, a country I have fallen in love with. To better learn my trade in the field, I chose to work with small architectural firms. When I started my career as a freelancer, I naturally returned to graphic design due to some sollicitation. I quickly had the opportunity to work for International Organizations such as the WHO, major corporations like Johnson & Johnson, and public institutions like the Geneva Cantonal Police. In the field of communication, the discipline that gives me the most pleasure and remains, in my opinion, the paramount discipline is branding. I love discovering a company's DNA and shaping its identity.

How did you become a designer?

TG : I have been drawing since I was very young. It was the simplest way for me to escape my surroundings. It was a silent activity that required only a piece of paper and a pencil, resources that were always accessible to me. It was also a way to reflect on my environment. Literally, I would transpose what I saw. Figuratively, I learned by reproducing. I seriously started drawing at the age of 4 and have never stopped. My first academic aspiration was not design but animation. At 6 years old, I discovered the concept of animation through a sequence of drawings and was immediately fascinated by the process. As a teenager, I produced a few basic animations, both traditional and stop-motion. These were made with limited resources. I had restricted access to computers and had to make do with software that was not designed for animation. I didn't have the opportunity to pursue the studies I initially wanted, but today I realize that design offers me much more than animation could have. The greatest advantage of design is being able to see your work around you and live with it. I feel useful because I genuinely help people. By using my passion to provide a service and earn a living, I have found my place in society.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

TG : A well-prepared job is already half done. I don't have a technique or style in the sense that I don't just apply a ready-made recipe or formal language. For every problem, there's a solution, so the first step is to problematize. This is my top priority in every new project. It's rare for a client to truly express the problem they're facing in the request they send me. Once the problem is identified, the solutions it suggests will guide my approach. There have been instances where a client asked for a label, but after dissecting the problem together, I convinced them that they actually needed a stamp. I will thoroughly study the request with the client from start to finish. Then, I'll determine the appropriate means to address it effectively.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

TG : The initial phases of a project are exhilarating. Everything is possible, and ideas come rushing in. I see everything in black and white. I think one thing and then its opposite without any transition. The development phases then bring all the shades of gray. It’s a thoughtful period that requires a strong capacity for learning. It’s also the time when one must be inventive to bring ideas that will unlock each new challenge that arises. Eventually, there comes a point where the path is clear. Everything has been thought through, and it's time to produce. This is when everything solidifies. It’s the culmination of a process that can be lengthy, so I experience this final phase as a form of reward. It is the tangible result of the previous planning. It’s also the critical moment where we see if the initial hypotheses were correct.

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

TG : During my studies, I had the opportunity to learn object design, graphic design, and architecture. This diversity enriches my approach. My expertise in one field often influences the others. Each project is an opportunity to prove my legitimacy in my profession and demonstrate my relevance in addressing subjects that are often unfamiliar to me. For example, I would love to immerse myself in the world of a pizzaiolo if I were to structure the branding of a pizzeria. However, I would hate to perform this exercise repeatedly because I wouldn’t know how to innovate. Ultimately, I would end up proposing the same strategy to all my clients. It's the necessity to constantly refine my work, question everything, and learn that drives and motivates me.

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

TG : With a portfolio of several brands developed as a freelancer, I now operate under my own brand, WA, for all visual communication work. I aim to grow this branch by adding new references. I also hope to develop more personal projects by designing objects and spaces. You will soon be able to find these works on tiravy.studio, my company, and its eponymous website. If I were to mention a type of project I would like to undertake in the medium term, it would undoubtedly be a metaverse, one or multiple architectures dedicated to virtual reality.

What is your day to day look like?

TG : Without much originality, I reserve my mornings because that’s when I am most productive. This time can be spent working alone, collaborating with a supplier, or visiting a construction site. Client meetings are scheduled for early afternoon. The rest of the day is more flexible. What matters most to me is learning something new every day. This could be a software function, a skill, or any piece of knowledge I find relevant. I believe that what I learn each day is what fulfills me.

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

TG : I am wary of trends. Fashion is cyclical; the codes of the 90s are making a strong comeback right now. This is evident not only in the clothes we wear but also in object design. Manufacturers are bringing back beige, a color that I thought had been forever banished from the realm of computing, for example. It's sexy until it's not anymore. However, there are underlying trends that I fully embrace, such as the growing ecological awareness that translates into more environmentally friendly materials and manufacturing processes. The final decision is often made by the consumer, and fortunately, environmental impact is increasingly influencing our choices.

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

TG : An object, a space, or a graphic design can be good for one person and not for another. Its validity is also tied to time. A design is often associated with its era because our needs, habits, concerns, and production methods evolve. Most importantly, it is crucial to understand what problem a design addresses. In contemporary design and architecture, the most well-known works are Philippe Starck's Juicy Salif and Frank O. Gehry's Guggenheim Foundation. Fortunately, there is not just one citrus juicer, and it is not Starck's, or we would hardly drink any fruit juice. As for the Guggenheim Foundation, it is a building that is practically unlivable. These two examples have made an indelible mark on design history, yet they hardly fulfill their primary functions. Their utility is significantly limited. However, they are icons, and in that lies their utmost importance. Each problem has its solution.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

TG : It is undoubtedly the most difficult decision to make. A design is never truly finished. There is an ontological impossibility in our profession because the perfect formula, like solving a mathematical problem, does not exist. However, there is an intuition of achieving a form of correctness when a solution seems to satisfy both the body and the mind, to paraphrase Le Corbusier. If a design can be explained logically, is well-reasoned, and also brings pleasure, then that's already quite good. One might consider that when our reptilian brain, limbic brain, and neocortex all agree in liking a solution, there is nothing more to modify.

Who is your favourite designer?

TG : Design involves embracing the complexity of our world to better find the appropriate place for a new object, graphic, building, etc. When making a decision, I always try to consider what Edgar Morin would have decided. The guiding thread of my projects is often based on his writings. He is my favorite designer in the sense that he has the best approach to problematizing a situation, offering one of the most relevant angles of design thinking.

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

TG : The exposure to the world and its cultures that Geneva, the city where I live, provides is a great source of inspiration for me. It is a very sporty region with varied landscapes, ranging from lake beaches to alpine activities in the mountains. This lifestyle suits me perfectly. The national culture, with its very Swiss demand for excellence, drives me to surpass myself in my work. If Switzerland is often ranked as the most innovative country in the world, I believe it is due to the unwavering pragmatism of its inhabitants. I don't think it's a coincidence that it is the only direct democracy in existence, and thus, the only true democracy. While design may not have much to do with this directly, I feel that I am imbued with this culture that aims to break down all biases and intellectual scoriae that might ordinarily hinder a line of thought.

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

TG : I tend to do everything to make my clients happy; I belong to them for the duration of a project. However, I know that I need to work on this and be more pedagogical and firmer, in the interest of the project. I also need to refine my business philosophy. I don't always know how to sell myself, and I find it difficult to evaluate the price of my work. Yet, design is not incompatible with business. There are many creatives who have achieved exceptional entrepreneurial success. The founders of Apple, Pinterest, Kickstarter, and Airbnb owe their success to design, and all have studied in related fields. In Silicon Valley, investors value designers. It is the very milieu of entrepreneurship that now declares designers make excellent entrepreneurs.

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

TG : I am very happy to provide services to associations or small independent individuals who usually cannot afford my services, and it is often this work that I highlight. It is almost always related to branding, and you can see some examples on my website, wa.media. However, this generosity has its limits. The danger with providing free work as a creative is that your work may be undervalued. When people do not pay, they may not always consider the work as such but rather as a hobby. The value of something is often associated with its price.

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

TG : As a designer, I am constantly seeking recognition. When I provide a solution, I know it's not the only one; there are infinite possibilities, and therefore, it's highly likely that there is something better out there. My goal is to strive for that improvement. Alone, I can not objectively evaluate my work. Submitting it to my peers provides me with the assurance I need to remain motivated. Beyond the award itself, there's an entire ecosystem we're connected to. This allows designers to expand their online presence and reinforce existing connections with qualified links, thereby improving their SEO. Personal branding is increasingly important, and creators may be among those who need it the most. Professional recognition also helps establish legitimacy, which clients find reassuring. Interviews, like this one, made possible by awards, allow people to learn more about us. Design professionals are not always the most communicative. Being compelled to share our stories opens us up a bit more, and that's what some clients seek before they can trust us.

Tiravy Guillaume Profile