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| Interviews@3LC - Design | |
| Sunday, 17 September 2006 | |
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black + blum: their award winning designs are populating the world Interview with Martin Blum
The black + blum consultancy was founded in
1998 in London, the product of a friendship between Swiss Martin Blum and English
Dan Black. The two met at University of Northumbria while
studying “design through industry”.
After having worked together on several group projects, they realized
that they worked well together.
The interview
with Martin took place in the lounge area of Hall 6, where black + blum had
their stand. Don’t be fooled by the
stern look in his photos. Martin is
really one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.
As he described what makes black + blum tick, how he and Dan work
together, and how their Hidden Art membership helps them reach out to younger
designers, his smile never waned. He
showed a genuine enthusiasm for his work, his colleagues in London and Taiwan (who
are also friends), and the lifestyle he is working to create through hard work,
so much so, an eavesdropper may have confused the conversation as a talk about
leisure, not work. (Actually, he did
talk about leisure…kite surfing—his first stop after the Fair!) If working as a designer has its down sides,
you’d never know it from Martin. What is the black + blum design philosophy?
Once we’ve designed our products, you know you’re getting the best possible components on the market, like for example the Propello desk fan which has the best motor available. Over time our core has stayed the same, and as we explore we do sometimes move away from that core, like for example with the Venti fan, which is quite expensive. However, our Loop candle holder (with two intertwined holders, right) is made by bending a piece of metal in such a way that people find it attractive. At the end of the day, its price is consistent with a bent piece of metal, not a candle holder. That’s the core of what we’re all about. How do you work through your ideas? Which strengths does each of you bring to the design process? We work together because we have similar qualities and disciplines. We are able to accept each other’s criticism and advice without fighting each other off. We realize that together we can reach almost 95% of our potential, but individually we couldn’t get over 80%. We’ve split up the running of the business and sourcing of manufacturers, but we avoid becoming specialized in any one particular area because we both want to live at our dream, which is to design, and we don’t want to get bogged down into some aspect of the business that takes us away from designing. We don’t have a set way of getting through our ideas. They come to us in any imaginable way, like traveling together to a manufacturer, or through discussing an existing product we come up with a way to improve it or come up with a product we’d enjoy doing. We like to see that we had fun in the end product. Sometimes, though, the approach is more structured. We come up with something like “a low investment product targeted for…”, then we get out our sketchbooks. Sometimes it’s quick and in an afternoon we get pretty far along on the new product.
Not much has changed, I’d say. Not much new has come out which is good for us. There are loads of new designers, but there are variations on variations, but no new directions. Actual new ways of approaching products aren’t out there and we see this as an opportunity to try to make something new. We were happy with Loop because it’s nearly art nouveau but it’s contemporary. (Climbing Light, right) Some designers in their interviews have talked about their designs being copied and the relative inability to enforce any sort of patents when the theft occurs across international borders. How do you deal with copies of your designs? How do you verify that what you’re designing is original? We register all of our designs. If someone copies, we look to see how closely they’ve copied. If it’s not as attractive, we don’t care, and we don’t say anything. This has actually come back to bite us because we’ve been accused of copying by the people who copy us. It’s probably better that we do say something in every case in order to prevent situations like that. But at the end of the day, if we are copied, that’s life. When you come up with an idea that comes from the back of your head, you have to be very distrustful. When that happens to us, we go to Google and research. Internet is very useful that way and you can get a lot done. But you can never be 100%. The idea could have been from 1932, discontinued but reproduced in a design book… Research is fundamental. We also often find ourselves in certain situations asking “What would [Achille] Castiglioni do?" His isn’t a style, it’s a philosophy.
You’ve
won several awards for your designs. How
did you feel when you won the first one? It feels brilliant! It’s worth as much as if it makes a living for you. It’s quite a compliment when someone who knows about design has appreciated your work. I can’t really be scientific about what it does for the consultancy. We aren’t just designing for the products, but we hope to develop also as designers. Winning awards helps us get invited to participate in brainstorming sessions, speak to students. We’re interested in influencing younger designers and getting involved on that level is stimulating to us. (James the Doorman, right) Time Capsule: Which three of your designs (or anyone else’s) would you put in a time capsule today which would say the most about you and the times we live in? This is a hard one… I’d say the mobile phone—not that I like it, but it’s there and it has changed our lives. Then I’d say anything by Achille Castiglioni because everything he did really sums up what many people continue to try to do, to achieve. And then I’d say about me at least any thing which oozes passion, like a Ferrari Dino which is a sculpture, a piece of art. I don’t like static. You’ve mentioned the difficulties you had with bringing your Venti fan to market. Can you talk a bit about the development of the fan? Were the difficulties typical of the design process for your products?
The sheer size of the Venti project was huge.
Running it as a two person team when this type of produ You were featured in the Hidden Art newsletter in the spring, talking about marketing. How can/do design consultancies like black + blum help Hidden Art? How has it helped you? How has Hidden Art changed over the course of your membership?
Since we initiated our membership three or four years ago, Hidden Art has become more commercial and active in helping designers sell product. It’s no longer just advisory, it’s also practical. The website has begun to generate sales for designers, so today it is actually closing the circle.
What motivates you?
Developing and striving for more. Trying to create the dream life, which for me
is spending ten months a year designing and two months kite surfing. (Left: group of four Loops)
Pizza
Napoli. It has the most minimal essential ingredients yet is very
tasty. It has no unnecessary decorations but still looks very
attractive.
What was it ten years ago? We were both students – chocolate bars from the 24hours vending machine.
Food you never tire of eating.
Martin: grilled fish Dan: eggs benedict
First thing you notice in a restaurant.
Martin: Atmosphere Dan: Cutlery  Company you'd love to leave your mark on.
Our dream is to design a bar chair that will be taken up by VITRA.
Last piece of art you fell in love with.
If money were no object, one thing you'd buy for your home's interior.
Magazine you can't live without.
Celebrity you're inexplicably intrigued by.
Favorite place to be on a Saturday afternoon. |
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