Gabriel Antunes Henke Carrano

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Gabriel Antunes Henke Carrano ("GAHC") for their original perspective and innovative approach to design as well as their creative lifestyle, we are very pleased to share our interview with our distinguished readers.

DL: Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?

GAHC : I am an achitect and urban planner graduated from Uniersidade Estadual de Londrina, Brazil I spent an year studying furniture design at Illinois Institute of Technology

DL: What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?

GAHC : I live to make people's life easier. That's my main concern. And I think that's why I became a designer.

DL: Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?

GAHC : I had the previlege to choose to become a designer.

DL: What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?

GAHC : I design a lot of differen typer of furniture. I wish I could design more furniture for stores.

DL: What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?

GAHC : Drink water, read a lot, and be patient

DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

GAHC : The idea needs to come from yout experiences, so you will know 100% of it.

DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

GAHC : originallity, good finishes, if it is going to last long time, easy to assemble, easy to clean. All that makes a good design better.

DL: What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?

GAHC : I think investment is the wrong word. I think people should know good design first, then they will be able to use it. And for that the value of a good design is to be acessible for as many people as possible.

DL: What would you design and who would you design for if you had the time?

GAHC : A new crib in teak wood for Kartell

DL: What is the dream project you haven’t yet had time to realize?

GAHC : A collection inspired on Brazilian Folklore

DL: What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?

GAHC : Music and really bad TV Shows

DL: Who are some other design masters and legends you get inspired from?

GAHC : Charles and Ray Eames, The Bouroullec Brothers, Campana Brothers, Lina Bo Bardi, Sergio Rodrigues, Pepe Lima, Etel Carmona, Estevam Carvalhaes, Paulo Mendes da Rocha, Shyro Kuramata

DL: What are your favorite designs by other designers, why do you like them?

GAHC : Steelwood Chair by Bouroulec Brothers: Respect for the material Mole Armchair by Sergio Rodrigues: All the braziliness in one piece LCW chair by The Eames: My first love Bowl Chair by Lina Bo Bardi: Amazing lines en concept.

DL: What is your greatest design, which aspects of that design makes you think it is great?

GAHC : Me greatest design is always my last one! I am too young to have a definitive masterpiece

DL: How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?

GAHC : I always will answer that with READING MORE BOOKS

DL: If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you have done?

GAHC : I would be a brownie maker

DL: How do you define design, what is design for you?

GAHC : Design is what makes people's life more enjoyable and functional

DL: Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?

GAHC : My curators and my family, of course.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

GAHC : My energy and my resilience

DL: What were the obstacles you faced before becoming a design master?

GAHC : My sexual orientation made more difficult to get what I want (and deserved) before because Brasil is homophobic

DL: How do you think designers should present their work?

GAHC : In a organic way and as an experience without looking like motivational coaches.

DL: What’s your next design project, what should we expect from you in future?

GAHC : That is not set yet. But will be different, I can say that.

DL: What’s your ultimate goal as a designer?

GAHC : Reduce material waste!

DL: What people expect from an esteemed designer such as yourself?

GAHC : Well, I expect that people expect good design, right?

DL: How does design help create a better society?

GAHC : Design is a tool that makes everything works better.

DL: What are you currently working on that you are especially excited about?

GAHC : My Brazilian-inspired wood furniture collection will be really difficult to launch, but let's live the dream.

DL: Which design projects gave you the most satisfaction, why?

GAHC : Every design is unique. But a bench that I created to be used as a shelter for homeless people. Actually if anybody is interested to launch this project, I'm looking for investors.

DL: What would you like to see changed in design industry in the coming years?

GAHC : I would like to see quality products designed and produced to mass, not just to rich people.

DL: Where do you think the design field is headed next?

GAHC : Material Cycled Usage

DL: How long does it take you to finalize a design project?

GAHC : 4-5 months, maybe. That depends. Sometimes the idea come up ready, sometimes it needs a little hard workd to be done.

DL: When you have a new design project, where do you start?

GAHC : Moodboards and conceptional drawings

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

GAHC : The furniture allows people to experiment spaces

DL: Do you think design sets the trends or trends set the designs?

GAHC : Costumers and Industry set the trends. Designs set good taste and alternatives.

DL: What is the role of technology when you design?

GAHC : It allows me to see a realistic version of my imaginations

DL: What kind of design software and equipment do you use in your work?

GAHC : 3ds max, sketchup, solid works, rhino, illustrator, corel draw.

DL: What is the role of the color, materials and ambient in design?

GAHC : The materials translate the tradition, and the colors compliment the ambient to create a good composition and help form to be more unique.

DL: What do you wish people to ask about your design?

GAHC : "Can I produce them?" if it was a very big company member or "how do you know I needed this?!" if it was a regular cotumer

DL: When you see a new great design or product what comes into your mind?

GAHC : "One less thing to do for the society"

DL: Who is your ideal design partner? Do you believe in co-design?

GAHC : It would be awesome to design some pieces with Etel Carmona and Claudia Moreira Sales. I belive in colaboration to produce more empathic pieces of design.

DL: Which people you interacted had the most influence on your design?

GAHC : All my idols are on Instagram, all the time I ask questions, and if they could they get me by DM information. It is a really good feeling to be noticed by someone you admire.

DL: Which books you read had the most effect on your design?

GAHC : The design of XX Century Movel Moderno Brasileiro POP Design Great Designs The Atlas of Furniture Design by Vitra 1000 Chairs

DL: How did you develop your skills as a master designer?

GAHC : Learning from the masters of the past

DL: Irrelative of time and space, who you would want to meet, talk and discuss with?

GAHC : The Eames couple, Lina Bo Bardi, Sergio Rodrigues, me and a Bottle of Tequila during winter in Venice Beach

DL: How do you feel about all the awards and recognition you had, is it hard to be famous?

GAHC : I am not famous, I don't want to be famous, I want famous people to buy my designs.

DL: What is your favorite color, place, food, season, thing and brand?

GAHC : Dark blue, Chicago, feijoada, winter, my glasses, Havaianas.

DL: Please tell us a little memoir, a funny thing you had experienced as a designer?

GAHC : I designed a cabinet made of cardboard boxes during my college freshman year.

DL: What makes your day great as a designer, how do you motivate yourself?

GAHC : If I learn something or have a nice conversation about design, It will make my day!

DL: When you were a little child, was it obvious that you would become a great designer?

GAHC : No, I was terrible with concept design with my lego blocks...

DL: What do you think about future; what do you see will happen in thousand years from now?

GAHC : People will be able to print their furniture in their homes. The printer will work with wood and ecological finishes. My brain will be in some laboratory living as a machine

DL: Please tell us anything you wish your fans to know about you, your design and anything else?

GAHC : I am gay, latino, proud and my designs has a uniqueness.