Deniz Aktay placed a lot of attention on the aspects of creation, design and drafting during his studies in architecture and urban planning at the University of Stuttgart. Throughout his professional career as an architect, he incorporated these elements into his creative work.
For Deniz, good design means finding the ideal balance between proportions, materials and functionality. He achieves this by considering and combining creativity, simplicity, the proper arrangement of features and details, and the materials used. "Designing a new product while considering all these factors is always an exciting challenge," according to Aktay.
I have always been very attracted to unusual forms and colours, fascinating surfaces and patterns and pleasing proportions and geometries. When I see beautiful things, I am driven to "design" my beautiful object.
However, it was only through my architecture studies that I could grow and develop a sense of design. I also learned more about furniture design, known as the "little sister of architecture" at this time, and it quickly captured my interest. It still does.
I strive to keep my designs without extraneous decoration by Bauhaus principles. Each component has been purposefully created and has a function. My designs work as a whole and comprise a specified number of individual components. When there are too many or too few elements, the design becomes overloaded or fails to work.
Materials should be used in a way that respects their unique characteristics. Each form has a material that works well with it and vice versa. Furthermore, whether through an elegant shape or sparse use of material and structure, I constantly want to push the limits of the unique material properties. In addition, I prefer to add a distinctive feature or a special detail to my designs.
I draw inspiration from various art forms, such as music, sculpture, painting and architecture. The shapes and geometries found in nature and other furniture designers' designs are also fantastic sources of inspiration for me. What mainly stimulates me are parametric constructs and Escheresque representations.
It's probably my desire for perfection that drives me. The design must meet all requirements for design, proportion, materiality and utility. But one must acknowledge that perfection is only a rough approximation. The desire to achieve it never fades away. The prospect of never attaining it can be frustrating, but it also motivates one to work harder, perhaps the most crucial incentive for any designer.
I use high-quality materials in my designs, characterised by a high ecological balance. This makes them remarkably durable and robust. Moreover, the material is used effectively and very sparingly due to my desire for a simple, unadorned design that emphasises avoiding any kind of decoration. In addition, I constantly work to infuse my designs with a timeless quality to withstand changing trends.
Similarly, versatility and multifunctionality are essential aspects of most of my designs. As a result, the furniture can serve a variety of purposes and has the potential to be used for an extended period.
There are three essential elements in my mind for this. First of all, one must have a genuine love for their work. Being driven to succeed in a task can also be beneficial.
Second, it's crucial to understand what is typically regarded as good design. Experienced designers can teach us a lot, even from related arts. In addition, there should be a fundamental understanding of harmony, proportion, materiality and building.
The third requirement is perseverance, hard effort and diligence. Ideas must be fought for, and they don't just appear out of nowhere. Typically, they occur over an extended investigation period and an iterative process that only gradually discloses the best solution.
