Anne Qvist, born 1962 1992 1994 2004 2012 Aarhus School of Architecture Schmidt Hammer Lassen Arkitema Anne Qvist Design Office Anne Qvist Design Office designed KILDEBJERG and OUTFIT for Lampas. Anne Qvist Design Office Anne Qvist After 18 years as a design director at large design studios, Anne Qvist set up her own business in 2012. Based in an industrial building at the Port of Aarhus, she creates product design and interior design. How did you come to be a designer? When working in the design studio, I’m actual- ly frequently struck by the fact that I’m directly connected to my childhood by what I do. When drawing or preparing material samples, I get that same feeling of creating with my hands and bringing ideas to life. I guess I had an idea that I would go to art school. But when I discovered that you could become a designer at Aarhus School of Architecture, I had no doubt that’s where I should go. I actually only wanted to be a designer. The fact that I did the whole architectural course along with it was pure luck. It gave me an understanding of the wider context and scale that the products fit into. I’ve had two incredibly exciting jobs as a design director. When I hit 50, I wanted to try something new again, so there were two options – a new position or self-employment. I took the leap from the 5-metre springboard. I love the freedom I have. People sometimes think that the freedom of being self-employed means working in Mallorca every two weeks. Absolutely not. I work incredibly hard. On what I choose. What is your design process at Anne Qvist Design Office? My mother was a folk high-school teacher and taught all the creative subjects. My father was a mechanic. So practical stuff was a big part of my childhood home. At secondary school I had a great ceramics teacher, who had a real impact on me. I take a great interest in context. You can’t design a light or a glass with no context. A product can only take shape when it’s needed for something, when it’s part of a context, and when it’s intended for something. 241
Download PDF file