Interview with Harald Hynell
Harald Hynell is talented designer from Sweden. He is well known in Scandinavia and over the world for his innovative yet useful objects, the infamous Lap Tray is my personal favourite. We continue our habit to publish interviews with designers from Nordic Countries and here the result of our conversation with Harald:
NDB: Hi, many readers of NDB have seen your works, and these creations are very popular among many lovers of Scandinavian design and architecture, can you describe the creative process, how these beautiful ideas were developed?
HH: I view my creative process like an iterative process. In every iteration I try to focus on one of there aspects of design: style, function or technology. The business aspect is always present, but never the focus of an iteration. Normally, but not always, I start with a functional analysis and then I develop a number of alternative sets of functionality. One or two is chosen and then the style is refined and illustrated using 3D software and models. In the next step a prototype is developed and tested. A here everything would be over if things where easy and simple, but they never are. So the process starts over until I feel that I can’t get any further. Just as life in general…
NDB: Where do you get your inspiration from?
HH:
- My wife Madeleine Landou. A truly inspirational person.
- Other designers like Jonathan Ive and Jasper Morrison.
- Entrepreneurs in general
NDB: Tell us about your favorite work you have done?
HH: The Purse Dog. I’ts a new product that we are launching right now and is a first product of a series of product for women that have the ambition to offer practical things with style. Most practical things look practical, but my experience is that women also want style. The Purse Dog is a purse holder that in my opinion combine function and style in a way that I’m proud of.
NDB: This is a popular question that we ask our favorites. What the top three songs are currently on your playlist?
HH: I looked at my most played list in iTunes and here are the results:
- Daft Punk - Live at Coachella USA (April 2006)
- Es Wird Morgen, 2raumwohnung
- Angel eyes, Chet Baker
If you are looking for good music I recommend The Hype Machine.
NDB: Can you point to three Scandinavian Architects/Designers which creations you love?
HH:
- Hårleman
- Tessin
- Arne Jacobsen
NDB: Finally Harald, any words of wisdom for our Nordic Design Blog readers?
HH: Do your thing. Do the thing you love and it will be great. An easy thing to say, but It can take some time to find the thing…
NDB: Thank you, Harald, and we wish you inspiration in your creative work!
Thanks for alerting me to this interview. I adore useful, tasteful objects, like the Harald Hynell lap tray. That thing with the lady’s feet in it intrigues me…I also like Tessin (I have an old book from Institut Tessin) and Arne Jacobsen–one of his chairs sits in my library.
Best of luck to Harald Hynell–and to Nordic Design blog!
~~Countess Jeanne
(P.S., if this is a repeat, please delete the first comment I left–thanks!
Comment by Countess Jeanne — February 4, 2008 @ 2:40 am
Thanks Jeanne for visiting us, we are proud to see you commenting our articles. I love Harald’s designs for their functionality and elegance, they clearly representing the spirit of Scandinavian design, isn’t it?
Please keep reading our blog, and all the best,
Igor Polyakov.
Comment by Igor Polyakov — February 5, 2008 @ 12:14 am
Kiitos, Igor. I’ve linked your beautiful Nordic Design Blog on mine. You have such useful links here, as well as great content. And yes, Harald’s designs are distinctively Scandinavian. The hooks resembling trees and the birch tray are good examples.
Best to you,
Jeanne
Comment by Countess Jeanne — February 5, 2008 @ 9:26 pm
Thanks for linking to our blog, we owe you banner in ‘Friendly sites’ section on the sidebar of NDB.
Comment by Igor Polyakov — February 6, 2008 @ 11:56 pm
Kiitos! I woudld like that very much, Igor.
Best wishes.
Comment by Countess Jeanne — February 13, 2008 @ 6:25 pm
It’s my pleasure, Ole hyvä! Your banner already on the sidebar.
Comment by Igor Polyakov — February 14, 2008 @ 3:20 pm
best of the best it is,
Comment by name — July 27, 2008 @ 8:49 pm