June, 2009
Ran Lerner is an accomplished product designer, who graduated from the prestigious Domus Academy in Milan where he received his Master Degree in Industrial Design in 1998.
He has lived in New York City since 1999 where he has steadily built up his reputation as a dynamic and international designer.
Lerner is best known for the witty sensibility of his popular designs, implementing his own signature “whimsy” to aesthetic form.
Lerner also promotes eco-friendly manufacturing by the efficient use of materials, and low energy fabricating technologies, often designing multi functional products affordable for the public at large.
unicahome:
Describe your Job. What do you do for a living?
ran lerner:
I design for a living, which is embedded in everything I do. This profession never stops- it goes with you when you leave the studio. It is with you always, you dream about it also. Design has limitations- the end user, manufacturers, and cost, let’s say. I love that about design- working within these parameters. My goal is to create a product that would match (as close as possible) a particular need in the market while keeping my soul intact- not losing the core idea and the creative, playful side that I think my products have. The common denominator, in my products, is that they aim to promote the interaction with the users. People would be drawn to touch, hold, and use them. This transcends different products.
unicahome:
What was the first project that you did which was produced?
ran lerner:
I worked with Adam Tihany for about 4 years- I did my masters at Domus Academy and I started working with Adam. For me it was mind-blowing- one of the first projects was a Christophe mezuzah with the Jewish Museum.
In Israel there is not a lot of industry- so for design there is not a lot of outlets. Some hi-tech, some medical. I had to keep exploring. Design is the main thing- so I went to study in Italy and that was a huge eye-opener- it was fantastic. My process as a designer went from designing without clients to designing with clients with very particular needs- catering to different manufacturers and different markets- sort of high end of low-end (more mass produced). That is the biggest change. I evolved into that.
unicahome – bonnie:
Why did you choose the US to work? Was it because of Tihany?
ran lerner:
Well, I sent 70 resumes to the US and Italy and I got 10 back. From those 10, four wanted to see me. I ended up here (in the US) for these meetings. Tihany wasn’t one of the four. Tihany was my last day- I had a ticket to go back and I heard he was a guest critic at the interior design school. I caught him on his way to the restroom and he didn’t want to look at my portfolio- so I kind of gave him a page that had some images and a resume and he got kind of angry with me. I was persistent. I had nothing to lose. I managed to show him my portfolio at the end. It was a unique opportunity, Adam (Tihany) does maybe 90% interior design and 10% were products. For me it was perfect; I had a nice niche at the office where I could design products with him. It was just a fantastic experience. We worked on lighting, furniture, and flatware. I felt like a true designer.
unicahome:
What is your favorite object?
ran lerner:
A caliper. It is one of the most useful tools. I have one next to me most of the time. I have one that I have had for almost 20 years. Do you now that it can measure outer diameters, inner diameters, and depth?
unicahome:
Where did you grow up?
ran lerner:
Israel, Kenya (a bit)
unicahome:
Name a major inspiration in your life.
ran lerner:
‘Aviv’
unicahome:
How do you get inspired?
ran lerner:
I ride the subway. The subway is very much New York – it is super dynamic. Even rich people take the subway. It is a cross section of society. I always find it interesting. But that isn’t the only place I get inspired. You can’t control true inspiration- like the cartoon of a light bulb. It can happen when you take a shower.
As a designer you should get inspired when you are sitting down and you should start sketching and getting into a certain idea and really- it happens…. It just does. As a designer you have to figure a way for these inspirations, these ideas to come on a regular basis. You can’t just wait for this to happen.
I find that a very, very clean table- which mostly I do not have- I have a very messy table. You need an area that is very clean, that helps me. And a uniball, a simple uniball. It doesn’t work for me with something else. Black. It has to be black.
unicahome – bonnie:
what point?
ran lerner:
Not the superfine. The most standard one. Hold on, I will tell you. What you are hearing is the mess on my table. The uniball I use is fine.
unicahome:
Very briefly, what other designers do you admire?
ran lerner:
The truth is that I am not into a particular designer. I do think that Philippe Starck is still amazing. A lot of people do interesting stuff.
unicahome:
What is the future of design?
ran lerner:
I think that the future of design is back to basics. Not only this over-consumption and over-design, this kind of art-design- I think really out of market necessity and what people feel- you know that Dark Knight movie? The picture they used is Heath Ledger sticks his head out as the Joker. It is a captivating image. What is so captivating? It is that feel of wind in your face, or playing with sand. I think this is where people want to go. I think these feelings are hard to imitate in a video game. It is those super basic sensations. Simplicity and basic, very functional. Inspiring, but very functional. With a minimum amount of material- like design after a war. Almost Bauhaus. There is a place for something simple. When you design something very efficient- small to ship, not using more materials that you should. Maybe it is double functional. Things which have more than one use. If you do that with the right use of material, this is equal to eco-friendly. Eco-friendly is a by-product of doing very efficient design. Stamping is more efficient than forging. People want inexpensive. By definition it is going to be eco-friendly.
unicahome:
How and where do you relax?
ran lerner:
I don’t.
unicahome:
What did you want to be when you were 10 years old?
ran lerner:
A pilot.
unicahome:
When did you know you wanted to be a designer or architect?
ran lerner:
6th grade history class, when I chose to make an elaborate wooden model of a medieval catapult, instead of choosing to do a short written assignment. I got an A.
unicahome:
What is always in your fridge?
ran lerner:
Coke.
unicahome:
What is your least favorite breed of dog?
ran lerner:
Chihuahua.
unicahome:
What do you have against our Chihuahua friends?
ran lerner:
You have a Chihuahua?
unicahome:
No, we hate them too.
ran lerner:
They seem angry and annoying, no?
unicahome:
Kind of like most of our relatives.
unicahome:
What are you currently digesting?
ran lerner:
Real digesting, not metaphorically? A hamburger.
unicahome:
What time did you wake up today?
ran lerner:
6 AM, almost every day.
unicahome:
If you could name a crayon color, what would it be?
ran lerner:
Clear
unicahome:
If you had a tail what would it look like?
Please draw it.
ran lerner:
unicahome:
For our contest, what should people draw on your doodlebook frame?
ran lerner:
I think people should design a frame. I thought people would use the doodlebook to put notes around a certain picture. But I think that a frame would be nice.
unicahome:
What are you currently working on now?
ran lerner:
I am continuing work with Umbra and Waterford. I am working on another project with biodegradable packaging. And a new restaurant specializing in macaroni and cheese. The packaging will be very useful.
unicahome:
Can you send us a picture of your workspace/desk? You can clean it up first if you’d like…
ran lerner:
Sure…
Products by Ran Lerner:
doodlebook frame by ran lerner for umbra
step watch by ran lerner for acme studio
paper ‘clip’ holder by ran lerner
arc frame by ran lerner for nambe
float flatware collection by ran lerner for yamazaki
epoch flatware collection by ran lerner for yamazaki
(doodle book contest is over click to view semi-finalists)
Follow Ran Lerner on twitter at Twitter.com/RanLernerDesign
Also, Ran Lerner Design has been getting media attention on recently distributed products. The first is a video from CBS reviewing MacBar, the macaroni and cheese SoHo restaurant, we designed the takeout packaging and utensils for: http://wcbstv.com/video/?id=134592@wcbs.dayport.com
And the successful Grapevine Wine Rack manufactured by Umbra that was featured in last week’s New York Times here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/garden/05goods.html?_r=1
Congratulations Ran on your recent additions & press coverage!
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