Design Talk: Frank Ligthart

Frank Ligthart was born in 1971 in the Dutch city of Wijchen; he lives in Antwerp, Belgium. He studied product development at the Henry Vandevelde Institute at the Antwerp Academy in Belgium and industrial design at the University of Technology in Delft. Ligthart designed locomotives for the Dutch railway, and later – as freelance designer – furniture.

Since 2001 he has worked for companies such as Brown Jordan, Grange, Garpa and Lambert. For his outstanding work Ligthart was awarded with several prestigious design awards, such as Design Plus Award (2003), red dot design award (2006), BIDA Award for outstanding design (2006) and a nomination for the German Federal Design Prize (2007).

A Short Interview with Frank Ligthart.

Q: What motivates you?
A. To gain new insights, to find answers to questions which previously were never even considered, to create something that later evokes the notion: "How come nobody thought of this before?"

Q: Where do you work? What does your workplace look like?
A: My office is located on the first floor of an old house, with view of a beautiful small garden. The room has an old wooden floor and a high white ceiling. The office is relatively empty: two large glass table plates, a drawing board, "Aeron" office chairs by Herman Miller, and a cabinet.

Q: What is the most difficult point during the creation of a new collection?
A: To initially introduce a more complex idea to others. Even if one is firmly convinced, it nevertheless takes courage to introduce one's ideas to others

Q: Your favourite city?
A: Antwerp: the city is international, cultural, and not too big.

Q: In your opinion, what is typical for the design of DEDON?
A: DEDON has a strong form language and uses hardly any decorative elements. The picture is created by pure form. It is combined with a high degree of atmosphere, associative power, and pure pleasure.

Q: What does it mean for you to design for DEDON?
A. For me, the collaboration with DEDON means possibilities to go on exploration together with a great team, to find ways to support our changing life culture.

Q. What is the function of design?
A: To make life more beautiful.

Q: What is special about your design?
A: My designs convert a concept into a clear form, without superfluous decor.

Q: What is the best designer piece ever?
A: My Citroën DS: the DS is a car that revolutionised the automotive world more than 50 years ago. I love the clear lines, which represent speed, finesse and elegance. Another thing I love about this car is its associative power: It evokes the romanticism of France.