Conversation with Niels Peter Flint, Experience Designer

The following are my notes from a Skype conversation with Niels Peter Flint (see his website: www.exdl.com ) on 1 July, 2008.

What is the work that you are currently doing?
Experience design. He's developing concepts in the fields of design and architecture. The result should not only be a finished product, but an experience for the eventual user. In his work, he attempts to integrate as many different disciplines as possible to create sustainable experiences that provide a fusion of the physical or material with the immaterial. Since technology is not going away, he feels it is important to utilize and integrate it appropriately.

What is 'appropriately?'
When determining appropriateness, it comes down to some basic thinking: everything is in constant cycles. Everything comes from planet, and goes back to the planet. Humans need to enjoy life thoroughly, but respect eternal cycles.
Appropriate use of technology acknowledges and respects these eternity principles.

What does the design process entail for you? How do you go about designing?
It is very difficult to describe, as he has no recipes – he's never used the same formula for different design problems. He profoundly doesn't believe in systems and structures. He'll often look for systems and structures and then jump back out, as he finds them restraining. True creativity means having the ultimate freedom all the time. Of course, he recognizes that this doesn't necessarily work for everyone.
But he finds an ordered format for designing a hindrance to creative innovation. As things are changing all the time, one must also invent new thinking every time.
Every time products or ideas are developed, one must constantly reassess their context. The only structure truly important to the underlying ideas of ethics, where ethics relates back (of course) to an understanding of eternity.

How is sustainability integrated into the design process and/or the end result of your work?
Most of his projects more mind oriented. For example, with a project he did called
Painted On, people harnessed their creative abilities by painting their own carpets. The materials were not very eco-friendly, but the whole point was to get humans to start to look at things in new ways. If you can't think creatively, you can't comprehend things in new ways, which means you'll be completely lost a few years from now because everything is changing so quickly.

How did you get involved with design? What was the education path?
He started work in architecture at age 18, although before that he had worked with stage design. Continuing this work in stage design while studying architecture, he realized he found stage design more provoking and switched over to study it formally. With this, he also studied some industrial design. After his studies, he did some performance art.

What brought him into experience design?
He was doing performance art and working as apprentice in Italy Ettore Sottsass (founder of the Memphis movement, and according to Neils Peter Flint, one of the most creative and elegant designers out there.) when he had an epiphany. He realized the harm to the world the design field was causing and realized he couldn't continue at it. He felt he must do something better for the world.

What would you say the most important skills are for designing?
Constantly challenge yourself spiritually, physically, mentally.
For example, He's purchased an Old Mill in the middle of nowhere in France, and is now living there, renovating it to create the Micro Macro Monde. This is a huge change for someone who's always lived in a city.
Frank Lloyd Wright offered a similar educational experience for his students when he brought them out to a desert and said, 'build your own home.' Flint greatly appreciates this type of hands on approach and feels we need to adapt our system of education. For the upcoming generation of designers, he feels the most important thing will be to have completely open mindsets and be emotionally intelligent. Holistic creative skills allow the designer to be capable of seeing and understanding, and since technology will quickly surpass human abilities, the capacity of emotional mindset will be the ultimate ability separating us from our technology. Of course, as for everyone in the world, it is important that the young designer understand and respecting eternal principles.

How popular do you think eco-consciousness is among designers? Is it becoming more popular?
When he went to the Milan furniture fair, he was (unhappily) surprised at the little consideration the design field exhibited. He does feel that there is definitely a lot more than there was when he started. Unfortunately the amount of designers is colossal, and most of them are still making junk. They exhibit a complete ignorance where making money is the big thing.
As for it becoming popular, its no longer a decent question. All the world's biggest companies know there's no excuse. If they're not considering the environment, then they're completely oblivious.

What role do you think designers can/will play in the movement towards popular sustainable living?
The designer of tomorrow must be a holistically wise person, especially in emotional, spiritual, and immaterial dimensions. They will develop quality experiences to the world., as opposed to things. Smart engineers will take over roles current designers play. There may be a few designers left who are exceptionally sophisticated at handling form. In tomorrow's world, a machine can take the place of today's form shapers. Also, currently, oly the rich are capable hiring designers. Hopefully in the future, ordinary people could be able to get wise, interesting designers into their everyday life.

Is the simpler answer for sustainability not to make 'stuff'? That is, do you think the making of products is in contradiction to sustainability?
No. It very much depends on what you do. Right now he's experimenting on how to get rid of personal excrement. Right now, we live in a culture of 'Flush and forget.' We handle our garbage, excrement, and death in the same way: we don't want to think about it, and this is a huge emotional issue. IN this case, the tools of design can be used to solve a major problem. It really is a matter of changing habits

In what areas is the most interesting work in sustainable design occurring?
Here are two of the most interesting: an enormous development is necessary in designing the no waste world, i.e. making waste a resource. There are "a zillion" possibilities that haven't been explored. The second is the creation of experiences that enhance our life quality in a sustainable way.