{"id":19441,"date":"2023-07-10T04:06:17","date_gmt":"2023-07-10T04:06:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/muse.international\/?p=19441"},"modified":"2023-08-04T04:05:32","modified_gmt":"2023-08-04T04:05:32","slug":"interview-with-kurt-merki-jr-from-ghana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/muse.international\/index\/interview-with-kurt-merki-jr-from-ghana\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview with Kurt Merki Jr, Bottle Designer from Scent of Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Kurt Merki Jr believes design to be an intelligent pursuit of solutions and his artistic endeavors are reflected in his work as an owner of a studio whom designs for brands and companies worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winner interview with the 2023 NY Product Design Awards Winner \u2013 Kurt Merki Jr<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q1. Please give us a brief bio of yourself and your background.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am of mixed Swiss and Ghanaian heritage and I grew up in Ghana before continuing my studies in Switzerland. I initially pursued carpentry, then ventured into interior architecture, industrial design, and architecture, all based in Zurich. Since 2009, I have been running my own studio, where I design for brands and companies worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q2. What made you become\/why did you choose to become a product designer?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather than confining myself to a single title like product designer, architect or interior designer, I consider myself a creator who brings ideas to life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q3. Tell us more about your business\/company, job profile, and what you do.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At our studio in Zurich, our goal is to be the missing link that brings our clients’ visions to fruition. We have had the privilege of creating a chocolate museum, retail shops around the world, bathroom faucet series and even a yacht design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q4. What does \u201cdesign\u201d mean to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Design is an intelligent pursuit of solutions. This intelligence can be seen in proportions, aesthetics, and material combinations, but above all, it must solve a problem; otherwise, it is useless and devoid of meaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q5. What\u2019s your favorite kind of design and why?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don’t have a favorite type of design. For me, the thrill lies in the challenge of solving problems and generating new ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q6. To you, what makes a \u201cgood\u201d design?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good design tackles problems directly and in the simplest way possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q7. Describe your design style and its main characteristics.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I strive to steer clear of mere style and instead focus on providing effective solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q8. Tell us about your design process.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My design process primarily begins with conversations and observations. Out of this blend of contemplation and interaction, my intuition takes over. The specific process may vary depending on the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
Winning Entry<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

SCENT OF AFRICA is a fine fragrance house made in Ghana. The perfumes are made locally, and are \u2026
(Read more at NY Product Design Awards<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more about this interview<\/a> with Tzuhsiang Lin from United States, the Silver Winner of the 2023 NY Product Design Awards.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kurt Merki Jr believes design to be an intelligent pursuit of solutions and his artistic endeavors are reflected in his work as an owner of a [\u2026]<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":19522,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[372],"tags":[360,488,382],"yoast_head":"\nInterview with Kurt Merki Jr from Ghana<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Winner interview with Kurt Merki Jr from Ghana, the Gold Winner from the 2023 NY Product Design Awards Winner.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/muse.international\/index\/interview-with-kurt-merki-jr-from-ghana\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Interview with Kurt Merki Jr from 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