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If you like shopping at IKEA, then it's a pretty sure bet that you are, at this very moment, only an arm's length away from a design by award-winner, Richard Clack.
Richard from London, gained a degree in Furniture and Related Product Design, and then moved to Malmo, Sweden in 1987. Here his career flourished as a full-time designer at IKEA of Sweden AB. After ten prolific years with IKEA, he left to become a freelance designer.
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Richard now runs his own practice, Clack Design in Malmo, Sweden designing a wide range of products for medium to large scale production in a broad variety of materials. He is constantly involved in all aspects of the product design cycle; from formation of the brief, through design and production to sales & marketing. His portfolio includes designs for furniture, home accessories, lighting, office-furniture & children's products.
Richard joined us for a CoffeeBreak...
  What do you read or look at to keep up with the latest news in your business?
 I like to keep a healthy balance when it comes to being informed on developments. I can read anything from Interni, to FT, to the catalogue from a local trader...everything is important as the small parts build to make the whole picture. The only time I don't use my eyes is when I'm asleep, and even then I'm probably using my mind's eye (having said that The Milan Furniture fair is my favourite!).
What do you say when people ask you about your job?
That I really enjoy doing something that's also my hobby (i.e. not just a job). I try to play down the 'glamorous' image that the layman sometimes has and, instead, present design as the important everyday practice that it is.
How do you find your work and win commissions?
 I've been lucky having had IKEA as a long term customer, where the work just keeps rolling in as long as you do good stuff! The downside is you have a relatively small contact net - and since the furniture industry is somewhat incestuous, it's difficult breaking into new ground...
Do you test your designs out at home and on your family?
Absolutely! I like to show my family what I'm doing to get the feedback, and I have many of my own products hanging around the place including several prototypes that never quite made it into production!
What is the best project you've ever worked on?
Tough question. Two answers: the best in terms of prestige and amount of ideas, was the recent 'Hall' project at IKEA. Many of my ideas found their way into production including the 'Kantra' series which won prestigious Swedish and German design awards. The most fun was an 'ugly' office chair I did when I first started designing. I was stuck in an Italian factory where the only means of communication was sketching and gesticulating! But we made it and the product has been selling well for a decade!
 What is your speciality
Lateral thinking with style and hard work! Communicating my ideas at all levels of development and adapting to practicalities along the way also helps...
What's your philosophy?
Design is not holy, it's just a process of quality at all stages of development of things that we use. There is no single answer or way when it comes to design and designing. All I do, is always try my best; striving after simplicity through the production process, and constantly thinking about the end consumers needs.
Further information...
Richard designs furniture, home accessories, lighting, office-furniture & children's products.
address: Clack Design, Organistgatan 8, 216 17 Malmo, Sweden
tel: +46 (0) 40367736
fax: +46 (0) 40367736
email:
web: www.clackdesign.com
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