Designer Lauri Visnapuu: Under and over. Spontaneous moments of silliness and a joyful release from the daily grind.

Designer Lauri Visnapuu takes to the designer’s playground: here is why we talk about this. The convo was kindly led by Maris Vahter, Radis Furniture.

Designer Lauri Visnapuu Radis

Designer Lauri Visnapuu. (courtesy of the designer).

MV: Describe to me your Radis Furniture shelf with your words.  

LV: Well, it’s one of my first shots at designing an “actual” product. Before that, I’d been mostly designing and building furniture for myself. Designing Mesh taught me to take into consideration the entire process of designing a product – from raw material to end user. 

MV: Is it for any user? 

LV: I think it fits best into large spaces where the lines and pattern of the shelf can be easily seen.

Shefl MESH sketch

First sketch of the shelf MESH (courtesy of the designer).

MV: What inspired you to create a shelf?

LV: At that time I was into geometric shapes, straight lines, brutalist architecture and patterns. Designing a shelf allowed me to recreate that esthetic style that I consumed the most at that time.

MV: How much does your childhood inform your creativity?  

LV: Thanks to my impatience to wait I learned at a young age that it’s possible to make things before getting them from a store or for a birthday. That discovery led me to woodworking, sewing, knitting, cooking and more. When it comes to creativity then I don’t think that I was any more creative than others. I just liked to make stuff, Still do.

Shefl MESH sketch

First sketch of the shelf MESH (courtesy of the designer).

MV: And what is your route to a professional designership? 

LV: After finishing my carpentry studies I went to study product design at Estonian Academy of Arts. I was in my first year when we created the Mesh shelf. In my third year, I started my internship in Borg. Later it turned into my first paying job as a designer. Now I’m working in Softrend, designing office and home furniture.

MV: Do you still enjoy designing?

LV: Yes, I do. I still consider myself as a beginner designer. There’s quite a lot left to learn and improve on, which I enjoy. 

Riiul MESH

Shelf MESH (courtesy of Radis Furniture).

MV: How has furniture designing changed after MESH shelf?  

LV: I think that not much has yet changed after MESH, but it is definitely changing. The accelerating pace of technology and a diminishing number of qualified carpenters is probably changing the way how our furniture is being produced and how it looks. Also designers and manufactures should and will have to take measures to make manufacturing more sustainable. In my opinion technology and sustainability will be changing furniture designing the most. 

MV: Please describe your perfect day, basically.

LV: A perfect day for me consists of plenty of sleep, tasty and quality food (preferably lots of greens, fruits and veggies), good music, good company, petting dogs, working/designing without any distractions, working out, being outdoors in nature and being with family.  If I manage to fit in at least 2 to 3 of these things in my day then I consider it as a perfect day.

MV: I heard rumours that you talk to your furniture! 🙂

LV: I haven’t caught myself talking to my furniture yet, but If I do, I’ll let you know what I said 😉

Shefl MESH sketch

First sketch of the shelf MESH (courtesy of the designer).

You can find out more about the MESH shelf here.

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