Kertu Liisa Lepik
Kertu Liisa Lepik is a versatile 2-year industrial design student. She has a talent for expressing herself artistically, but he also has a strongly developed practical mind. While presenting at her speciality project evaluations, her sketchbooks are interesting to browse as they give an insight into how Kertu Liisa felt during the project and how her ideas developed – they are like an honest reflection of the design process. As a continuation of reflections, it is also worth mentioning that the series of mirrors by Kertu Liisa’s Bend to Break school project has been represented in Dezeen. Kertu Liisa’s works and activities can be seen in her Portfolio and on Instagram.
Name: Kertu Liisa Lepik
Position: Junior product designer, Vivita
Relation to EKA: 2-year student of industrial design
1. What projects are you currently working on?
I’m currently working on the last mile project that was initially supposed to be an industrial design project, but it turned into a service design for me. I’m devising a system that would allow people living in rural areas to rent a bike and drive home directly from the train platform instead of using a car. As part of my internship, I am also working on an exciting challenge – creating a “clip” that people in wheelchairs can use to open and close a catheter. Outside of school, I make installations for a festival and plan a design workshop for children to be held at Vivitas.
2. What is important in design, and what is irrelevant?
It’s important that your creation has a meaning and purpose. Nonsense waste must not be produced. The thing to avoid is fear. Whether it’s the fear of talking to people or the fear of getting lost – such shyness will never lead you on. In design, you have to make mistakes in order to reach a worthwhile solution at all.
3. What is your favorite step in product creation and what does it look like?
Undoubtedly, what I like most is the initial stage of bouncing ideas. The moment the whole team sits behind one table and starts generating thoughts, “arguing” with each other about what works or not, there is something extremely enjoyable and engaging in it (in my case maybe this is the moment where the character of a good old middle child who likes argumentation comes out). Bouncing ideas goes hand in hand with sketching, which is my favorite way to store thoughts. I fill in at least two sketchbooks for each project, later it’s good to rewind and see how much one idea can develop in a short time.
4. What has been your favorite project while studying at EKA? What did you discover during that?
So far, my favorite project has been the Luther plywood project, where we had to find some interesting facts in the history of the factory and build a product around it. I found a Plymax material – plywood covered with metal – in the factory’s production and from this discovery, began a very material-oriented and experimental design process for creating mirrors. During the project, I learned about all kinds of metal processing opportunities and found out that a two-meter metal sheet could fit in a Ford Focus. However, the biggest “heureka” moment was when I realized that such an abstract, simple, but at the same time practical product design is what fascinates me.
5. How do you see the role of a designer in society in 10 years?
I believe that a designer will remain where he is today – a problem solver, a holder of new ideas, and a developer of the world. However, I hope that society’s perception of the designer will change, because at the moment we are seen as artists or purely aesthetic gourmands, rather than as experts in design thinking, a person of I-am-able-to-learn-every-necessary-field.
6. As a designer, I respect…
As design is based on collaboration, I respect my team and everyone else involved. People around us are full of knowledge – everyone who shares their knowledge and thoughts with me is worthy of respect.
Did this offer you some food for thought?
You can contact Kertu Liisa Lepik for questions via artun e-mail: kertu.lepik@artun.ee.
