We are approaching André Ricard, a pioneer of industrial design in Spain. We listen to the first National Design Award and dor of the Gold Medal for the M Artistic Merit of the city of Barcelona, among many other awards. We talk to the ser founder and later president of the ADI-FAD, as well as vice president of the ICSID (International Council of Design).

On May 18, on the occasion of the first edition of the Object of Desire lecture series, you have the opportunity to approach, listen and talk to André Ricard La Capell. The dio and television presenter Óscar Dalmau will be the moderator between two generations of designers and two national design awards: André Ricard, awarded in 1987, and Mario Ruiz, in 2016.

In André Ricard 's office everything talks about André Ricard. QUAN his two daughters look at him, his eyes convey respect and admiration. His designs describe the genius of simple and practical things. His words show a great man, one of those who have chosen to say what they think, do what they say and feel what they do. The thoughts of this design reference exude humility; but not the humility invented by the mediocre to equate themselves with brilliant people, but humility in its meaning m is authentic: to give the best of oneself for others. In André Ricard's office, his gestures show the firmness of each of the commitments he has made to himself and to the things and people around him. We are in André Ricard's office. Enter.

M"I would like to know what you expect André Ricard quan you are interviewed.

The possibility of delving into topics that I would not have discovered si had not m asked; For me, this is a little adventure. There are always parts of your thinking that you had never stopped t. Many times I catch myself saying something unexpected, and other times I have the feeling that I repeat myself a lot.

Well, I will try to remove the repetitions of the questions to get different answers. "Remoure" is a way of working, as sculptors do. How are they similar to designers?

Quan we contemplate the work of a sculptor, his vision gives us a tica extended emotion. In design, on the other hand, the tica is a consequence, not an end. QUAN useful things reach their perfection, they also become beautiful. (He points to one of the switches in his office). When designing the BJC Ibiza switch I thought about the users; I avoided the right angles that those that did ja existed had in order to improve their touch. The first time you use a switch you look at it, but then you just touch it quan turn on the light. I wanted to offer a friendly touch, with m is sensuality.

But there are useless objects considered design.

I wonder quan they started ar promoting the sensational and quirky designs instead of their functionality. A bon design must improve the usefulness of things. This is what must be assessed. We are in an economic system that demands constant novelty, as is the case with fashion, but design should be on the fringes of fashions.

In 1982 ja asked yourself the reason for the design and you captured it in a book. (Reference to the book "Design, why?").

I wondered si the profession I was doing was a serious, useful and necessary profession for society. It ser a reflection on what we are. I asked myself this question when I was 50 years old. I understood that creativity is essential because thanks to his creative capacity man has been able to survive and constantly improve his quality of life. There is an obvious analogy between the natural selection that governs biological evolution and the cultural evolution that we exercise in everything we create, although in this case the selection operates according to the appropriate utility of what we create. In a way, it is also a "natural" selection, ja it always ends up discarding everything unnecessary. Creating, proposing alternatives that improve what exists, is essential to continue progressing.

Returning to the concept of "removing". Almost 20 years m it's too late you reviewed the work and published "The Creative Adventure: The Roots of Design" (reference to the book), a book in which you define the concept pol"objectual illusion" as "the useless thing that we don't use". You explained that it is everyone's problem and that the best way to avoid it would be not to buy these objects. Do you think we have evolved since then?

We continue to buy many products that we don't really need, which we could perfectly do without. They rarely bring any improvement. They only offer an extended tica in line with the latest fashion trends. We acquire them compulsively, stimulated by the pressure exerted by both advertising and the media. It's everyone's problem. The consumer is a leading actor, si adopts the role of spectator in the face of this problem. Creativity should be dedicated to improving what can still be improved and not to ephemeral frivolities, and the consumer should ser m is selective and demand that what is offered to him possesses an authentic creative quality.

You asked yourself and answered: Design, why? And jo want to ask you: Design, for what?

Design and creativity are part of the very essence of man. SI we were left on a desert island, the first thing we would do would be to design to survive. We imperatively need useful things; they are like prostheses; without them we could not survive.

To make up for shortages?

Naturally. They complete us. A comb is fingers m is until they comb better than a m. It is essential that the design improves what ja exists. The main purpose of an object is always its usefulness. To improve it we have to change its shapes, and this ja generates its own tica extension. Ugly objects are ugly because they have not yet reached their functional perfection. An example: bot is beautiful and works perfectly. It has the necessary shape so that we can use it comfortably and t it is an aesthetically impeccable circular shape.

What is the current state of design?

The design has changed because so has the m where it has changed. I have to say that I am a little distant, but I observe that this acceleration in consumption does not allow us to have the necessary time for reflection to achieve an improvement in everything that produces m. In order to achieve perfection you need to have time. Everything has to ser fast, and this is detrimental to quality. In Scandinavian countries, the products continue to be exemplary. In Finland, design has penetrated into the social fabric. QUAN I visit a country, m like to go to supermarkets to see how they have solved the design and packaging of products m are basic. It is a way to be able to appreciate their real level of design.

What does André Ricard create with?

Now I participate in seminars, I give lectures and write books. M like to share my experiences with future designers. My work is m is soon informative, but I continue to create. The pleasure of imagining solutions does not take away from me ning one.

And how is André Ricard defined?

I try ser honest, fair and tolerant. And m likes to ser rational and approach things without prejudice.

Quan did your link with sport begin?

My relationship began with the design of the Barcelona Olympic Candidacy Dossier. He continued with the creation of the torch for the 1992 Barcelona Games. Later I was commissioned to make the cauldron for the flame of the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, as well as the key to the IOC, which is handed over to the President. The last one has been the Olympic Witness that is transmitted at the end of the games; London delivered it to Rio de Janeiro, then Rio to T oquio, and so on.

Here, in your office, we have the torch. What inspired you?

It is an almost sacred object and t is his liturgy. It is an object in motion. T is a destination: the Olympic stadium. It seemed to me that it had to have a direction, an orientation. The previous ones were like reproductions of those seen in Greek cer. This ser the first to break the symmetry. It was like a small cauldron that carried the flame to the large cauldron of the stadium.

What do you think is the limit of design?

It is very wide. The relationship with the ind is basic. Without ind industry there is no industrial design. But the sensible way of conceiving ideas that is applied a l design can be applied in any other field. Even good pol can be designed.

Of course, from the functionality. I hope t listen.