Designer Interview: Andres Baldoví on the Pandemic and Design

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, most people around the world were forced to work from home. Much of the time, people struggled to find the right way to work from home and to better balance work and life. Yet many freelancers and creatives had been doing this for a long time.

We interviewed Andrés Baldoví, the Spanish designer of the Haibei seating series, to offer advice to those accustomed to working in an office. We also took the opportunity to learn about the designer's own life, and discovered that he always keeps an open mind to new experiences and ideas. Let's follow the interview and explore.

Question 1: The coronavirus outbreak has given us a life unlike the "normal" one. Suddenly, our homes are also serving as our offices. What advice would you give for creating an efficient home office?

Andrés Baldoví:

In times of change, people have realized that they don't have to be in the office to add value for their company. They realize that by working from home in a disciplined, efficient way, they can take greater control of their lives and their time — which in turn translates into a better quality of life and higher productivity at work.

That's why the office of the future — whether a traditional office space or a home office — should make employees feel "at home." Now, everything is focused once again on the user and their needs, because every individual brings added value and differentiation to the company.

Question 2: Does working from home affect your creativity? How do you stay creative during this unusual period?

Andrés Baldoví:

For me, creativity is a matter of attitude, effort, curiosity, and perseverance. All of these values are closely tied to the environment we live in.

Whether at home or in the office, the more comfortable you feel, the greater the sense of well-being you get from your workspace — and the more you can unleash that creativity, with a greater chance of success in whatever you do.

Personally, I work on a laptop, so if I'm doing more detailed work, I can hook it up to a large screen at home or use one at the office. I can even go out onto the terrace to enjoy the sunshine and the Mediterranean breeze when I need calm to think about a new project or simply answer emails. At the end of the day, it's all about finding inner peace so you can bring your best self to what you do.

Question 3: How do you balance work and life? What do you do in your free time? Please share the music you're listening to or films you're watching.

Andrés Baldoví:

In my case, my work takes up a big part of my life, because I love what I do — work gives me personal fulfillment and helps me grow as a person. I always strive to give my best to every project I take part in.

When I can exercise, I go out, because exercise brings me a lot of inner peace. I also spend a lot of time with my children and friends. I try to do things that enrich me. I listen to a lot of different music while I work. Music motivates me, relaxes me, or inspires me. The album I've been listening to lately is "Catch and Release" by Matt Symonds.

Question 4: How do you collaborate remotely with your team to keep projects on track? What tools do you use?

Andrés Baldoví:

At our studio, we've always used remote tools. It's something we're used to, so this change wasn't a problem for us. We actually see it as an advantage rather than a disadvantage, because you can work with the best professionals no matter where they live.

We use a project methodology we've developed over the years, which includes project tracking tools, video conferencing, and email. But what matters isn't the tools themselves — it's having the knowledge and experience to use them effectively so they help you reach your goals every day.

Question 5: What is your daily schedule like?

Andrés Baldoví:

I consider myself fortunate to be able to go to the office. I try to enjoy what I do every day. I try to use my lunch break to do some CrossFit and recharge for the evening. When I finish work, I like to cook and spend time with my kids. I try to enjoy what life gives us, day after day.

Question 6: What changes do you think the pandemic will bring to the design world?

Andrés Baldoví:

Crisis periods are times of change and adaptation — but also times of opportunity.

Just as users have had to adapt to this new normal, design must adapt to users' and companies' new demands for products and services, as well as new ways of delivering services and collaborating.

As for our studio, we've been developing a design methodology based on the concept of agile design for years. It allows us to iterate with clients in a more dynamic way, add value at every step of a project, and create solutions in the shortest possible time using the necessary tools.

Question 7: What role does design play in this crisis?

Andrés Baldoví:

COVID-19 is here to stay. This new situation means users have had to adapt to a new normal, and that has changed what users need. New users will care more about feeling safe in the environments they move through. In this sense, design is key to creating new environments of products and services that meet these new user profiles.

We've been working directly with companies on this evolution. If they want to stay in the market, they need to adapt their products and services to this new normal.

About the Designer

Andrés Baldoví studied industrial design at CEU Cardenal Herrera University. He later graduated from the Polytechnic University of Valencia with a master's degree in product design, and began working in studios in 2005. Since then, his studio work has focused on a ceaseless search for new trends and product finishes. He has worked on more than a hundred different products. Through them, he discovered that what he's most passionate about at work is finding new uses for everyday objects.

His motto is to develop product design work that adds value to the products he helps design, brings in new market trends, and responds to consumer needs and usage — building bridges with innovation rooted in tradition.

Andrés' greatest passions are outdoor activities and spending time with his family. He loves sports, hanging out with family and friends, and learning from the world's great designers such as Starck, Meda, and Lissoni.

About Alegre Design

Alegre Design is a studio specializing in industrial design and product development. Founded by Marcelo Alegre in 2001, they understand design as a bridge between creativity and production, delivering effective and lasting solutions based on creativity, innovation, and experience in all of their projects. Their goal: to reinvent every day.

Their designs have also won prestigious international awards such as the Red Dot Design Award, the iF Product Design Award, Premios Delta, and the Designpreis Deutschland. Alegre Design's international outlook means they work with clients from all over the world.