Interview with Benoît SEPULCHRE

Like many children, I had many ideas for jobs. . .
There was a farmer, technical draftsman, airplane pilot, teacher, engineer. . .
In short, at the technical high school I had facilities in drawing and technical creation but as I was dislexic I had some difficulties with some other subjects. . . . So a friend of mine told me about a design school. As I was and I am still very curious of course I became interested in this profession. I read books on the decoding of product design, I met a designer to make sure that this profession was right for me. However, I had never learned to draw sketches before, but the people at this design school said that it could be learned like anything else. But the artistic side was not developed in me, but it was below my personality because my mother said of me that I loved beauty and that I had a good taste for art and aesthetics. The culture of design and architecture has come with books and experience. . . .

Before starting, I always have the priority to do a market study, a benchmark of the products that exist. . .
Then I always have to put myself in the user's shoes in order to identify with several points of view (phsycology, ergonomics, functional,. . . ) the development axes. . . .
In my creations I often try to create a paradox in order to have enough difference with the rest of what exists. . . A kind of French Paradox!
Concerning the drawing, I always start with sketches with my mechanical pencil.
Quickly after the drawing I use 3D software like SolidThinking Evolve to go faster and have quick files to communicate. Development must go fast on the simple aspects because there are always more complicated parts that can take a long time. It is then necessary to carry out tests, prototypes to validate before launching the large production investment.
The development phase up to production is always evolving because with each project the experience acquired allows us to progress. . .
Each project is a beginning nourished by previous experiences. . . . I consider that we are not inventing anything. . . we are just assembling the fruit of our history, our culture, our experience.

I don't have any special emotion to do my job. . . .
Just an excitement to be able to create or improve a product or service, that's good. It is then above all the dimensions of the user experience that are the most important for me. Then after weeks or months of work it's to have the final prototype in front of me. . . It's like a birth! Then it's the fact of talking about the product that's interesting because there's no one else who knows best this new product to talk about it!

Some great architectural designers or engineers are examples for me. So I like Jean PROUVÉ, Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, Alvar Aalto. . . The foundations of modernism are essential to my culture, but nature is for me an infinite source of inspiration. . . Indeed I live in the centre of Europe in a region rich in forests, nature, lakes, mountains. . . Thus I always use 7 phases of a product's life cycle to find improvements in order to reduce its impact on nature and man. Eco-design is at the heart of my work as a designer. It is unthinkable as a designer to see man saw the branch of the tree on which he is sitting!

I continue my collaboration with the Four Grand-Mère company and I continue to support companies in the development of new products and services. . .
I am always listening to companies that want to be better than others!
Soon I will launch two product brands on the French and European market in the world of personal equipment (in less than a year). . .
However, I have bigger projects in the world of residential capital goods with a construction system for buildings that are not more sustainable, but more sustainable and environmentally friendly. . . .

Knowing that you are good is one thing. But as long as we are not recognized as such, it is useless. It should not be considered superior to others because it does not do good for a good professional. However, it takes a lot of patience to find the project that shows the world its skill level. It took me almost twenty years of work, loneliness, difficulties, learning to achieve an international price in my job ... But it will not change my habits to take a lot of my time to listen to read, watch the world to know what needs to be created to improve it as best as possible.

Design is a very vast discipline, complex but simple at the same time. This is to make simple to solve problems.
It is not in 5 minutes that we can become a designer!
For my part, more than 5 years of study and a lot of patience and curiosity allow me to be recognized as a good designer.
Many aspects are known as psychology, ergonomics, economics, art, architecture, technologies, processes, marketing, ... However no obligation is necessary for a company to create a new product or a new service ... Yet it would be very useful to the man that it changes.
Too many people think they are good designers, but can have done so much training to become a designer. Where is the mistake?
So it takes a lot of requirement.

One of my normal days:
Raised around 7:30 in the morning, breakfast and put in order for the day ...
The work starts around 9:30 with at least an hour in the morning of finding sources of professional information. From 13:00 to 13:30 lunch break. Return to work until 19:30 at the latest. In the evening, it's back in my house where I cook often with my 2 children and my wife ... I need 7 to 8 hours of sleep to be OK the next day. But design does not have holidays, it's always active in my mind.

I follow the trends by going to trade shows, following design blogs, being aware of the news in general. A lot of time in the day is needed to have enough information ... but you have to keep time to create too.
However I think that the design must not follow the modes. The modes changes but the good design must remain and last in time.
Good design must be timeless.
There are also trends in terms of technology and services ... but I am among those who think that programmed obsolecence must end for products that are not more sustainable but more durable over time.

A good design must solve problems, but it must also please.
and to please, you have to create a little surprise or what I call a paradox. But at the same time, it must be in harmony with man and the environment. . . So all this is quite difficult to assess. . . it's a question of balance, some yes, some no.
Being new, providing solutions, being sexy, not harming the environment, that's what a product must have in order to have a good design for me.

To begin, there is always a brief and scenarios to define the product. Then when the product is drawn there at a time or I have to tell myself if I can still have a better answer. If the answer in my mind is "no," then I know the design is ready. If I think I can improve it but it changes the Brief, then I also know that the creative work is finished too.
But in some cases the product has an ability to receive improvements ... This is also what makes it more durable!

I usually say that my latest design is the best. . .
But for once, it is true that the design of the ALFRED outdoor wood-burning oven is a great success. From a technical point of view, he uses each material to his advantage. Many materials were needed, metal, concrete, glass, cast iron, composite, wood, space insulation materials. . .
From an aesthetic point of view, it takes the design codes of outdoor cooking products with a modern vision and as close to Scandinavian design. . . and finally it provides new services to its users while allowing to save renewable energy. . .
I am proud of this success, even if it took not always listening to the company's managers to achieve this success.
This success allows me to continue to create other products for professionals in the kitchen and for lovers of outdoor cooking. . . It will be great too. Stay tuned.

The masters of design I love and inspire are great architects / designers / engineers like Jean PROUVÉ, LE CORBUSIER / Frank Lloyd Wright / Alvar Aalto ... Many have participated in the creation of a modern design.
In the 80s, there were designers who helped the design to have more visibility, I think Philippe STARK. in 90, I really liked the work of Jonathan IVE for Apple with the first iMac ... It was amazing to make this change in the world of computing. However, for the last 10 years, he has started to go around in this market ...
Currently, there are designers who do cool things. But I regret that some are not humble enough.
The most important thing is to make the world better and help humanity survive its modernity.

I live in the heart of Europe, in France, close to Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and Switzerland. My culture is very international. Being open to the world allows you to listen to and read the best directions for future development. It is essential to make good design. In our society, it's design that helps solve problems. But society must leave more space for design. Awareness of the dangers of human presence on Earth begins. Design is here to make our lives better.

I already worked as a team, we were up to 5 people with trainees. But now, I prefer to work alone with freelancers and subcontractors to meet all my needs. It is not easy to have employees because there is too much change in the amount of work, not enough, or too much. Since design is not mandatory for businesses, this is not stable. Perhaps the challenge is to require companies to hire good designers, as there is an obligation to work with an architect to design a building.
So a good designer had to master many things like ergonomics, psychology, art, marketing ... but first of all you have to be very curious and love others.

My designer income is not big enough to be like the rock star ... But I would never do that! I prefer doing the right things with my work. So I consider my action as the most useful. I also give classes to share my knowledge and help young designers and creators to become better. Currently I participate to the creation of an InnoDesign Institute in France with international students.

The A Design Award was for me a solution to have an internationnal recognition of my work. It allows me to communicate with my clients.
It also makes finding new customers easier. After a first recognition with the price of the French design Observeur du Design, it is the continuation of the approach ... It is also good for the commercial development of the product which is distributed internationally

Among the various trades I wanted to do as a child, there was an industrial draftsman ... maybe a sign?
In technical high school I had facilities in drawing and technology, so I chose to develop my strengths rather than my weak points ...!

I chose to became a product designer.

I design products as services. In areas such as sports and recreation, interior design, furniture products, furniture ...
I would like to design more things in the field of housing and transport equipment.

The first thing I want to say is that I do not consider myself a design legend ...
But to make good design it is necessary to make sufficient studies 4 to 5 years minimum. Then you have to trust yourself because you can not convince if you do not believe in yourself.

For me a great designer is a good designer who has met with success with his creations and with the company for whom he works ... But more, it is a designer who must be honest with himself and towards other people .

A good design must solve problems, but it must also please.
and to please it must create a little surprise or what I call a paradox. But at the same time it must be in harmony with man and the environment ... So all this is difficult enough to evaluate ... it is a question of balance, some one, others not.

Good design allows the company to provide better services to these customers and win new customers. It is then a money saving for the company. Good design is also pride in the company, it also brings some wellness.

I would like to design a construction system for residential houses ... But in France it is difficult because the law requires for this to be an Architect and not a Designer ...

A constructive system of house good for environment and nature …

Knowing how to create a paradox to surprise and arouse interest ...
That's my designer French Paradox.

The masters of design that I love and inspire me are great architects / designers / engineers like Jean PROUVÉ, LE CORBUSIER / Frank Lloyd Wright / Alvar Aalto ... Many who have participated in creating modern design.

I really liked Jonathan IVE's work for APPLE with the first iMac ... It was amazing to make this change in the computer world. However since 10 years it starts to turn in circles in this market ...

I usually say that my latest design is the best ...
But for once it's true that the design of the Outdoor Wood Oven ALFRED is successful because it uses each material to its advantage. In addition to this it takes the codes of design of outdoor cooking products with a modern vision and as close to Scandinavian design ...

Listening to society is the planet is the most important.
It takes time to be in tune with the continuous movement of the world and read the best future.

If I stayed on the first job I wanted to do when I was a child, I would be a farmer.

Design is a discipline that solves the problems that we observe in society and on the planet. To achieve this goal, the design must be sexy to achieve its mission.

Just myself.

My belief in me.
Knowing that I knew how to do great things made it possible to realize them when the opportunity presented itself to me.

Loneliness and lack of interesting projects so that I can fully express my talent.

I think companies do not know enough about the work of designers. This is often because managers do not want to share their powers ... So designers must grow managers to better present their work.

I continue to work with the company Four Grand Mère to design the big brother of the outdoor wood oven ALFRED ... but I also have other clients in the furniture sector who ask me to work with them ...
I will launch on the market as soon as possible the brands of products that belong to me in Europe ... Stay tuned.

It's about creating my own products and brands that best define what I want to bring to the world.

24.What people expect from an esteemed designer such as yourself?

As design solves problems, it is normal for design to improve society. It's just unfortunate that politicians have not figured this out yet ... So maybe it's the future of designers to play politics?

I work on the big brother of the Outdoor Wood Oven ALFRED, it is called NESTOR for professional cooks and lovers of large outdoor kitchens like me ... launch end 2019.

Even if my first designer creations have been important to me, I tend to say that it is always my last experience that is the most important, because I always improve as my work progresses. .
In 2019, the latest product marketed is the outdoor wood oven ALFRED.

It would be good for companies to have to hire a qualified designer to create products ... A bit like building a house or a building requires an Architect.

It seems obvious that this is towards politics because these are the biggest problems to solve in the future.

It depends on the complexity of the project (material, process, ...) but also mainly depends on the structure and size of the client. This can range from a few weeks to several months or years depending on the complexity of the case.

I always start with a market analysis ...

Simplicity and efficiency with style.
A kind of French Design Paradox what!

I think trends depend on fashions and styles, but design is not fashion or style.

Technology is important in design because it makes it faster and more accurate. It also allows to go further in the uses to offer new services to users ...

I work a lot with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop for graphic design. Regarding 3D software, after starting with software like Alias and Rhino, I now use Sketch'Up and SolidThinking Evolve ... some Apple computers and tablets are my main design equipment after my mechanical pencil of course.

For color, I usually say that it is the design of the poor ... But of course I work with color! As far as materials are concerned, I always use the right materials in function of these own qualities. Regarding Ambience or Style I create products out of time that last a long time, so this is outside styles.

They can ask me any possible questions because as a creator I have all the answers they wish to have.
Who better to put the designer to talk about his product?

I always find it amazing to see new design and quality products, but I still wonder if they are really useful for man and society ... so also for planet earth.

I like working with the design offices of my clients. Thus the technical solutions are shared.

Without hesitation, users of the product during the seven phases of the product life cycle.

That was in the early 90s. I do not remember exactly the title of the book, but he was talking about the decoding of products ... and also other books on eco-design by Thierry Kazazian ...

As a designer who often works alone, I know how to do a lot of things myself ... it takes a lot of time, but it always pays off.

Off course with my mentor in design who are the masters of modern design like: Jean PROUVÉ, THE CORBUSIER / Frank Lloyd Wright / Alvar Aalto ...
But that would not serve me too selfishly.
I would rather speak with the 5 or 10 most influential people on earth to change and accelerate policies around the world to save humanity.

For starters, I still do not think I'm famous. I seek to be useful to society and businesses for economic development that is not sustainable ... but durable.

My favorite color: black
The place: the Konkordia hut above the largest glacier in Europe in Switzerland.
Season: Winter
My object: my Iphone 6s 128GB
The brand: Apple at the moment even if it is much less sexy than before.

More than 10 years ago I was copied by a famous Dutch designer, but as at the time I did not have enough financial means, I was obliged to give up the battle because in justice, it is too often the biggest and the richest who wins even if he is guilty ...!

My designer days are great because I always learn and I always feed my curiosity.
My motivation is in improving users' use of my future products ... There is still so much to do!

No, because I was not looking for the celebrity, I was just trying to be useful to society and humanity.

I think the future will be difficult for humanity ... For a vision in a thousand I think it's hard to say because if we look a thousand years back we realize the multiple changes in history. There will be at least as many in a thousand years!

I do not think I have a particular style. Indeed, I adapt my style to market expectations so that my creations are the most loved. But what characterizes me is often the useful and functional nature of my creations, because close to the principles of the founders of Bauhaus modern design, I have the logic to say that the form follows the function. I seek to make the good easier and the evil more difficult.
I live in France more precisely in the east of France, near Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and Switzerland. In short, I live in the center of Europe.
Also in my creations, I think that my French side is present ... there is always the French paradox! Thus, in France, we have the advantage of mixing the sweetness and the voluptuousness of our Latin side while combining it with the more functional and more sober aspect of the North of Europe. It is, in my opinion, the advantage of my European and international culture ...

After 5 years of design studies at the Institut Supérieur de Design and a first product designer position at the largest manufacturer of kitchen furniture in France, I created my own design agency. So was born at the end of 2002 the Agency PRODUCT with 3 main poles of activities: strategy, design and marketing because it did not seem to me possible to make good design without answering questions before and after the design (product creation).

Design for me is a critical issue for humans on the planet earth. Beyond drawing, design seeks to find the best answer to balance its existance, its way of life and its future ... Thus aesthetics, ergonomics, needs, functions, environment, materials, resources and to finish the good are the bases of the current design approach ... for a more human innovation.

The works I prefer to design are those that enhance the user experience ...

My favorite design is the latest (The Outdoor Wood Oven ALFRED), because it uses the largest number of different materials and processes which gives it a simple and complex shape at the same time and is the spirit that its users expected.

Apart from the products I design during my studies for companies (bottle holder, traffic light, fireplaces, Professional Outdoor Power Equipment, glue gun ...). The first product I created was a bathroom cabinet with a double basin made of molded ceramic for the brand SCHMIDT ... it was in 2001.

Although I really like wood and natural materials, I do not have any materials or platform / technology preferred. Because each project or product is different and these issues are their own.

Even if one of my mentor told me that creativity was every morning on the toilet ...!
For me it is a state of mind that feeds every day and requires free time in the day (the morning, by car, on the train, in the evening, in a bar or a brewery ...) . So my mind has time to compose the creative score necessary to solve the questions I ask it.

When designing a product for the individual market, I focus on the search for the paradox ... indeed it is in my opinion thanks to the paradox that a creation holds the attention ... More overall it is the aspect of product life and eco-design that concentrate my work the most.

I do not particularly feel emotions when I'm doing design, it's more of the concentration that is needed. But this concentration requires an important state of relaxation. I must also interrupt regularly to always improve with a fresh look on my work ...

In emotion it is of course pride ... but more than an emotion, it is a feeling to make the world better and help the society to improve that I feel.

A design is successful when it creates desire, interest and satisfaction and welness for these users.

The use value is an important value in a good design. But from a commercial point of view I consider that the paradox offered by a new product allows it to exist more than another, so it is more visible in its market. This is the French paradox that is perhaps here at work?

The responsibilities of a designer are essential for society and the environment because it is the designer that society and the environment depend on. The earth now lives a difficult time for the human. It existed before us and will exist long after us ...
But we know what we've done to him, so it's up to us to give him back what we've done to him so that it does not happen to us faster than expected!

Of course, the "field of design" is evolving. More than twenty years ago, design was a global approach, now it is partitioned in many fields related to innovation, design thinking, for products, for services ...
In the future it will surely be the basis of a political approach because as long as we encounter problems in our life and in our societies, the design process to solve the problems is what is best for a better world.

My last exhibition was in 2014 at INNODESIGN. This was for a table with a light design in solid wood and aluminum. In general I do not often participate in exhibitions for my own products. On the other hand for the creations that I realize for my customers, this is more frequent at international fairs.

The inspiration of the design of my works comes from my culture and my sensitivity that I maintain with a lot of time to nourish my curiosity, to observe the world and a source so many ideas ... My approach is close to that of big architects / designer / engineers like Jean PROUVÉ, LE CORBUSIER or Frank Lloyd Wright. I feed my creativity with many observations of uses, society, nature ... This is inexhaustible.

I do not think I have a particular style. Indeed I adapt my style with the expectations of the market so that my creations are the most loved. But what characterizes me is often the useful and functional nature of my designs, because close to the principles of the Bauhaus founder of modern design, I have logic to say that the form follows the function. I seek to make the good easier and the evil more difficult.

I live in France more exactly in the East of France close to Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and Switzerland. In short, I live in the center of Europe.
Even though the Outdoor Wood Oven ALFRED has Scandinavian inspiration in my creations, I think that my French side is present ... always there the French paradox! Thus in France, we have the advantage of mixing the sweetness and voluptuousness of our Latin side while combining it with the more functional and sober aspect of the North of Europe. These are, in my opinion, advantages that melt all the richness of European cultural diversity.

It's either me who finds the companies I want to work with, or it's the companies that come to ask me to work with them ... But in all these situations they always earn money quickly after my intervention. 6 to 24 months are enough to repay the investment of design in its entirety.

For starters, a designer must have a solid background of 4 to 5 years minimun. It must also be centered on the uses and it seeks to know as much as possible the market of the company ... It is also necessary that the designer performs a situatiuon analysis a benchmarke before or during his design mission is, in my opinion, a guarantee of quality of his performance.

My intervention process for product design always starts with an analysis of the sector of activity, competitors, the market ... a benchmark is the beginning of a good design ...
After a period of integration, then starts writing scenarios of uses (both product and service). It is from these scenarios that physical conceptualization begins. Each step is then subject to validation with a project team. Once the main idea is validated, then begins the phase of technical development with the search for possible subcontractors ... All this continues with the validation of prototypes, pre-series and series products with all what revolves around, packaging, pricing policy ...
But as each project is different it depends a lot on my clients.

The 5 favorite design objects at home are:
My iphone 6s 128GB
My MacBook Pro 17 'mid 2010
My MacBook Pro 15 'mid 2015
My pencil 0,7 2H Pentel Fiesta II
My EBEL Chronograph E Type

Raised around 7:30 in the morning, breakfast and put in order for the day ...
Work start around 9:30 am with at least 1 hour of morning morning of discovery of professional information sources. From 13:00 to 13:30 lunch break. return to work until around 19:30 at the latest. The evening back in my house where I often cook with my 2 children and my wife ... I need 7 to 8 hours of sleep to be OK the next day.

Man is designed for his planet ... but his planet is not designed for what he is doing!
Taking time in our ultra connected societies is essential.
Observing nature, understanding its mechanisms is the best training possible. Doing one's best is always good at the end.

A designer normally asks the right questions to solve the problems that arise for him. It must have many qualities ... But often it is unfortunate that the designers feel superior to other people. This is in contradiction with the necessary qualities for a good designer.

My golden rule in design is to always apply the principles of eco-design to limit the impact of our society on our planet.

Knowing how to draw sketches is important, but you also have to know how to use 3D software and how to communicate to present and sell your ideas ...

My first tool is my pencil for drawing sketches, then I work a lot with illustrator and photoshop for graphics and 2D. As for 3D software, after starting with software like Alias or Rhino, now I use Sketch'Up and SolidThinking Evolve ... My sources of inspiration are many because they come from my European and international culture.

Indeed the design can take a lot of time sometimes ... But you have to know how to waste time to win then ... the hardest thing is to manage the time so you do not have too much time lost. Then you have to use the time lost to save time later. It improves with experience.

It depends on the complexity of the object (material, process, ...) but also mainly depends on the structure and size of the client. This can range from a few weeks to several months or years depending on the complexity of the case.

Often I am asked that studies I did to get to be a designer, I then explain that studies of 4 to 5 years are necessary and that it also takes a lot of practice and internships.

Even if my first integrated designer job was important to me, I tend to say that it's always my last experience that is the most important because I always improve as my work progresses. .
So now in 2019 the last commercial product is the Outdoor Wood Oven ALFRED.

My clients can be large international companies like SALOMON (sports equipment) who are accustomed to design but also small companies that have never used the services of real designers ... the company Four Grand-Mère is the typical example .

There is still a lot of design to do ... What I like most is working for a client who had never used a designer before me, because I can do the best design and explain how design will grow the business.

I continue to work with the company Four Grand Mère to design the big brother of the Outdoor Wood Oven ALFRED ... but I also have other customers in the fields of furniture that ask me to work with them ...
But I also have brands of products that belong to me that I will soon launch on the market ... Stay tuned!

I already worked as a team, we were up to 5 people with trainees. But now I prefer to work alone with freelancers and subcontractors to meet all my needs.

It's the big brother of the Outdoor Wood Oven ALFRED, it is named NESTOR for the professional cooks and the amateurs of big kitchens of outside ... launching current 2019.

For Profesionnal:
By Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoit-sepulchre-99310b2/

For the press and the media:
By email:
benoit@agence-product.com

Personally
I practice a lot of sliding sports ...
I am also a snowboard instructor.
I practice surfing, paddleboarding, swimming and skiing.
I love hiking in the mountains and by the sea ...

I like cooking and everything related to the traditions of French cuisine such as wine ...