Gadi Amit, President, New Deal Design; Spark Juror, 2011

Who are you, professionally speaking?
I am the Principal Designer, President and a founder of NewDealDesign.

How did you choose your design discipline?
I was born to a couple of Architects, from there it’s a short trip to Industrial Design. Unlike Architecture, Industrial Design allows you more personal, hand-on experience with the object you create. I love that and forgot about Architecture.

What are some elements that make your designs distinctive?
Simplicity, Clarity and Style.

Is your work international, or regionally focused?
NewDealDesign work is about 30-40% International and 70-60% USA.

What is your ideal project or commission?
A chance to Design an object that is either entirely new or was forgotten and untreated for a long time. And then making this object an Icon of cultural, financial and functional success.

Have you worked in sustainable materials?
Much of the work we’ve done in the last few years involves, at least to some extent, sustainable thinking.

Who are your top 3 favorite designers?
Ettore Sottsass, Naoto Fukasawa and Ron Arad (to name only few- my list has more than 3 and no ‘top’…)

What are you currently reading?
Bill Bryson ‘A Short History of Nearly Everything’, I am fan of his writing.

What advise can you offer to a new graduate?
Design is a tough, tough profession. Make sure you’re really passionate about it, before your start.

How did you get your first paying design job?
I was building models for a high-tech in-house design team by day and doing my version of their projects by night.

What do you do for inspiration? 
Watch lots of TV, going to the movies, hike, play with my kids and run (or bike), when I can. I don’t believe in ‘inspiration’ stories…;-)