Ramy Fischler, autofiction

But prior to unveiling the episodes of Design, and… Action!, the designer tells us another story – his own. That of a designer living those changes.

What effect has new technology had on your day-to-day life?

The only devices I actually use are my smartphone to communicate with, and my iPad for drawing. That’s it. I find that old habits die hard. When I’m drawing up plans, I always fall back on overlays, as that’s what I used when working for Patrick Jouin. I love being part of a generation that straddles two worlds. A generation that needs to know how to use new technology but also knows how to challenge it, which is something the younger generation aren’t always capable of doing.

“I myself am a living, breathing prototype of this emerging being that is experiencing all these shifts.”

Would you say that’s something that influences your work?

It’s a pivotal stance, which I find extremely inspiring. But what really helps me stay up-to-date and keep my finger on the pulse is changing jobs 4 or 5 times a day. I’m always a designer, but I’m constantly jumping from one world to the next and taking on different roles depending on the client, the project, the people I talk to. I’ll switch, for example, from designing a table to then working on an urban project with a mayor or a sociologist. I’m an advocate of the very “millennial” idea that in the modern world, no matter what job you do, it’s important you don’t pigeonhole yourself.

Do the scenarios explored in Design, and… Action! concern you?

All the issues we explore daily in our studio affect me directly, as I myself am a living, breathing prototype of this emerging being that is experiencing all these shifts.

How, exactly?

When it comes to transport, for example, I use my electric scooter a lot. I must be City Scoot’s best customer! That’s how I like to live my life, using items that don’t belong to me, that I can leave wherever I like, that don’t pollute… My wife’s Norwegian, and in Norway we co-own a pool of a thousand cars. It’s like renting, except that you can say “it’s my car”, and you take better care of it.

What are your dreams for the future?

The thing I really need is a better memory. In the future, smartphones could become like an implant that boosts our brainpower. I’m convinced that human beings will continue to play a creative role, coming up with ideas, so I’m not afraid of being augmented by objects that allow me to memorise huge amounts of information. And I wish we could get rid of electric cables. Seeing cables trailing everywhere drives me mad!

By Marie Montuir