DI: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?
CT : Lot of people want to try boardsports, but the truth is that it's very hard to learn and sometimes it's quite dangerous. So I wanted to make a multifunctional board that is easy to use, and safe to ride. The other inspiration came from the water. As a windsurfer I always wanted a tool that gives you the possibility to windsurfing on land, but I never found that exept some home made windskates. So I decided to design the perfect device to make it happen.
DI: What are your future plans for this award winning design?
CT : I founded DESKA Design Ltd. and now I would like to put DESKA on the market and start production. The first 100 boards just comes in April, 2015.
DI: How long did it take you to design this particular concept?
CT : That was a five years long period. It was a long time, but as I look back, I remember a lot of awesome experiences. I loved this time, and I looking forward to my next challenging project.
DI: Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself?
CT : DESKA is my baby. I'll make everything by myself in my studio just till now. I would like to build a cool team and make the impossible things happen together.
DI: What made you design this particular type of work?
CT : I wanted to see my vision in real. After I saw it, I wanted to try it. After I tried it, I wanted to develop until it's not that perfect as I wanted.
DI: Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work?
CT : Prof. Hartmut Esslinger, my ex-professor teached me a lot. Thank you professor!
I think I will be influenced by Esslinger in any of my future projects, just like in DEKSA.
DI: Who is the target customer for his design?
CT : The DESKA Board is a hybrid between a skateboard, a windsurfing board and a snowboard fused into one (with a braking function). So the target of this design are those who loves these sports and tools. And of course those, who just want to try it. Riding on a DEKSA is much more easier then any other board sports.
DI: How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean?
CT : We were talking about the project with friends in a Pub. I think we talked about the name, and suddenly a girl, called Fruzsi said, why don't you call it simply Deszka? Deszka means Board in my language, so I decided to write it like DESKA. In this case when you say DESKA (anyhow internationally), you say the hungarian name of the product.
DI: Which design tools did you use when you were working on this project?
CT : At the begining: Lot of paper and a pencil. After that 2D and 3D sofwares (Rhino and Inventor, Photoshop, Keyshot, etc). For the first models and prototypes I used a CNC machine, and lot of hand made works at the Univercity in Wien, Austria. For the carbon structure I used the tools of a plastic workshop, and I started to develope my own workshop in a garage in Budapest, Hungary.
DI: Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills?
CT : Dr. Zoltan Peres. An extremely talented engineer, who helped me in the final prototypes to make the geometry better. He is currently working with me on the design plans of the mass production, and the final product, and other material tests.
DI: Is your design influenced by data or analytical research in any way? What kind of research did you conduct for making this design?
CT : My research was my hobby. After I spent 15 years with boardsports, I knew that I have to design DESKA.
DI: How did you decide to submit your design to an international design competition?
CT : Winning the People's Choise award at HP's pre-crowdfunding contest was an awesome experience and unforgetable feeling. I think I want to feel that again. To win an international design competition would be a kind of top moment in my life, so. I had to try.
DI: What did you learn or how did you improve yourself during the designing of this work?
CT : I learned a lot in the field of marketing, bureaucracy, online possibilities like crowdfunding, and a lot else. Now I see the steps, and musts at the process of the design from the sketch to the product. And it's a surprisingly long journey.
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
CT : Never give up your dreams! If you can dream it, then you can do it!
