"Products receive awards, not the designer," says Petr Novague, creator of the most beautiful Czech door handles

Designer Petr Novague does not need a long introduction. The Favorit bicycle, the famous R200, and a truly long list of prestigious awards. This year, he managed to win three of the most prestigious design awards, the Red Dot Award, for the trio of door fittings Cobra Q. "Once, someone famous and smart said that there are three essential products that every great designer must design: a bicycle, a chair, and a corkscrew. Personally, I would happily add a handle," says Petr Novague.

The triple success at this year's Red Dot Award with the Cobra handles is absolutely exceptional. Do you think it's important for products to receive design awards?
I believe that design is a key attribute of a product. I consider functionality and quality as a given; design gives a product the edge and differentiation from the competition. If Cobra wanted to know how it stands in both Czech and international competition, then the Red Dot Award is the best way to verify its position and competitiveness against the whole world.
It is necessary to continually compare ourselves with the competition – no corruption, no behind-the-scenes games, just clear feedback.

Why is design important for such a purely practical object as a handle?
Someone famous once said that a great designer must design a bicycle, a chair, and a corkscrew. I would easily add a handle to that list. It is precisely that product that is discreet, yet you touch it daily, and it must work naturally without bothering you.


What can we imagine under designer creation?
The design process is based on certain principles that I strictly adhere to in order to avoid mistakes in shaping. The creative phase is not very long; the most time-consuming part is translating the idea into a sketch and subsequent 3D modeling. This phase often repeats several times before we move on to preparing models. The most time-consuming part is setting up mass production – in the case of the Cobra Q fittings, we worked on the development for two years before we were satisfied.

What was the brief? Elegance – timelessness – luxury?
Yes, definitely. But also seriousness, solidity, and honesty. Words are one thing, but transforming their content into form is not as easy as it might seem.
In the case of Cobra Q fittings, I believe we succeeded. The remarkable thing is that each of the submitted handles received a Red Dot Award, and yet they are different, each providing a distinct tactile experience. In my designs, I pay extreme attention to ergonomics, which was key in this project, especially for the Specra model, which is very innovative.


How do you view the surrounding world? Can you detach yourself from your profession, or do you continuously evaluate the design of everything you see?
It is true that every profession leaves a mark on a person. Looking at the world through the lens of industrial design is somewhat of a curse. I see shape and material compromises everywhere, unfinished and unconvincing details; on the other hand, I am aware of how many products humanity churns out each year and how great the pressure is to constantly advance and develop. It is also becoming increasingly difficult to bring revolutionary products to market. Therefore, almost everything happens within the framework of evolutionary changes, the development of small things.

Where do you draw inspiration from?
I actually don't know if the word inspiration even belongs in design. It is, after all, a responsible process that begins with analysis, and the insights it brings are then reflected in the designer's work. The designer must avoid, search, find, cultivate, and the result must be clear and understandable.

How much do technical solutions of individual products limit the designer?
Of course, they are limiting, but we have to take that into account. For typical products, such as a handle, a well-established form plays a role, certain clichés. Another important fact is that while the designer designs a handle, it is not only intended for end consumers; its fate can also be influenced by the architect of the house or apartment. All of this must be considered during the design process.

Who do you think is the typical customer who buys the products you create?
A person who cares about what they are surrounded by. They do not focus solely on price but are sensitive and can appreciate that when two manufacturers produce the same thing, it is not the same.


More about the unique door fittings can be found at www.matekliku.cz or at the Cobra exhibition at ForArch 2019.