Solo is an independent graphic design studio specialising in corporate identity, editorial design, packaging and typography. Solo is a studio founded in 2011 by Óscar Germade in Barcelona. After exchanging emails with Oscar, we arranged a visit for the Tuesday to talk about design and his work. This was a exciting and nervous prospect because myself and Bobby are in a different country and also because we haven't met Oscar before.
Interview
We decided to create a small range of questions to ask him and the conversation we had with Oscar is detailed below. The interview was taken in note form as we forgot to record the conversation unfortunately.
What makes Barcelona design culture so different to cities?
Design in Barcelona is relatively new, it falls from heritage. In 1992 when the Olympics came is the first time Barcelona started to use graphic design.
Do you think it is important have the MCR/BCN connection and why?
Yes, there a lot of similarities between the two cities, Manchester isn't the capital of England and Barcelona isn't the capital of Spain but they are both cities that are dominant in design. The culture and music scene is also very influential.
What do you think of northern design?
It's Fresh! theres a new wave of design and people and it's natural
What is your favourite work done / designed?
Simon Miller, 1st client, created a good relationship, working close with them and still work to this day. International client from LA! Also El Pas Semanal which is a newspaper supplement in Spain.
What would be your dream project?
The wayfinding and signage of a car park, I think there really hard to navigate, then hopefully Barcelona as a city.
What was it like setting up your own business?
Setting up alone was quite hard with the crisis in Spain at the time in 2011, in Spain you have to pay to work so even if you don't have any clients you still have to pay which is different to England.
What if any work / morals / ethics do you work to?
2 main — client - give them solution
— focus on improving society and the environment through design decisions
Any advice for us as budding designers?
People want to design for money but that shouldn't be your first thought. Do and be the best designer you can be and the rest will follow. Look into designer Fernando Guierrez!
Overview
After our interview we exchanged business cards and asked Oscar to give us some feedback on our online portfolios which he was more than happy to provide. Overall the visit was a huge success and I really enjoyed my time at the studio and the advice given. My only regret is that we didn't take any pictures but we was in the moment to be thinking about doing that. This visit has given me a lot of confidence more so than visiting an agency in my own country because now I have experienced an international one which it's quite exciting. Unfortunately Oscar doesn't take on interns due to him being out of the office a lot and not being able to help provide support if someone needs help. However with this connection made in Spain it will be really nice to keep in contact and someone to visit and talk to in the future.
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