Architectural Engineer Martin Kovařík, Ph.D.
Creator, architect, designer, interior designer, educator, founder of the National Furniture Design Center, currently retired.
I Want to Continue Educating and Sharing Experience with Everyone who is Interested.
Design as Part of Life
I am a BOOMER. I started drawing with a steel needle on an ash board, then with pencil and ink on drafting paper and tracing paper, then came the time of CAD software, and today I’m learning creation using AI.
My whole life revolves around design, furniture, and interiors. It’s not just communication with clients, proposals, sketches and drawings; the moment of truth comes with implementation. Client satisfaction begins with the use of things and spaces, and defines their comfort.
Design is not just visible aesthetics, but also includes practical and technical aspects: functionality, ergonomics, a healthy environment, technology, materials, and economics. Furthermore, it encompasses history, philosophy, ethics, and lifestyle.
Designs and Implementations
Most of my work involved original creations, meaning I preferred atypical solutions – the design of lighting, furniture, interiors, and small objects were unique pieces, designed to be realized at clearly defined prices. I spent a third of my life in workshops and on construction sites, where I refined, modified, and supervised the implementation of original ideas. Old masters taught me more than schools did.
From my own experience, I know that design and aesthetics are only a fraction of the path to successful implementation. Bent backs over the drafting board, dozens, hundreds of sketches and technical drawings, details, constructions… Thinking about how to implement, how to assemble.
Experience from Various Projects
I was fortunate enough to work on all possible types of projects – standalone pieces, sets, complex interiors – both in residential housing and public interiors: offices, hospitals, universities, restaurants, shops… serving both middle-class and very wealthy clients. Historic protected buildings as well as new constructions. In addition, a few competitions, a bit of architecture, a fraction of urbanism.
Team coordination, as well as working in pairs or solo. In person and online. I always strived for one thing – quality work, but it wasn’t always successful. A few things were TOP. Over 300 projects of all sizes in 40 years.
Teaching
I come from several generations of teachers. I never wanted to teach. But man proposes, life disposes. For over 25 years I taught at universities both domestically and abroad. Add to that lectures for the public and professionals, seminars, workshops, conferences, science, and research. We founded the fields of Furniture and Furniture Engineering, and a few years later Furniture Design. I taught for thousands of hours and instructed over two thousand students.
I enjoyed it and I still enjoy it, which is why I founded and opened this online school. It offers and will continue to offer a personal approach, teaching and consultations, expert mentoring, project supervision, and everything that once was and has disappeared.
What Am I Truly Proud of?
- My son, who is forging his own path; my wife, without whose support it wouldn’t be possible; and friends and colleagues, both past and present, deceased and living.
- Two pieces of furniture design that the Moravian Gallery requested and which I donated to them.
- The office of the Governor of the South Moravian Region, which I designed and was involved in its implementation 25 years ago, and which has survived four governors without significant changes.
- The fact that many former students greet me on the street and stop to chat.
What Am I Looking Forward to?
- You, my future students.
- Finishing two professional books and the history of one stage of my life.
- Being able to do what I want.
