Tell us about yourself.
My name is Daniel Wenzel, I am a German designer and creative technologist based in New York. Specializing in typography and generative processes, I balance at the intersection of art, design, and technology. I have been a part of DIA Studio for seven years and currently operate independently. Throughout my career, I have contributed to projects that utilize procedural thinking for the benefit of coherent systems and technological advancement. I have worked for internationally renowned clients including Adidas, Apple, Google, Louis Vuitton, MoMA, Nike and The New York Times. In addition to my professional practice, I have taught the Master Visual Design, Typography program at ELISAVA in Barcelona, given workshops at HEAD Genève and HS Mainz, and lectured at KABK, Weltformat, TDC Inscript, and the MIT Media Lab, among others.
Which design topics are you most passionate about?
I am most passionate about designing systems in various forms from creating flexible identities, developing custom tools, to type design.
Do you have any special hobbies / things you like to do in your free time?
I've been skateboarding since I was 15 years old. This sport teaches you to see and interpret your surroundings in a different way, as you constantly find opportunities to skate in architecture and objects. I also follow a similar philosophy in my design practice where I try to find inspiration in my surroundings and interests. For example, I've always been fascinated by science, so much so that I almost studied physics, and so I often take scientific approaches and use or reinterpret them within my practice.
Share a project / exhibition / creative person / anything that you found recently and sparked your imagination
I try to avoid finding inspiration within my own field. With social media, it's hard to escape your bubble, which leads to a lack of originality and the reason why so much just looks the same these days. I often turn to other areas of interest, be it science, sports, pop culture or art.
What’s the hardest thing about being a designer?
It’s a very underappreciated and undervalued industry. There are countless well-established companies that are unwilling to pay designers, companies that request unpaid pitches or expect their status and visibility to be payment enough. I do not work for free, and I don't think anyone should. It is upsetting to me that I even have to say this.
What’s the best thing about being a designer?
I love that it’s a very versatile practice. Every project is different and a new problem solving exercise.
Describe your dream project.
I have had the privilege of working on many of the projects that I dreamed of as a young designer — from Super Bowl campaigns to the biggest screens in Times Square. I think my dream projects at the moment are the ones that go beyond commercial purposes — research-oriented work with a tangible, positive impact on society or our industry.
Share the last photo you took for inspiration and explain why.
The last photo I took for inspiration is this typeface grid I saw on the New Jersey Transit. I like the aesthetic of the grid itself. I think it’s interesting to see those old school flexible systems and how its logic and aim to minimize the light modules dictates the letterforms and creates some irregularities and kinks.
What do you do when you feel stuck and uninspired?
I learned that it often helps to just do it. Ideas come as you go and trying something even if it may not be right helps as a step along the way. And if I need to clear my head I go skate.
Lastly, leave us with a personal cultural recommendation: either a book, a movie, TV series, podcast, or anything else our readers might enjoy
Watch “How To with John Wilson”. It’s the most accurate representation of New York you can get. It’s creative, poetic, funny..
Thank you Daniel!
