Following his one-on-one mentoring session with Yves Behar, we caught up with designer Adam Cornish to find out more about the man behind the Wooden Hammock - the winning entry in the recent Herman Miller Asia Pacific Design Competition. 

What led you to pursue a career in design?

I know it sounds clichéd but I feel design chooses you. From an early age I have felt the desire to change and modify the things around me to suit the task I need them for. Ithink in essence that is what design is still about.

Describe a typical day at the office.

A typical day at the office starts with good coffee. I live and work in North Melbourne so we have great small batch coffee which I enjoy on my work to work. I really enjoy the start of the day as you get to reflect on the work from the day before. I bel ieve your instincts are at their strongest when you haven’t viewed the work for a few hours.

Then I suppose it is down to business working on whatever the project may be. I work with a wide range of mediums and although I do use CAD for most projects, I feel it is vital to make 1:1 models and mock ups. I am always surprised on how much feed back a simp le crude model will give you in comparison to a rendering.

I also work closely with manufactures of my products, so a typical day is often spent out of the office viewing samples and researching prior to starting a project.

How would you describe your design aesthetic?

Aesthetics for me are about remaining honest to how something is made or used.

How has your approach evolved over the years?

As designers we must constantly strive to improve the way our products relate to th e world and to lessen their environmental impact. This approach to design has broadened my outlook on design and made me consider the subtleties of each project.

What inspires you?

I am inspired by life, travel and all my experiences. Being inspired is about being open minded and observant of the world around you.

Who has influenced you?

Knell Grant has been a mentor and friend of mine for many years and has always encouraged designers to dream. This outlook has influenced my design practice immensely.

What have been your most rewarding achievements?

My most rewarding achievements would have to be my first international exhibitions in Milan.

What’s next?

I will be unveiling two new products at the 2011 Milan Furniture Fair which I am extremely excited about.

How do you want your work to be remembered?

I would like my work to be remembered as a link in the chain of product evolution.